WBB's Garcia, Shepherd Earn NECC Honors

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Two members of the Mitchell College women's basketball team received all-conference honors on Monday morning as the New England Collegiate Conference released its annual postseason awards.

Junior forward Amanda Garcia was named to the all-conference second team while sophomore Jessica Shepherd garnered an all-conference honorable mention nod. All awards were determined by a vote of the conference's head coaches. 

Garcia, an honorable mention pick in 2013, started all 26 games this season and averaged team highs of 13.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. In NECC play she ranked third in the conference in rebounding (10.0 rpg), eighth in blocks (14) and ninth in scoring (15.2 ppg). She recorded a team-high 11 double-doubles and scored in double digits in 19 games, including six with 20 points or more.

Shepherd also started all 26 games for the Mariners in 2014-15 and averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. In league action she averaged 12.1 points per game and led the NECC in three-pointers (46) while ranking third in three-point field goal percentage (.357). She recorded a pair of double-doubles on the year and registered 22 double-digit scoring games, including four with 20 points or more.

Mitchell (13-13 overall) finished fourth in the NECC with a 12-6 record in league play. The Mariners advanced to the semifinals of the 2015 NECC Championship before being eliminated by eventual champion Regis College by a 64-31 final.

2015 New England Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Awards

Player of the Year – Denisha Parks, Elms College
Rookie of the Year – Brittany Stone, Regis College
Coach of the Year – Angela Santa Fe, Regis College
Team Sportsmanship Award – Wheelock College

All-Conference First Team
Ashley England, Jr., G, Daniel Webster College
Amber Flagg, Jr., G, Windsor, Conn., Southern Vermont College
Amanda Hawkesworth, So., F, Abington, Mass., Regis College
Denisha Parks, Sr., F, Fall River, Mass., Elms College
Michelle Woods, So., F, Wilmington, Mass., Wheelock College

All-Conference Second Team
Janaya Bradley, Sr., G, New Haven, Conn., Regis College
Kayla Free, So., G, Quincy, Mass., Daniel Webster College
Amanda Garcia, Jr., F, New Britain, Conn., Mitchell College
Emilee Marro, Sr., G, Bedford, N.H., Regis College 
JC Pickett, Sr., F, Chicopee, Mass., Elms College

All-Conference Honorable Mention
Katie Alsip, So., G, Quincy, Mass., Wheelock College
Janetis Cardona, So., G, Southbridge, Mass., Newbury College
Brooke Martel, Sr., G, Griswold, Conn., Becker College
Sarah MacDonald, Jr., Cohoes, N.Y., Southern Vermont College
Jessica Shepherd, So., G, West Hartford, Conn., Mitchell College