SAINTS LAND FOUR ON ALL-GNAC HOOP TEAM
Feb. 24, 2011
Emmanuel College placed four Women’s Basketball Players on the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference Team. The results of a vote conducted by the thirteen conference coaches were released yesterday. The Saints, who went undefeated in GNAC play (12-0) during the course of the regular season, placed more players on the All-Conference Teams than any other program. The Emmanuel players receiving All-Conference recognition include: Meghan Kirwan, Casey Shevlin, Kristin LeBel and Fiona O’Dwyer.
Junior guard Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, Mass.) was named 1st Team All-GNAC, after leading the Saints in scoring this year with 14.1 points. Kirwan is shooting 49.4% from the floor and averaging 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Her scoring average is good enough for 11th in the conference, while her field goal percentage in 4th in the GNAC.
The senior backcourt tandem of Kristin LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) and Casey Shevlin (Medford, N.Y.) received 3rd Team All-GNAC honors. LeBel is a three-time All-Conference selection. The shooting guard is averaging 11.5 points per game and has drained a team-best 37 three-pointers this year. She shoots 37.1% from the floor and 35.9% from long-range, ranking her 7th among the GNAC leaders. LeBel’s free throw percentage has been stellar throughout her four-year career and this season she is shooting 76.5% from the line, placing her 12th in the league.
This is Shevlin’s first All-Conference recognition. The senior point guard leads the Saints in assists and steals, while topping the GNAC in assist-to-turnover ratio. Her average of 4.3 assists per game ranks her 2nd in the conference. Shevlin has started in all 27 games this season and is averaging 6.1 points and 3.0 steals per game.
Sophomore forward Fiona O’Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) joined LeBel and Shevlin on the 3rd Team. O’Dwyer is Emmanuel’s second leading scorer with 13.3 points per game. She leads the Saints on the glass with 7.5 boards per game. O’Dwyer has recorded five double-doubles this season and her 50.9% field goal percentage is second in the league.
Sophomore forward Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) was named to the conference’s All-Sportsmanship Team. The GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team includes a representative from each of the 13 conference institutions, selected based upon the individuals’ display of sportsmanship throughout the season.
The complete list of GNAC All-Conference selections is as follows:
First Team
Christine Daniels - Norwich
Kathy Andrade - Emerson
Meghan Kirwan - Emmanuel
Karissa Doyon - Norwich
Olivia DiNucci - Emerson
Second Team
Ashley Geel - Saint Joseph's (ME)
Shannon Wood - Mount Ida
Devon Diliberto - Saint Joseph (CT)
Laurel McWilliams - Norwich
Therline Dumeran - Pine Manor
Third Team
Casey Shevlin - Emmanuel
Meghan Black - Suffolk
Jennifer Ruys - Suffolk
Fiona O'Dwyer - Emmanuel
Kristin LeBel - Emmanuel
Player of the Year: Christine Daniels - Norwich
Rookie of the Year: Devon Diliberto - Saint Joseph
Defensive Player of the Year: Therline Dumeran - Pine Manor
Coach of the Year: Kim Martin - Saint Joseph (CT)