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Lewis-Williams Named MAC Freshman of the Year, Watson Earns All-MAC First Team Honors
3/12/2024 2:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY - The Mid-American Conference announced their postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon with two Bulls earning league recognition. Freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams was named MAC Freshman of the Year and earned All-MAC Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team honors, and Chellia Watson received All-MAC First Team recognition.
Watson earns first team honors in her inaugural season in the league. She has scored in double figures in 27 of 29 games, including 19 20+ point performances, two 30-point efforts and a school-record setting 47-point performance. She leads the MAC and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring (22.7 ppg) while also ranking in the top 15 nationally in total points (658), field goals (258) and field goals made per game (8.9) while also ranking second on the team in assists (96).
The Winder, GA native took her game to another level in MAC play as she averaged 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 40% from the floor in league action. She was named to the later season watch list for the Dawn Staley Award and is one of only two mid-major players on the prestigious list.
Lewis-Williams is the fourth Freshman of the Year recipient in program history and the first since Dyaisha Fair won the award in 2020. The Mooresville, NC native put together a fantastic rookie campaign, averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 47% from the floor in 29 starts this season. She has scored in double figures 20 times, including three 20+ point performances, and is second on the team in scoring and third in assists (83). Lewis-Williams ranks 12th in the MAC in scoring and 17th in rebounding, which is ranks first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories. She also ranks second in the MAC in free throw attempts (144) and third in free throws made (103).
With Lewis-Williams' recognition, the Bulls have now placed a rookie on the All-Freshman team in four of the last five season.
Buffalo takes on Bowling Green in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament tomorrow afternoon. The Bulls and Falcons are the second game of the day, with tipoff at approximately 1:30pm.
2023-24 MAC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards
Coach of the Year: Tricia Cullop, Toledo
Player of the Year: Sophia Wiard, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
Defensive Player of the Year: Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Freshman of the Year: Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Guard, Buffalo
Sixth Player of the Year: Annie Rauch, Senior, Forward, Ball State
All-MAC First Team
Ally Becki, Junior, Ball State, Guard
Chellia Watson, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Buffalo
Katie Shumate, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Kent State
Sophia Wiard, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
Quinesha Lockett, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Reagan Bass, Junior, Forward, Akron
Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Amy Velasco, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green
Morgan Sharps, Fifth-Year, Guard, Bowling Green
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Graduate, Guard, Western Michigan
All-MAC Third Team
Madelyn Bischoff, Junior, Forward, Ball State
Erika Porter, Senior, Forward, Bowling Green
Jenna Batsch, Junior, Forward, Kent State
Brooke Stonebraker, Senior, Forward, Northern Illinois
Sammi Mikonowicz, Senior, Guard/Forward, Toledo
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Freshman, Guard, Buffalo
Amber Tretter, Freshman, Forward, Miami
Jayden Marable, Senior, Guard, Northern Illinois
Jaya McClure, Sophomore, Guard, Ohio
Kennedi Watkins, Junior, Guard, Ohio
MAC All-Freshman Team
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Guard, Buffalo
Paige Kohler, Guard, Bowling Green
Janae Tyler, Forward, Kent State
Amber Tretter, Forward, Miami
Bailey Tabeling, Guard, Ohio
MAC All-Defensive Team
Ally Becki, Junior, Ball State, Guard
Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Tayra Eke, Junior, Center, Eastern Michigan
Katie Shumate, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Kent State
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Graduate, Guard, Western Michigan
Watson earns first team honors in her inaugural season in the league. She has scored in double figures in 27 of 29 games, including 19 20+ point performances, two 30-point efforts and a school-record setting 47-point performance. She leads the MAC and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring (22.7 ppg) while also ranking in the top 15 nationally in total points (658), field goals (258) and field goals made per game (8.9) while also ranking second on the team in assists (96).
The Winder, GA native took her game to another level in MAC play as she averaged 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 40% from the floor in league action. She was named to the later season watch list for the Dawn Staley Award and is one of only two mid-major players on the prestigious list.
Lewis-Williams is the fourth Freshman of the Year recipient in program history and the first since Dyaisha Fair won the award in 2020. The Mooresville, NC native put together a fantastic rookie campaign, averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 47% from the floor in 29 starts this season. She has scored in double figures 20 times, including three 20+ point performances, and is second on the team in scoring and third in assists (83). Lewis-Williams ranks 12th in the MAC in scoring and 17th in rebounding, which is ranks first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories. She also ranks second in the MAC in free throw attempts (144) and third in free throws made (103).
With Lewis-Williams' recognition, the Bulls have now placed a rookie on the All-Freshman team in four of the last five season.
Buffalo takes on Bowling Green in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament tomorrow afternoon. The Bulls and Falcons are the second game of the day, with tipoff at approximately 1:30pm.
2023-24 MAC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards
Coach of the Year: Tricia Cullop, Toledo
Player of the Year: Sophia Wiard, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
Defensive Player of the Year: Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Freshman of the Year: Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Guard, Buffalo
Sixth Player of the Year: Annie Rauch, Senior, Forward, Ball State
All-MAC First Team
Ally Becki, Junior, Ball State, Guard
Chellia Watson, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Buffalo
Katie Shumate, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Kent State
Sophia Wiard, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
Quinesha Lockett, Fifth-Year, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Reagan Bass, Junior, Forward, Akron
Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Amy Velasco, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green
Morgan Sharps, Fifth-Year, Guard, Bowling Green
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Graduate, Guard, Western Michigan
All-MAC Third Team
Madelyn Bischoff, Junior, Forward, Ball State
Erika Porter, Senior, Forward, Bowling Green
Jenna Batsch, Junior, Forward, Kent State
Brooke Stonebraker, Senior, Forward, Northern Illinois
Sammi Mikonowicz, Senior, Guard/Forward, Toledo
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Freshman, Guard, Buffalo
Amber Tretter, Freshman, Forward, Miami
Jayden Marable, Senior, Guard, Northern Illinois
Jaya McClure, Sophomore, Guard, Ohio
Kennedi Watkins, Junior, Guard, Ohio
MAC All-Freshman Team
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Guard, Buffalo
Paige Kohler, Guard, Bowling Green
Janae Tyler, Forward, Kent State
Amber Tretter, Forward, Miami
Bailey Tabeling, Guard, Ohio
MAC All-Defensive Team
Ally Becki, Junior, Ball State, Guard
Nyla Hampton, Junior, Guard, Ball State
Tayra Eke, Junior, Center, Eastern Michigan
Katie Shumate, Redshirt Senior, Guard, Kent State
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Graduate, Guard, Western Michigan
Players Mentioned
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