A10talk’s 2022-23 WBB Awards

The a10talk.com Women’s Basketball Awards are back for a sixth consecutive season!

Each year, each coach in the Atlantic 10 votes for several awards which are both individual and all-conference and it is always an interesting exercise to see how our combined voices compare to that of the 15 coaches.

Here listed alphabetically are the panelists that voted for our awards, which again are not the official results:

Andrew Buchholz, Daniel Frank, Kaily Godek, Natalie Heavren, David Korn, Jacob Munch and Zac Weiss

Each of us voted in the same categories as the coaches did with the exception of the all-academic team. Unlike the conference results, these all-conference, all-defensive and all-rookie teams are listed by how the votes were received, in the interest of full transparency.

With all of that out of the way and with all due respect to the Tory Verdi bird, let’s plant the flag and reveal our selections.

Let the disagreements begin!

(photo credit Sam Breen’s Twitter/UMass Athletics)

This one is no surprise for anyone in and out of the league as Breen not only was our choice for a second consecutive year, but again does so unanimously.

Breen is now UMass’s all-time leading scorer averaging 17.9 ppg and 10 rebs. Breen also shoots 48.7% from the field and 81.5%. The Big Time Rush fan certainly let her game show Worldwide as she once again was named a semifinalist in the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year.

UMass shared the A-10 regular-season title with Rhode Island and will be the top seed in the tournament championship for the first time in program history.

This may have been the most interesting race of them all as the pair tied in total points, though Robertson had four first-place votes to Ziegler’s three.

Robertson was a consistent force on the bench, something which will be reflected in a future vote, but she contributes 14.5 ppg, made 64 three-point shots and one was named A-10 Rookie of the Week. Robertson’s play has contributed in a big way towards GW’s jump up the conference standings.

Ziegler was named A-10 Rookie of the Week eight separate times and her rounded game includes 11.8 ppg, 9 rebs, 41.5% FG and 39 blks. She started in 27 of her team’s 28 games.

(photo credit Rhode Island Athletics)

This was another unanimous vote and for good reason. Toure was behind Emmanuelle Tahane and Marie-Paule Foppossi a season ago, but this season was a true breakout. Toure averages 12 more points and 5.5 additional rebounds from a season ago, in addition to once being named A-10 Player of the Week this season. Toure’s game has shown so much promise and in her junior year, should take another jump moving forward.

(photo credit Saint Louis WBB)

This was not unanimous as the writer of this article went in a different direction, but Flowers deserves her last name’s sake and as the above graphic shows, she is one of 10 nominees for the Nasmith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year. Flowers has a SLU single-season record with her nation-leading 121 blocks, which is more than 13 of the 14 other teams in the conference and 278 overall. Throughout her time as a Billiken Flowers has been a defensive difference maker that has yet to find her match.

This one was also a vote away from being unanimous, but Robertson picks up another individual award.

Tillett captured five of the seven votes, a nod towards how she built this SLU team throughout the season.

Under normal circumstances the first year in the A-10 has proven difficult for new coaches to the conference and SLU started 4-11 in the non-conference and 2-5 when January came around, but Tillett and her team found their collective stride winning eight of their last nine, including a win over top-seeded UMass. Saint Louis also has set several program records this season including 169 blocks and 297 steals.

Sam Breen Massachusetts

Asiah Dingle Fordham

Sydney Taylor Massachusetts

Maye Toure Rhode Island

Anna DeWolfe Fordham

Brooke Flowers Saint Louis

(photo credit Fordham Athletics)

Megan McConnell Duquesne

Elle Sutphin Davidson

Talya Brugler Saint Joseph’s

Kyla McMakin Saint Louis

Ber’Nyah Mayo Massachusetts

Destiney Philoxy Massachusetts

(photo credit Pittsburgh Sports Now)

Nya Robertson George Washington

Rosie Deegan Davidson

Julia Martinez Saint Louis

Mia Lakstigala George Washington

Laura Ziegler Saint Joseph’s

Addie Budnik Richmond

(photo credit Richmond Athletics)

Also receiving votes: Mackenzie Smith Saint Joseph’s, Sophie Phillips Rhode Island, Mariah Perez Dayton, Sarah Te-Biasu Fordham, Kaitlyn Downey Fordham, Precious Johnson Duquesne, Madison Hattix-Covington Rhode Island, Nalani Kaysia George Mason, Grace Townsend Richmond, Sitori Tanin Loyola Chicago, Mayowa Taiwo George Washington, Tess Myers Duquesne, Kayla Spruill La Salle, Taylor Jameson George Mason, Claire Jacobs La Salle

Brooke Flowers Saint Louis

Megan McConnell Duquesne

Julia Martinez Saint Louis

Ber’Nyah Mayo Massachusetts

Asiah Dingle Fordham

Also receiving votes: Destiney Philoxy Massachusetts, Sam Breen Massachusetts, Mayowa Taiwo George Washington, Laura Ziegler Saint Joseph’s. I’Yanna Lops St. Bonaventure

Nya Robertson George Washington

Laura Ziegler Saint Joseph’s

Nalani Kaysia George Mason

Maggie Doogan Richmond

Mia Nicastro Saint Louis

Also receiving votes: Mia Jacobs La Salle, Kira Chivers Loyola Chicago, Nayo Lear Dayton

Verdi bird photo credit: Domenic Allegra/The Next Hoops