WHITNEY SMITH NAMED EMPIRE 8 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Kelly Dunne is Sportswoman of the Year

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (February 27, 2007)—Whitney Smith, a freshman forward on Nazareth’s women’s basketball team, has been named Empire 8 Conference Rookie of the Year for the 2006-07. The all-conference teams, released Tuesday, were chosen through a vote of the league’s eight head coaches.

In addition to Smith, who also made honorable mention, freshman Kelly Dunne was Nazareth’s conference representative as Sportswoman of the Year.

Conference runner-up Utica was rewarded with Player of the Year in senior forward/center Ava Thomas while RIT’s Deb Buff was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Thomas as first-team selections were Hartwick seniors Lindsay Wilson and Mara Tichy; RIT senior Margot Sandy; and Ithaca junior Erika Steele.

Smith, of Webster, N.Y. and a graduate of Webster Thomas High School finished led the Golden Flyers in scoring at 12.5 points per game and was second in rebounding at 5.0 per game. She also was also named Empire 8 Rookie of the Week six times.

Dunne, of East Northport, N.Y. and a graduate of Northport High School also had a strong first season for the Golden Flyers leading the team in free throw percentage (38 of 43, .884) , steals (2.1 per game), assists (3.0per game) and was third in scoring (9.1 points per game).

Player of the Year: Ava Thomas, Utica College
Rookie of the Year: Whitney Smith, Nazareth College
Coach of the Year: Deb Buff, Rochester Institute of Technology

Empire 8 Women’s Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Margot Sandy, RIT
Ericka Steele, Ithaca College
Mara Tichy, Hartwick College
Ava Thomas, Utica College
Lindsay Wilson, Hartwick College

Second Team
Marcia Coakley, Elmira College
Mallory Davis, Utica College
Ramata Diallo, RIT
Erin Sanvidge, Ithaca College
Kourtney Troutman, Elmira College

Sportswoman of the Year
Megan Sampsell, Alfred University
Tasha Lopez-Pitts, Elmira College
Jenny Knight, Hartwick College
Erin Sanvidge, Ithaca College
Kelly Dunne, Nazareth College
Ramata Diallo, RIT
Ashley Dean, St. John Fisher College
Dana Danzinger, Utica College

Honorable Mention
Allison Boehm, St John Fisher College
Bridget Catanese, Elmira College
Melanie Jackson, Alfred University
Sue Kelly, Ithaca College
Whitney Smith, Nazareth College