MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team
MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team
Edison, N.J. (July 9, 2020) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th Anniversary throughout the 2020-21 academic year, continuing its mission to provide student-athletes the opportunity to succeed in both academics and athletics.
The 40
th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team highlights some of the best student-athletes in MAAC history. MAAC Women’s basketball traces back to 1982, when Saint Peter’s defeated Army at the Meadowlands Arena for the first ever conference championship. Since, Marist leads the conference with 14 MAAC title appearances and 10 championships overall, followed by Saint Peter’s with nine titles and Manhattan College and Quinnipiac University with four. The MAAC Basketball Championships have found a new home at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the 2021 Championships set for March 9-13.
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th Anniversary Teams and information follow @MAACSports on
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| Canisius College |
| Heather Fiore |
1993-97 |
| Jenel Stevens |
2000-04 |
| Alisa Robinson |
1988-90 |
| Becky Zak |
2002-06 |
Shauna (Geronzin) Green – 1998-02
A four-year letter winner, and one of two players in school history (men's or women's) to score more than 2,000 career points, Shauna (Geronzin) Green wore the Blue and Gold from 1998-02. One of 16 former women's basketball players in the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame, (Geronzin) Green scored 2,012 career points as a Griff and she also recorded 910 career boards, the most for any Canisius women's player in the program's Division I history. The 1999 MAAC Rookie of the Year, she was a four-time All-MAAC honoree, earning All-MAAC First Team honors three times. She is currently the head coach of the Dayton women's basketball program. |
| Fairfield University |
| Tricia (Fabbri) Sacca |
1987-91 |
| Katrina Fields |
1981-85 |
| Jessica Grossarth |
1994-98 |
| Lisa Mikelic |
1987-91 |
Gail Strumpf-Cheney – 1997-01
Gail Strumpf-Cheney is the Stags' all-time leader in points, netting 1,873 points in her career. She also ranks second with 1,106 rebounds. She was a three-time All-MAAC First Team selection and the Player of the Year in 2000. She led the Stags to the MAAC title in 1998 and the first at-large bid in program history in 2001. |
Coach Dianne Nolan
Dianne Nolan coached the Stags for nearly 30 seasons and won 456 games during that tenure. She led the Stags to three MAAC Championships and the program’s first-ever at-large bid in 2001, becoming the first team in the conference to make an at-large appearance. She won five MAAC Coach of the Year awards. |
| Iona College |
| Joy Adams |
2012-16 |
| Marina Lizarazu |
2014-17 |
| Maggie Timoney |
1985-89 |
| Martina Weber |
2005-07 |
Damika Martinez – 2011-15
Damika Martinez ’15 amassed 2,581 career points at Iona, establishing new program and MAAC records that still stand. The three-time MAAC Player of the Year was the first player to lead the league in scoring in four different seasons. Martinez was the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2012 and earned AP All-American Honorable Mentions in her junior season, capping that year off with MBWA Division I Player of the Year distinction. Martinez went on to play professionally in Poland, Puerto Rico and Spain, as well as representing the USA at the FIBA Americas in 2015. Martinez’s other accolades include Nancy Lieberman Award Finalist, ECAC All-Star First Team, All-Met First Team (3x), All-MAAC First Team (3x), All-MAAC Second Team and MAAC All-Rookie Team honors. |
| Manhattan College |
| Stacey Jack Edwards |
1983-87 |
| Kayla Grimme |
2013-18 |
| Rosalee Mason |
2000-03 |
| Gina Somma |
1992-96 |
Sheila Tighe – 1980-84
Manhattan's all-time leading scorer across both the men's and women's basketball programs, Sheila Tighe became just the second Jasper alum to have their jersey retired when the school honored her in a special pre-game ceremony this past November. Tighe scored 2,412 career points in her four years at Manhattan and established eight Lady Jasper records, including most points in one game (45) and in one season (730). A two-time MAAC Player of the Year honoree, she was also named Northeast Player of the Year and received All-American accolades in 1984. In 2012, Tighe became the first Manhattan women’s basketball player to be inducted into the MAAC Honor Roll at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. |
| Marist College |
| Erica Allenspach |
2007-11 |
| Rebekah Hand |
2016-20 |
| Tori Jarosz |
2011-16 |
| Corielle Yarde |
2008-12 |
Rachele Fitz - 2006-10
Rachele Fitz stands as Marist's all-time leading scorer, as well as the third-leading scorer in the MAAC, with 2,447 points. She also ranks first in the Red Fox annals with 137 career games played, 17.9 points per game, 905 field goals, and a .582 field goal percentage (second in the MAAC), while also being the only Red Fox to reach 1,000 career rebounds (1,066, eighth in the MAAC). Fitz was named MAAC Player of the Year three times, and was Marist's first Rookie of the Year in 2007. She won four MAAC Championships at Marist, and was part of the 2006-07 team that became the first MAAC program to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Marist retired her No. 12 jersey in February of 2011. |
Coach Brian Giorgis
