PITMAN, NJ— Kean University senior Shannon McCoy, Montclair State University senior Trisha Peterson, and Ramapo duo Alie Wickersheim and Jada Thompson have been named as the 2021-22 NJAC Women's Basketball major award winners. McCoy earned Player of the Year honors; Peterson and Wickersheim were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year; and Thompson was tabbed Rookie of the Year.

Their accolades highlight the 16-member NJAC Women's Basketball All-Conference Team and were selected based on a vote of the league's head coaches.

McCoy (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat), a four-time NJAC All-Conference First Team honoree, becomes the fourth Kean player in program history to earn Player of the Year honors. She led Kean to the regular season title and top seed in the NJAC Tournament after the Cougars were predicted to finish fifth in the preseason poll. McCoy ranks among the top of the NJAC in several statistical categories including second in total points in conference play (286), second in conference-only free throw percentage (85.1%), fourth in conference-only scoring (16.8 ppg), sixth in conference-only rebounding (8.5 rpg), and fifth in conference-only made threes per game (2.0). She added 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game against NJAC foes.

Peterson (Lafayette, NJ/High Point) led the Montclair State defense this season as the Red Hawks finished third in the league standings. She was the NJAC's second-leading rebounder in conference play (9.6 rpg), and ranked tied for third in conference-only blocks (1.6 bpg) and sixth in conference-only steals (2.2 spg). She also ranked in the top 10 in conference-only assists (7^th; 2.9 apg) and third in conference-only assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).

Wickersheim (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) was part of a Ramapo squad that finished fifth in the NJAC standings, outperforming their ninth-place preseason poll prediction and earning a first round bye in the tournament. The senior center led the NJAC in conference-only rebounding (9.8 rpg) while adding 9.5 points per game. She was also second in conference-only blocks (1.7 bpg).

Thompson (Sicklerville, NJ/Hammonton) was also a huge part of the Roadrunners' success this season. The rookie burst on to the scene, earning six NJAC Rookie of the Week nods along the way. She was the NJAC's leading rookie and second overall in both conference-only assists (4.1 apg) and field goal percentage (45.8%). She averaged 14.6 points per game in league play, second among rookies and ninth overall. She was also fourth in the NJAC in conference-only rebounding (8.9 rpg) while adding 1.6 steals per game.

Kean head coach Mandy King was tapped as the NJAC Coach of the Year for the first time in her tenure in Union. King's squad won the NJAC regular season title and top seed in the NJAC Tournament after going 16-2 in league play this year. She has coached 13 NJAC All-Conference players in her tenure, including two Players of the Year (McCoy, Payce Lange). She owns a 126-115 record in ten seasons at Kean.
   

FIRST TEAM
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Justina Cabezas~	William Paterson	JR	G/F	Carlstadt, NJ/Becton Regional
Nickie Carter*	Montclair State	JR	G	Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central
Nicole Mallard#	Rowan	JR	G	Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional
Shannon McCoy^*&	Kean	SR	G	Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat
Damaris Rodriguez^	NJCU	SO	G	Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus

 

SECOND TEAM
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Dakota Adams	Rowan	JR	G/F	Manchester, NJ/Manchester Township
Laney Fox	NJCU	JR	G	Parkland, FL/Cardinal Gibbons
Brittany Graff	Kean	SO	G	Elmwood Park, NJ/Immaculate Heart
Julia Setaro$	TCNJ	JR	G	Tinton Falls, NJ/Red Bank Catholic
Jada Thompson	Ramapo	FR	G	Sicklerville, NJ/Hammonton

 

HONORABLE MENTION
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Brianna Brooks$	William Paterson	SR	G	Saddle Brook, NJ/Saddle Brook
Samiyah Horton~	Rutgers-Newark	JR	G	Newark, NJ/Newark Tech
Madison LaRosa	Stockton	FR	G	Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional
Grace Marshall#	Rowan	SR	G	Bellmawr, NJ/Haddon Township
Jalissa Pitts$	Rutgers-Camden	JR	G/F	Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township
Alie Wickersheim	Ramapo	SR	C	Maywood, NJ/Hackensack

 

Key:
^ - First Team All-Conference 2020-21
$ - Second Team All-Conference 2020-21
~ - Honorable Mention All-Conference 2020-21
*-First Team All-Conference 2019-20
# - Second Team All-Conference 2019-20
& - First Team All-Conference 2018-19