FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2013
UMass Lowell's Simmons also named WBCA Player of the Year finalist
SOUTH EASTON, Mass. – Bentley University junior Lauren Battista and University of Massachusetts Lowell senior Bianca Simmons have been named to the 2013 Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Division II All-America Team, it was announced on Monday night.
Simmons was also named a finalist for the 2013 State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year award.
Simmons (pictured), a 5-6 guard who was named Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, led the nation in scoring at 28.2 points per game. She also averaged 7.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 3.6 steals per game.
Battista received the All-America honor for the second straight year after averaging 14.9 points and 6.7 rebounds for a Falcons team that advances to the NCAA East Regional title game. A First Team All-Conference selection, the 6-0 junior was also named Most Outstanding Player at the Northeast-10 Championship for the third time in as many years.
Bentley senior Courtney Finn and Stonehill College junior Mary Louise Dixon were recognized as All-America Team Honorable Mentions. Finn averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds this year, while Dixon posted per-game marks of 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Skyhawks.
As for Simmons, she was named one of three Player of the Year finalists along with Clayton State senior Drameka Griggs and Ashland senior Kari Daugherty.
The State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year is selected by the nine-member WBCA Player of the Year Committee, which consists of one WBCA-member coach from each of the eight NCAA Division II Regions and the committee chair.
The winner will be announced during the third annual WBCA Awards Show on Monday, April 8, in New Orleans. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.
The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that are committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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