O’DWYER, BENVENUTO, BUJNOWSKI RECEIVE ALL-GNAC HONORS
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) released its 2013 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams and Emmanuel College led the way with three honorees, including the GNAC Player of the Year. After leading the Saints to an undefeated 12-0 mark in GNAC regular-season action and the program’s seventh-straight GNAC title, Fiona O’Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.), Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) and Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) were voted All-GNAC by the 13 conference coaches. O’Dwyer was deservingly named the 2013 GNAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year.
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) released its 2013 Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams and Emmanuel College led the way with three honorees, including the GNAC Player of the Year. After leading the Saints to an undefeated 12-0 mark in GNAC regular-season action and the program's seventh-straight GNAC title, Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.), Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) and Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) were voted All-GNAC by the 13 conference coaches. O'Dwyer was deservingly named the 2013 GNAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year.
O'Dwyer is making her second-straight appearance on the All-GNAC 1st Team and her third overall All-Conference selection. A four-year starter for the Saints, O'Dwyer led Emmanuel in both scoring and rebounding this season. The senior power forward netted 17.5 points per game and hauled in 9.1 rebounds per game, recording 10 double-doubles this season. After leading the Saints to three-consecutive double-figure wins in the GNAC Tournament, O'Dwyer was named the GNAC Tourney's Most Valuable Player. She also received four other weekly honors from the conference throughout the season, including being named to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll three times and the GNAC Player of the Week once.
With a current career total of 1,536 points, O'Dwyer will graduate as Emmanuel's third all-time leading scorer. She also has a four-year total of 909 rebounds, ranking her among the GNAC's top all-time rebounders and Emmanuel's all-time leader in this category.
Senior guard Laura Benvenuto received 3rd Team All-GNAC recognition. Benvenuto ran the show for the Saints this season, starting in the backcourt and averaging team-bests in both assists (3.7 apg) and steals (3.0 spg). One of the top defenders in the GNAC, Benvenuto led the conference in steals with 85 this season. Benvenuto was named to two different All-Tournament Teams this year, including the EC Invitational All-Tournament Team and the GNAC All-Tournament Team. In addition to her All-GNAC honor, Benvenuto was also named to the conference's All-Sportsmanship Team for her attitude and sportsmanship on the court throughout the 2013 campaign.
Sophomore center Jennifer Bujnowski joined Benvenuto, earning a spot on the All-GNAC 3rd Team. Bujnowski was Emmanuel's second leading scorer and second leading rebounder with 9.1 points per game and 7.1 boards per game. After a stellar start to her sophomore season, Bujnowski was named the Most Valuable Player of the Emmanuel College Invitational Tournament and to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll on November 19, 2012. Bujnowski also averaged close to a block per game in her starting role for the Saints.
O'Dwyer, Benvenuto, Bujnowski and the Saints will play again this Friday, March 1st, when they travel to Rochester, New York for the program's 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Saints are slated to take on the host University of Rochester Yellowjackets at 7:00 PM.