Boston, MA - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference today announced their 2008 women's
basketball all-conference team. Two players from regular season champion Emmanuel made the first team, Player of the Year sophomore guard Iman Davis, and senior guard Jade Paez, who gained her third first team berth, only the fourth women's player in league history to do so. Rounding out the first team were Nikki McClease of Albertus Magnus, the Rookie of the Year who led the conference in both scoring with 18.7ppg and rebounding with 14.1rpg, Alexia Ramirez of Johnson & Wales and Carolyn Freeman of Saint Joseph's (ME).

Freeman, a sophomore guard from Scarborough, ME and a McAuley High School graduate, was named to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll four times during the year (1/21, 1/14, 12/3, 11/19) and was honored as the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week on January 21st. For the season, Freeman ranked 3rd in the GNAC in three-point FG percentage (.372, 58-156), 4th in 3-pointers made (58), 5th in free throw percentage (.742, 49-66) and 10th in scoring (12.6 ppg). Freeman led St. Joe's with 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and .52 blocked shots per game and tallied four double-doubles during the season.

Second team honors went to seniors Erin Moseley of Daniel Webster and Laura Cecil of Pine Manor, juniors Lauren Vassallo of Emerson and Johanna Santosuosso of Johnson & Wales, who led the conference in assists with 5.96apg and sophomore Jess Mellen of Rivier.

On the third team were Alyse Ragaglia of Johnson & Wales, Cheri Parisi from Mount Ida, Erica Rate of Norwich, Lauren Kreckie of Simmons and Stephanie Morrissey from Suffolk.

Emerson's Maude Okrah was chosen Defensive Player of the Year, and Suffolk's Ed Leyden was voted Coach of the Year.

FIRST TEAM

Nikki McClease Forward Freshman Albertus Magnus New Haven, CT
Jade Paez Guard Senior Emmanuel Bronx, NY
Iman Davis Guard Sophomore Emmanuel Toms River, NJ
Alexia Ramirez Forward Sophomore Johnson & Wales San Marcos, CA
Carolyn Freeman Guard Sophomore Saint Joseph's (ME) Scarborough, ME

SECOND TEAM

Erin Moseley Center Senior Daniel Webster Sterling, MA
Lauren Vassallo Forward Junior Emerson Oxford, CT
Johanna Santosuosso Guard Junior Johnson & Wales Salem, NH
Laura Cecil Guard Senior Pine Manor Solon, OH
Jess Mellen Forward Sophomore Rivier Rockland, MA

THIRD TEAM

Alyse Ragaglia Guard Junior Johnson & Wales West Newbury, MA
Cheri Parisi Forward Sophomore Mount Ida S. Attleboro, MA
Erica Rate Guard Sophomore Norwich Weymouth, MA
Lauren Kreckie Guard Junior Simmons Braintree, MA
Stephanie Morrissey Forward Senior Suffolk Abington, MA

Player of the Year: Iman Davis Emmanuel

Rookie of the Year: Nikki McClease Albertus Magnus

Defensive Player of the Year: Maude Okrah Emerson

Coach of the Year: Ed Leyden Suffolk

Courtesy of GNAC Sports Information Director, Tom Humphreys