Westfield, Mass. — Sophomore Mary Kate O'Day of Framingham State has been named the 2017-18 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year and heads up the All-Conference team which is voted on by the seven coaches around the conference.

 

O'Day, a sophomore from Berlin, Mass., led the Rams to a 9-3 record in league action and the second seed in last week's tournament. She finished the regular season first in the conference in points per game with 18.5 and total points with 462 while also netting the fourth-best three-point percentage at 34.6 and fifth-best free throw percentage at 79.6. She also tallied 161 total rebounds, including 127 defensive plus 57 assists, 30 steals and 13 blocks on the year. Her season-high for points came against Fitchburg State where she scored 39 points with six rebounds and three steals in the win.

 

Claiming the 2017-18 MASCAC Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year is Mikaela Mitchell of Fitchburg State. The freshman from Millbury, Mass. averaged 11 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season. She led the MASCAC in three-point percentage at 36.2 and had the ninth-best field goal percentage at 42.7. She saw a career-high in points with 22 plus added eight rebounds, two assists and two steals against Dean College.

 

For leading his team to a 9-3 conference record and the second seed in the MASCAC Tournament, Walter Paschal of Framingham State was named the 2017-18 Champion's Choice Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. 

 

Joining O'Day on the All-Conference First Team are Bridgewater State's Chanelle Melton, Framingham State's Raegan Mulherin, Salem State's Kia Fernandes and Worcester State's Britt Herring.

 

Landing a spot on the Second Team All-Conference are Fitchburg State's Angelina Marazzi, Framingham State's Tiphani Harris, Westfield State's Lucy Barrett and Kierra McCarthy and Worcester State's Catherine Sweeney.