MAAC Announces 2010-11 Women's Basketball Individual Award Recipients
MAAC Sports
Bridgeport, Conn. - Marist College's Erica Allenspach has been named the 2011 Pepsi Max MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year, while Canisius College's Jamie Ruttle was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Additionally, Loyola University Maryland's Katie Sheahin earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and Ali Heller of Rider University claimed the Sixth Player of the Year award.
Allenspach, a 5-8 senior guard from Miamisburg, Ohio, was second in the conference in field goal percentage (48.3%) and free throw percentage (85.0%). She also posted a league leading 2.84 assist-to-turnover ratio in MAAC contests. Allenspach, a two-time Player of the Week this season, finished the regular season fifth in points per game (13.2) and assists per game (3.0). She scored a career-high 34 points against Houston on December 20 en route to Duel in the Desert Tournament MVP honors.
Ruttle, a 6-4 forward from Burlington, Ontario, averaged 9.8 points per game in league contests, the most among all freshmen. She is also on track to become just the third freshman in program history to lead the team in scoring. Ruttle earned Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.
Sheahin, a 5-10 sophomore guard from Brookeville, Md., led the conference with 3.7 steals per game, almost a full takeaway more than the next highest player. She also registered a block a game, 29 total, and grabbed 5.8 rebounds per contest. Sheahin was named MAAC Player of the Week two times this season.
Heller, a 5-8 junior from Boca Raton, Fla., led the conference in 3-point field goal percentage as she connected on 44.3% of her shots. She was second in the league in 3-point field goals made per game with 2.1. Heller was Rider's second leading scorer with 8.2 points per game and also contributed 1.9 rebounds per contest.
Pepsi Max MAAC Player of the Year Sixth Player of the Year
Erica Allenspach, Marist Ali Heller, Rider
Rookie of the Year Defensive Player of the Year
Jamie Ruttle, Canisius Katie Sheahin, Loyola