For Immediate Release
March 12, 2009
Wellesley Sports Information
Duff, Thomas Selected to Play in NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic
South Hadley, Mass. -- The New England Women's Basketball Coaches Association (NEWBA) has announced its annual award winners for the 2008-09 season. Wellesley seniors Jessica Duff (Milton, Abingdon, UK) and Julia Thomas (Concord, CA) have been selected to play in the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic this month.
Duff finished the season as the only NEWMAC player averaging a double-double, posting season marks of 16.0 points and a NEWMAC-leading 12.4 rebounds per game. She finished first in the conference in defensive rebounds (8.45/game), second in offensive rebounds (4.05/game) and third in scoring average. Duff also became the eighth player in Wellesley history to score 1,000 total points, and finishes her career with 1,078, fifth on Wellesley's all-time scoring list.
Thomas averaged 12.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season, and led the NEWMAC in field goal percentage (.552) and offensive rebound average (5.14/game). She finished the season ranked eighth in the conference in scoring average, and third in overall rebounding average. Nationally, Thomas' 25-rebound performance against Roger Williams was the fourth-best single-game total in the country this year.
Duff and Thomas are joined on the 23-player roster by five NEWMAC rivals from Mount Holyoke, Springfield, Wheaton and WPI.
The New England Women's Basketball Association provides support for coaches from the New England Region. Membership in NEWBA is open to all Division III head coaches from the region who have a vested interest in the welfare of the organization. All NEWBA yearly award winners were selected by vote of the association's members.
2008-09 NEWBA Yearly Awards
Coach of the Year
Adrienne Shibles, Bowdoin College
Player of the Year
Val Beckwith, Bates College
Rookie of the Year
Nicole Wurdeman, Babson College
All-Region First Team
Val Beckwith, Bates College
Ashley McFetridge, Eastern Connecticut State University
Andrea Wasuk, Westfield State College
Jessica Chapin, Brandeis University
Ali Fourney, Wesleyan University
All-Region Second Team
Stacey Kent, University of Southern Maine
Corey Finch, Springfield College
Nicole Wurdeman, Babson College
Melissa Martinelli, Coast Guard Academy
Kristin Degou, Keene State College
Senior All-Star Classic Selections
Katie Austen, Mount Holyoke College
Michelle Boudreau, Keene State College
Cassidy Dadaos, Brandeis University
Nathasha Deschene, WPI
Jessica Duff, Wellesley College
Corey Finch, Springfield College
Alli Gamache, University of New England
Ali Fourney, Wesleyan University
Krystin Hickey, Wheaton College
Stacey Kent, University of Southern Maine
Alexa Kaubris, Bowdoin College
Ashley McFetridge, Eastern Connecticut State University
Nicky Morey, Eastern Connecticut State University
Maria Noucas, Bowdoin College
Lauren O'Connor, Springfield College
Maude Okrah, Emerson College
Lauren Orlando, Brandeis University
Emma Pasquale, Colby-Sawyer College
Stacey Roberts, Western Connecticut State University
Katie Sylvain, Westfield State College
Julia Thomas, Wellesley College
Lauren Vassallo, Emerson College
Andrea Wasuk, Westfield State College