LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East has announced its women’s basketball All-Conference Teams and major award winners for the 2021-22 season. All-Conference is broken down into a First and Second Team, each consisting of six players regardless of position. The conference has also named the Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year which are as follows:
Player of the Year - Cassidy Perry (Gallaudet University)
Rookie of the Year - Jade Eshelman (Lancaster Bible College)
Coach of the Year - Stephanie Stevens (Gallaudet University)
Cassidy Perry was a force on both sides of the hoop all season for the Bison, earning her Player of the Year honors. The sophomore averaged 16.6 points per game which was second best in the conference and shot at a clip of 53.1% from the field which ranks 33rd across all of Division III. Perry excelled on the glass as well, averaging conference-leading 10.7 boards per game. Her ability around the ball led to 14 double-doubles on the season, the 12th most in the nation. Defensively, the forward also racked up a league-leading 46 blocks as well. Throughout the season, Perry was tabbed the United East’s Player of the Week four different times.
Eshelman played a steady role for the Chargers all year, leading to her being named the United East Rookie of the Year. A constant paint presence, the first year averaged 9.2 rebounds per game which led her Lancaster Bible teammates. Eshelman closed out the season in strong fashion, collecting double-digit boards in the final four contests. Eshelman paired that with 8.8 points a game, including sinking a season-best 19 in the regular season finale against Penn State Harrisburg. Eshelman was also named the United East Player of the Week in week ending on February 13.
Coach Stevens led a well-balanced team that stayed atop the conference standings for much of the season, earning her Coach of the Year honors. The bench manager led her Bison to its second-ever Regular Season Title and its first since the 2010-11 season. With Stevens at the helm, Gallaudet worked well to distribute the ball as the squad led the conference in assists per game with 16.0. She also worked to create a stingy defense, which held opponents to a conference-leading 24.6% shooting from beyond the arc. Coach Stevens also finished the year with players receiving Player of the Week honors five separate times.
Below are the All-Conference Team members:
First Team All-Conference
| Player |
Institution |
Position |
Class Year |
Hometown |
| Cassidy Perry |
Gallaudet University |
Forward |
Sophomore |
Frederick, Md. |
| Karon Williams |
St. Mary's College (Md.) |
Guard |
Senior |
Rockville, Md. |
| Kendis Butler |
Penn State Harrisburg |
Guard |
Senior |
York, Pa. |
| Angela Sanders |
Penn State Abington |
Guard/Forward |
Sophomore |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Emelia Beldon |
Gallaudet University |
Guard |
Senior |
Frederick, Md. |
| Alaysha Iwais |
Lancaster Bible College |
Guard |
Sophomore |
West Palm Beach, Fla. |
Second Team All-Conference
| Player |
Institution |
Position |
Class Year |
Hometown |
| Cara Walker |
SUNY Morrisville |
Guard/Forward |
Frehsman |
Phelps, N.Y. |
| Brooke Hammersley |
SUNY Morrisville |
Guard/Forward |
Sophomore |
Weedsport, N.Y. |
| Stephanie Howell |
St. Mary's College (Md.) |
Forward |
Junior |
Chevy Chase, Md. |
| Jayla Galbreath |
Penn State Harrisburg |
Guard |
Junior |
Shrewsbury, Pa. |
| Wynter Bess |
Penn State Abington |
Guard |
Senior |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Rachel Vieira |
SUNY Morrisville |
Guard |
Sophomore |
Oneonta, N.Y. |
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The United East has nine NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Gallaudet University, Lancaster Bible College, Morrisville State, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, St. Mary's College of Maryland and Wells College. The United East also includes three associate members in the sport of men’s golf including Rosemont College, Rutgers University – Camden and Wilson College. The United East has also partnered with the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference in the sports of men's and women's lacrosse and the North Atlantic Conference in men's tennis and women's tennis. For more information, please visit: gounitedeast.com.