Newport News, Va. – Fordham women's basketball has its first ever Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in redshirt junior
Bre Cavanaugh, the league announced on Thursday afternoon. Joining the now two-time First Team All-Conference selection is junior
Kendell Heremaia, who earned Third Team distinction,
Anna DeWolfe, who was named to the All-Rookie team, and junior
Zara Jillings, who garnered All-Academic honors.
"I am super proud of all the young ladies who got acknowledged with A-10 honors," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "It is also a reflection on our entire team as individual honors are earned through team success."
Cavanaugh is the second Player of the Year in program history but first in the Atlantic 10 era; Jeanine Radice was the MAAC's Player of the Year in 1989. Cavanaugh, a Second Team honoree as a freshman and First Teamer last year, led the Atlantic 10 in scoring for the majority of the campaign, entering this weekend with 19.5 points per game, which ranks 17
th in the country. Cavanaugh turned her game up a notch once league play started, scoring 20 or more points in 13 of 16 contests, including a season-high 30 points against Saint Joseph's in the regular season finale last Saturday. Nationally, sixth in total points (586), 21
st in free-throw percentage (.872), 26
th in free throws made (130), 29
th in made field goals (196), and 85
th in three-pointers made (64), ranking first in the league in all but the latter category. Her 586 points this season is already eighth-most in a single season, surpassing her totals each of the past two years.
A three-time Player of the Week this season, Cavanaugh is second on the team in rebounding, with 6.2 per game, and 43 steals, and is fifth with 59 assists (to just 29 turnovers). In program history, she is already up to fourth all-time with 1,745 career points, fourth with 390 free throws, fifth with 575 field goals, sixth with a career 84.2% make rate from the charity stripe, and her 17.8 point-per-game average is third-highest, as well.
Perhaps most impressive is her durability. She has started 98 consecutive contests since arriving in the Bronx and has played 30 or more minutes in all but one contest – a blowout win over Iona in December of her freshman season. After finishing in the top-10 for minutes played the last two years, Cavanaugh is currently fifth in the country with 38.74 minutes played per game and third overall with 1,162 total minutes. Out of a possible 3,950 career minutes, she has played 3,762 (95.2%).
"This is a well-deserved award for Bre. I'm so proud to see all her hard work pay off. She has put a lot of extra time into her game and she has brought it every game. She improved in almost every statistical category as well as being one of our captains."
Heremaia, a one-time Player of the Week this year, earns her first All-Conference award after taking a big jump in her junior season, improving between 25% and 33% in most statistical categories, as well as a 94% jump in free throws made and a 133% increase in blocks. One of three team captains, Heremaia enters the weekend third in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (7.9), joint-ninth with 1.5 steals per game, and joint-14
th with 2.9 assists per game. In league play, her 2.1 steals per game are tops, however. In addition to her rebounding prowess, the Whangerai, New Zealand native leads the squad with 83 assists and 44 steals, is second with 17 blocks, and third with 12.2 points per game. She is also shooting a team-best 36.1% from behind the arc and is shooting 39.1% overall and 83.3% from the line. She has started all 30 contests this year and is averaging 31.0 minutes per game. She enjoyed the best game of her career just recently, piling up a career-high 29 points with 10 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in a win at Richmond, her sixth double-double this season and seventh of her career. Against Samford in late December, she fell just two assists shy of the program's second triple-double, as well.
"I am so happy to see Kendell get recognized for what she does for our team. I have always felt she is our missing link. She will only get better as her confidence grows. This is a great step for her."
DeWolfe burst onto the collegiate scene by nearly triple-doubling in her debut in the season opener against #16 Notre Dame. The two-time Rookie of the Week produced 10 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists against the Irish and has scored in double figures this season in 21 of 30 starts. Among her teammates, the Cumberland, Maine native is second with 12.5 points per game and 73 assists, third with 31 steals, and is shooting 41.9% from the floor, tops among the starters, a figure that includes a 48.3% conversion rate inside the arc. Among Atlantic 10 rookies, DeWolfe leads the pack with 35.7 minutes played per game and 2.4 assists and is third in scoring. Among freshmen in Fordham history, she is up to either fourth or fifth in starts, field goals, points, and assists.
"There were a lot of strong freshmen in the conference this year. Anna is one of the standouts. She has been a significant part of our success."
Jillings deservedly earns her first All-Academic honor with a 3.98 GPA as a junior that has already completed her undergraduate degree at the Gabelli School of Business in Business Administration with a minor in Finance, Management, and Information Technology. She has already begun her work towards her Master's degree. On the court, she is another example of durability, having never missed a contest and played 98 consecutive contests since arriving on Rose Hill, making 10 career starts. She leads the bench with 13 assists and is shooting 42.9% overall this season and 45.5% in conference play.
"I am happy to see Zara get acknowledged for her outstanding academic success. She has a strong work ethic and it's great to see it be rewarded with this honor."
Fordham takes on sixth-seeded Duquesne on Friday night in its Atlantic 10 Championship quarterfinal. Tip-off on ESPN+ and WFUVSports.org is set for 7 p.m.
