Juniors Sarah Ericson and Erin Leary of the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team were each named as East Coast Conference First Team All-Conference selections, as the league office announced its annual awards on Thursday.
Ericson, who takes home her second straight First Team accolades, is one of four Spartans to play in all 28 regular season games in 2023-24. The Norwich, Connecticut native ranks first on both the team and in the ECC in field goal percentage (43.9 percent), and free throw percentage (86.2 percent), first on the Spartans in points per game (16.4, 4th ECC), total points (459, 3rd ECC), assists per game (2.7), total assists (76), steal per game (1.9), total steals (53) and second on the squad in minutes per game (32.9) rebounds per game (8.2, 5th ECC) and total rebounds (230, 5th ECC). Ericson was named the ECC Preseason Player of the Year, a two-time ECC Player of the Week, a two-time Met Basketball Writer's Player of the Week and a one-time D2CIDA National Player of the Week this year. She also scored her 1,000th career point on January 31, 2024 at Molloy University.
Leary, who collects her second consecutive First Team kudos, is another of the iron women in maroon and gold to suit up for all 28 regular season contests this year. The Carle Place, New York native led her team in minutes per game (34.0), rebounds per game (8.5, 4th ECC), total rebounds (237, 3rd ECC), blocks per game (1.4, 3rd ECC), and total blocks (40, 2nd ECC, while placing second on the squad in field goal percentage (40.0 percent, 4th ECC), points per game (14.4) and total points (404). Leary was named a three-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week and a one-time Met Basketball Writer's Player of the Week this year. She also scored her 1,000th career point on February 18, 2024 at D'Youville University.
St. Thomas Aquinas makes its way to Amherst, New York for the remainder of the East Coast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament, as #3 STAC takes on #2 Mercy on Saturday, March 9 (2:30 p.m.) at Lumsden Gymnasium on the campus of top seed and hosts Daemen University. The Spartans and Mavericks split their regular season series with each team taking a game on their own home court.
2023-24 ECC Women’s Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Sarah Ericson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Erin Leary, St. Thomas Aquinas
Alahna Paige, Daemen
Destiny Ryles, District of Columbia
Jaclyn Stanavich, Mercy
Katie Wall, Mercy
Second Team
Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island
Brianna Davis, Queens
Trinity Hudson, Molloy
Anna Jankovic, D'Youville
Gabby McDuffie, Daemen
Third Team*
Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Danielle DiCintio, Roberts Wesleyan
Georgia Haverlock, Roberts Wesleyan
Latavia Jackson, District of Columbia
Claire Pikett, Daemen
Tori Williams, District of Columbia
*Tie results in six selections for Third Team
Player of the Year: Alahna Paige, Daemen
Defensive Player of the Year: Angelina Barrera, Mercy
Rookie of the Year: Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Coach of the Year: Scott Lagas, Mercy