NEW HAVEN, CT (March 2, 2010) - Amelia Simmons of Wilmington University has been
chosen the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year in balloting released today. Rookie of the Year accolades went to Caldwell College's Torey Jones, while Nyack College head coach Josh Thompson was voted Coach of the Year. Concordia College, which just finished its first season as a member of the CACC, was given the annual Team Sportsmanship Award. The 14 CACC head coaches voted for the All-Conference team. The announcement was made by Commisioner Daniel Mara of Waterbury.

Simmons, a senior forward from Wilmington, DE, currently leads the CACC in scoring at 22.1 points per-game, which stands fifth nationally. She also ranks third in the conference in rebounding (9.7), fourth in field-goal percentage (.494), fifth in free-throw percentage (.819), 15^th in blocks (0.81), and she is the league-leader in three-point field-goal percentage (.465). Simmons recently became Wilmington's all-time leader in career points among male or female players, and now has 2,256 for her career. She also has 1,060 career rebounds. Simmons has now earned first team All-CACC distinction three times in her career, and she was also the CACC Rookie of the Year in 2006-07.

Jones, a freshman guard who hails from North Providence, RI, was named to the All-CACC third team in addition to her Rookie of the Year award. She is the only CACC freshman to claim All-Conference honors after an outstanding first collegiate season. Jones ranks sixth in the conference in scoring with 15.1 ppg, and she is also 15^th with 6.7 rebounds and 1.62 steals per-game, 11^th in three-point field-goal accuracy (.331), 13^th with 3.27 assists per-game, 12^th in free-throw percentage (.788) and fifth with 1.96 trey's made per-game.

Coach Thompson has led Nyack to its first CACC North Division regular-season championship behind a 13-6 finish in conference play along with an 18-11 overall record. Under Thompson's tutelage, the Warriors have made steady improvement since finishing last with a 1-21 conference record in 2003-04. The Warriors notched seven conference wins in each of the past two seasons before winning the division this season with 13 victories.

The All-Conference first team has some familiar faces, as Simmons, Holy Family University's Catherine Carr and Philadelphia University's Jessica Romano are repeat selections. Romano and Simmons have been together on the first team as sophomores, juniors and seniors. Carr was the Rookie of the Year and a second team selection in 2007-08. Caldwell junior guard Kirsty Leedham made the third team in 2008-09, and Nyack junior forward Victoria Sweet elevated from honorable mention to first team status since last season.

On the second team, USP's Erin Chesnavich and Holy Family's Christine McCollum are repeat selections, as Chesnavich was a first team pick as a sophomore and junior, and McCollum was a third team honoree as a sophomore and claimed second team accolades last season. Bloomfield College junior center Tiffany McDaniel moved up to the second team this year after being third team last season. Felician College senior guard/forward Janelle Biamonte and Goldey-Beacom sophomore forward Jacinda Jones made the All-Conference team for the first time in their careers. Jones ranks fifth in the conference with an average of 16.0 ppg, while Biamonte is right behind her in seventh with 14.7 ppg.

Four of the five third team selections earned All-Conference accolades for the first time, including Felician junior forward Quay Baskerville, Holy Family sophomore guard Lauren Peters, Dominican College senior Rachelle Sainten and Caldwell's Jones. Jasmine Minter of Nyack was named to the third team for the second consecutive season.

Honorable Mention: Devonne Richardson, Fr., G/F, Goldey-Beacom; Nina Brascetta, Sr., G, Philadelphia; Kate Brennan, Sr., F, Philadelphia; Caitlin Shaw, Jr., G, USP; Janae Weldon, Jr., G, Goldey-Beacom

Player of the Year: Amelia Simmons, Wilmington
Rookie of the Year: Torey Jones, Caldwell
Coach of the Year: Josh Thompson, Nyack
Team Sportsmanship Award: Concordia College