LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its 2023-24 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams for the Skye Division. The All-Conference Teams are made up of six student-athletes on each team with three separate teams for this season. Four major awards have been handed out including Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
Eight separate Skye Division institutions were represented across the three All-Conference teams. Saint Elizabeth University, Keystone College, and Notre Dame of Maryland University led the way with three individuals named All-Conference from each institution, respectively. Wilson College, Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, and Clarks Summit University each had two individuals named All-Conference, respectively. Cedar Crest College was represented by one member on the teams.
Major Award Winners
Player of the Year - Destiny Battle (Saint Elizabeth University)
Defensive Player of the Year - Serene Calderon (Clarks Summit University)
Rookie of the Year - Makayla Raines (Cairn University)
Coach of the Year - Allen Kuiper (Cairn University)
Saint Elizabeth University’s Destiny Battle (Jr. / East Orange, N.J.) has been named the 2023-24 United East Player of the Year - Skye Division after leading the Eagles to a second-place finish in the Skye Division, a 22-6 overall record, 15-3 in Skye Division play, and the best record in program history. In conference play, Battle was 5th in the league with a 19.2 scoring average, 2nd in assists with 6.2 per game and 111 total assists in 18 games and led the league with 89 total steals for a 4.9 per game average. Battle double-doubled three separate times on the season and was the focal point for the Eagles as they averaged 71.1 points per game while only giving up 52.9 points. Battle earned United East Player of the Week three separate times this season.
Serene Calderon (Jr. / Corfu, N.Y.) from Clarks Summit University is the United East Defensive Player of the Year - Skye Division for the 2023-24 season. Calderon has been a defensive stalwart for the Defenders all season; often drawing the toughest defensive assignment to go with facilitating the offense on that half of the court as well. For the conference season, Calderon averaged 14.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, totaled 47 steals in 18 games, and led the league in assists with 124 over 18 games for a 6.9 assists per game average. Additionally, Calderon averaged 37.6 minutes per game. Calderon was the United East Player of the Week for February 19th after finishing the regular season with a triple-double (33 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) against Rosemont.
Makayla Raines (FY / Jonesboro, Ga.) had a monster debut season for Cairn, leading the United East in scoring with a 22.2 points per game average in conference play. Over the course of the season, Raines started in 19 of 22 games, tallying 50 steals, 56 assists, averaging 3.1 rebounds per game, and shooting 73.9% from the free throw line. Twice this season, January 27th and February 3rd, Raines scored 40+ points in a game; one of 15 players in all of Division III Women’s Basketball to do so. Raines was named United East Player of the Week for February 5th after averaging 26.0 points per game in a 3-0 week, including 42 points against Rosemont on February 3rd.
Allan Kuiper guided Cairn University women’s basketball to another playoff appearance with a high-powered offense during the 2023-24 season. The Highlanders finished the season with a 15-10 record and 10-8 in United East play after the 2022-23 season that saw Cairn finish 4-20 overall with a 3-9 conference record. This season Cairn’s offense put up 1287 points in 18 league games for an average of 71.5 points per game: good for 5th in the United East while holding opponents to a 62.1 points per game average. Defensively, the Highlanders had 12.17 steals per game in league play: good for 5th in the United East as well. This is the first Coach of the Year honor for Kuiper.
First Team All-Conference
Second Team All-Conference
Third Team All-Conference
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.