Brian Giorgis has won a MAAC-record 10 championships, including nine straight from 2006-14. In 2007, he led Marist to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, as the Red Foxes became the first team in conference history to accomplish this feat. He has won five NCAA Tournament games. In his 18 years at the helm, Giorgis has led Marist to 12 postseason appearances (10 NCAA, 2 WNIT), and 12 appearances in the MAAC championship game. He won his 400th game with the Red Foxes in the 2019-20 season opener, and is believed the only active coach in college basketball to win 400 career games at both the scholastic and collegiate levels. Giorgis is a seven-time MAAC Coach of the Year and four-time Met Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year. He was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2013 World University Games. |
| Monmouth University |
| Jamiyah Bethune |
2013-16 |
| Alexa Middleton |
2016-20 |
| Sarah Olson |
2014-16 |
| Chevannah Paalvast |
2013-14 |
Sierra Green – 2018-20
Sierra Green was named to the 2018-19 Second Team All-MAAC after shattering the program record for three-pointers in a season with 98. In just two seasons, she hit 169 triples, good for third in Monmouth history. |
| Niagara University |
| Eva Cunningham |
2001-05 |
| Samantha David |
1989-93 |
| Amy Getman |
1997-01 |
| Sheryl (Klick) Strobl |
1996-00 |
Victoria Rampado – 2013-18
Rampado had a stellar five-year career with the Purple Eagles, breaking the program's scoring and rebounding records in her final season. Rampado finished her career with 1,823 points and 909 rebounds. Rampado ranks in the top-10 in program history in points, rebounds, scoring average (14.7 ppg), field goals (674), field goal attempts (1,560), free throws (412), free throw attempts (532), blocks (68) and games played (124). She was named the MAAC Player of the Year following the 2017-18 season and was the 2013-14 MAAC Rookie of the Year. She was selected to the All-MAAC Second Team in 2014-15 and 2016-17, the All-MAAC First Team in 2017-18 and the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2013-14. |
| Quinnipiac University |
| Gillian “Boo” Abshire |
2011-15 |
| Aryn McClure |
2015-19 |
| Jasmine Martin |
2011-15 |
| Adily Martucci |
2012-17 |
Jen Fay – 2014-19
Jen Fay is the only player in Quinnipiac history to win four conference championships in her career. The 2019 graduate is also the only Bobcat to win two conference tournament MVP awards. In addition to the postseason MVP awards, Fay was First Team All-MAAC in 2017-18, second team in 2018-19, and third team in 2016-17. She finished her career with the 16th most points in program history (1277). |
Coach Tricia Fabbri
The all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac women’s basketball history, Tricia Fabbri, recently completed her 25th season on the Bobcats’ sideline in 2019-20 and raised her career total to 448 victories. Since joining the MAAC in 2013-14, Fabbri’s Bobcats have won four MAAC titles, three NCAA Tournament games, and posted an overall record of 109-21 in MAAC competition. Fabbri led her team to a MAAC record 52-straight conference victories and has been unbeaten in conference play three times since joining the league. |
| Rider University |
| Julia Duggan |
2013-17 |
| Becky Hower |
2002-05 |
| MyNeshia McKenzie |
2010-14 |
| Robin Perkins |
2014-17 |
Stella Johnson – 2016-20
Johnson rewrote Rider's record books, scoring a program-record 2,167 points and earning MAAC Player of the Year twice. She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury and recently signed with the Chicago Sky of the WNBA. |
| Saint Peter’s University |
| Felicia Harris |
1998-02 |
| Blanche Jones |
1981-85 |
| Tania Kennedy |
2005-09 |
| Patty Marchese |
1995-99 |
Tonya Grant – 1986-90
Tonya Grant was a force for Saint Peter’s from 1986-90. She concluded her career as the Peacocks all-time leading scorer, 2,020 points, and fourth leading rebounder, with 964 boards. Tonya was named to the MAAC’s 25th Anniversary Team in 2006. She is currently the MAAC’s sixth all-time leading scorer, tied for seventh in per game average at 18.0 points per game, sixth with a .542 field goal percentage, and 15th with 964 career rebounds. Grant was an All-MAAC selection all four years of her career, including a two-time first team choice (1988-89, 1989-90), and was chosen as MAAC Player of the Year in 1990. She scored a Saint Peter’s record 716 points as a senior, averaging 25.6 points per game, also a school record. During her career at Saint Peter’s, she led the Peacocks to a 79-33 record. She was inducted into the Saint Peter’s Hall of Fame in 1996. |
Coach Mike Granelli
In 32 years as head coach of the Saint Peter's women's basketball program, Granelli posted a record of 607-249 (.709). At the time of his retirement, he was one of three coaches in women's college basketball history to win 600 games at the same school (Pat Summitt at Tennessee and Jody Conradt at Texas). During his tenure, Granelli led his squad to 10 MAAC regular season titles, nine MAAC championship crowns and seven NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship appearances. He was also named the MAAC Coach of the Year five times during his time in Jersey City (1982, 1986, 1996, 1997 and 1999). |
| Siena College |
| Gunta Basko |
1999-03 |
| Kim Colunio |
1991-95 |
| Liene Jansone |
2000-04 |
| Liz Lops |
1990-94 |
Melanie Halker – 1995-99
A 2005 Siena Athletics Hall of Fame selection, Halker is the program's all-time leader in rebounding (1,122), second all-time scorer (2,021) and currently sixth all-time in scoring & rebounding in MAAC history. A two-time MAAC Player of the Year (1997-98, 1998-99), she was also a three-time First Team All-MAAC selection (1996-99) and the 1995-96 MAAC Rookie of the Year. |
| Former MAAC Members |
| Sharon Nast (Fordham) |
1982-86 |
| Jeanine Radice (Fordham) |
1985-89 |
| Janet Hourihan (Holy Cross) |
1983-86 |
| Tracey Quinn (Holy Cross) |
1983-87 |
| Jennifer Cole (La Salle) |
1989-93 |
| Jill Crandley (La Salle) |
1983-86 |
| Linda Hester (La Salle) |
1983-86 |
| Tracey Sneed (La Salle) |
1985-89 |
| Katie Sheahin (Loyola) |
2009-13 |
| Patty Stoffey (Loyola) |
1991-95 |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.