Newport News, Va. – Fordham women's basketball standout
G'mrice Davis was named to the 2016-17 Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive teams, the league announced on Tuesday morning. Redshirt freshman
Kate Kreslina also earned All-Rookie recognition, while senior
Hannah Missry's efforts on and off the court helped her garnered an All-Academic honor. They are the first year-end awards for all three players.
"I'm really proud of our players being recognized for their efforts this season," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "Individual achievements are a result of a lot of hard work as well as having team success. All three are very deserving!"
Davis has enjoyed a tremendous junior campaign in the Bronx thus far and is having one of the best rebounding seasons in program history. The junior forward has been a staple at number two in the Division I rebounding ranks, currently with 389 boards, a 12.5 rebounds per game average, 10.0 defensive rebounds per contest, and 21 double-doubles on the year. She will become just the second Ram to ever average double-digit rebounds, the other being Hall of Famer Anne Gregory O'Connell, and still has a chance to pass the all-time Fordham great's single-season rebounds total of 422 for fourth-most in a campaign. The Philadelphia native's 8.0 career rebounding average is currently tied for third-highest in program history alongside Nicole Williams '92, and her 723 career boards rank sixth all-time.
Davis is averaging 14.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game across 33.0 minutes per contest, and is one of two players to start all 31 contests. Her 48.4% field goal percentage ranks fourth in the league, as well.
Davis' first impressive showing came against then-number one school in the country Notre Dame, just missing out on a double-double by one point but finishing with a career-high 15 rebounds, four on the offensive glass, plus three assists and four steals across a team-high 36 minutes. The junior tallied her first double-double in the next game, the team's final game of the Preseason WNIT, with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes against Little Rock at home. Since, she has set two new scoring career-highs and two new rebounding career-highs, with 27 points against Davidson on January 4, and 21 boards against Grambling State on November 27, respectively, and played 40 or more minutes in four games, including a personal-best 41 minutes in last Wednesday's thrilling double-overtime win at La Salle in the regular season finale. Davis has had the aforementioned 21 double-doubles but has missed out on five more by just one point or rebound.
Starting with the home win over Manhattan on December 17, G'mrice has since put together 17 double-doubles while scoring in double figures in every single game. She has hauled in 12 or more rebounds in 18 games this year.
"I personally feel that 'G' is just scratching the surface of her potential. Her success this season was a big reason for our overall success. If she puts the time into it, she will reach even greater heights." Gaitley added.
Kate Kreslina earned her All-Rookie nod with a solid freshman campaign after redshirting last year due to injury. The Latvian international has started all 28 contests that she's been available for and has averaged 8.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while providing her typically excellent defense at multiple positions. Among players averaging over 14 minutes per game, Kreslina's 37.9% from behind the arc is tops and, aside from Davis, so is her 39.8% overall shooting mark. She is fourth in the squad with 49 assists and leads the team with an 83.3% free throw percentage to boot.
The freshman began her season with 10 points and eight rebounds against Furman in the opening game of the Preseason WNIT and flirted with a triple double against Little Rock two contests later, with nine points, nine rebounds, and six assists in just 27 minutes. She has scored in double figures in 11 contests, including two 19-point games in wins over Princeton and Dayton at home. She has been vital to the team's recent success, winning six of the last seven games, by averaging 11.0 points per game. During that span, her 14 assists rank second in the squad and her 48.1% mark from downtown (13-of-27) is bested only by fellow countryman
Asnate Fomina's 60.0% clip from deep.
"We saw glimpses of excellence from Kate this season. As typical of most freshmen, there were some ups and downs. I believe with Kate's commitment, the 'ups' will improve significantly next season. I believe she has the potential to be one of the best players in the A-10." Gaitley said of the All-Rookie selection.
Hannah Missry's recognition comes from a sparkling academic track record as well as her standing in both Fordham and Atlantic 10 history in three-pointers made. The senior is one of three, along with
Danielle Burns and
Danielle Padovano, to have finished their undergraduate degrees in three years and are expected to attain their Master's degrees this May, all in Media Management. Missry finished her ungraduated career with a 3.744 GPA and currently boasts a 3.95 GPA in her graduate studies.
The Manasquan, N.J. native has already been the program's three-point record holder since late last season but has continued her scoring ways from beyond the arc and recently hit the 300 mark two games ago. She currently sits at 303 for her career, one away from tying Xavier's Nicole Levandusky (1998-01) for second-most all-time. In Fordham history, Heather Donlon '93 is a distance away in second with 238 for her career. This year, Missry is averaging 7.9 points per game on 36.7% shooting and has chipped in 30 assists and 18 steals. She is the other Ram to have played in all 31 games this year. Against Davidson in the first round of this year's A-10 Championship, the senior recently hit the 3,700-minute mark for her career, moving her into fifth all-time, now just five minutes from passing both Suzanne Maguire '97 and Becky Peters '12 for third all-time.
"I'm really happy that Hannah was recognized. She has left her mark at Fordham as well as the A-10 as one of the best three-point shooters in league history. She truly epitomizes the definition of a student-athlete!" Gaitley remarked.
The Rams' 66-54 win over Davidson on Sunday afternoon means Fordham will travel to Richmond, Va. for a quarterfinal date with fourth-place Saint Louis on Friday, March 3, at 2 p.m. That contest will be broadcast live on the American Sports Network (ASN).
