Women's Basketball All-Conference Release

Westfield, Mass. — Senior Jen Ashton of Westfield State has been named the 2014-15 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and heads the All-Conference team which is voted on by the seven coaches around the conference.

The senior from Beverly, Mass. has earned Player of the Year honors after leading the Owls to a perfect 12-0 record in conference play and the top seed in the MASCAC Women’s Basketball Tournament. She finished the regular season third in the conference in points per game (15.1), first in total assists (142) and steals (95). This is the fourth straight year that Ashton has been named to the All-Conference squad while also earning the MASCAC Rookie of the Year honors during the 2011-12 season. 

Nani Perez of Worcester State has been named the 2014-15 MASCAC Rookie of the Year. The freshman from Worcester, Mass. helped her team to seven conference victories and the third seed in the tournament. In her first year with the Lancers, Perez tallied 152 points, 116 assists and 39 steals.  

After leading her team to the first undefeated season since 2003-04 and the MASCAC regular season title, Andrea Bertini of Westfield State has been named the 2014-15 Champion’s Choice Coach of the Year. This is the second straight year Bertini has received the accolade.

Joining Ashton on the 2014-15 MASCAC first-team All-Conference squad were Bridgewater State’s Megan Boutilette, Salem State’s Rachael Carter, Westfield State’s Forbasaw Nkamebo and Worcester State’s Julie Frankian.

The 2014-15 MASCAC second-team is comprised of Fitchburg State’s Laura Cote, Framingham State’s Nicole Bostic and Sarah Palace, Westfield State’s Jill Valley and Worcester State’s Bianca Langford.

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s first Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom.  MASCAC core member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University.  Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men’s ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University joined the conference as an affiliate member in football beginning in 2013.