Five Stags Receive All-MAAC Team Spots

With the regular season now over, the MAAC has announced the All-MAAC teams for both men's and women's basketball. Three women's players and two men's players were named to the teams.

On the women's side junior guard Sabra Wrice received All-MAAC First Team honors, as she finished third in the conference in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game. Wrice, who was a two-time MAAC Player of the Week this season, broke the single game scoring record by scoring 36 points against Siena three games ago. She followed up that performance with a 21 point game against Marist. Wrice helped the Stags to a fourth place finish in the conference.

Sophomore Baendu Lowenthal was named to the All-MAAC Second Team after finishing behind Wrice with 11.2 points per game and also pulled down an average of 6.1 rebounds per game. Lowenthal and Wrice, who are both from Riverside N.J. and were childhood friends, formed a solid inside-out combination which gives the Stags a chance to go deep into the MAAC tournament.

Lowenthal was aided on the post by freshman forward Stephanie Geehan, who was named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team. Geehan led the team in rebounds with 7.4 per game, which was third best in the MAAC. Her 41 blocks was the most among all freshman in NCAA Division I.

On the men's side senior guard Michael Van Schaick was rewarded for his play down the stretch when he was a major reason why the Stags won 10 of their last 12 games, to finish 10-8 in the MAAC, after starting 1-5. The Stags needed Van Schaick's grit and leadership to win many games, including their final game yesterday against St. Peter's to clinch a first round bye, when Van Schaick scored 14 points in the final four minutes of the game. Van Schaick's Coach Ed Cooley called Van Schaick a contender for MAAC Player of the Year earlier this season, showing how much he means to the team. Van Schaick had 85 three pointers on the season, setting a school record, breaking Greg Francis' record by five.

Freshman forward Greg Nero was named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team after finishing second on the team with 9.3 points per game. Nero finished fifth in the conference in scoring amongst freshman. He started the season as the team's key player, becoming the first freshman in school history to lead his team in scoring in the first six games of the season and winning MAAC Rookie of the Week honors. Nero then was hurt by two things. Physically he suffered an elbow injury which has become progressively worse throughout the season and will not be fixed until after the season and teams began to double team him. Nero still was a major contributor to the Stags.

-Tom Cleary