W&J coaches earn PAC top honors
The Presidents’ Athletic Conference announced its all-conference basketball teams and awards for men and women Wednesday and league champion Washington & Jefferson dominated both lists.
The all-conference teams, as well as the PAC’s award winners, are determined by vote of the league’s 10 head coaches.
W&J seventh-year men’s head coach Ethan Stewart-Smith was selected as the PAC Coach of the Year. It is his first coach of the year award. Stewart-Smith has led W&J to a school-record 24 victories as the Presidents surpassed the previous record of 22 wins established during an NCAA Elite 8 season in 1993-94. The Presidents will play at Elmhurst (Ill.) Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Geneva junior guard/forward Lyle Tipton was voted the PAC Player of the Year.
W&J sophomore guard Michael Bigley was named the PAC Newcomer of the Year. Bigley averaged 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. he scored a season-high 26 points in a 111-103 win at Geneva.
W&J junior Kyran Mitchell and sophomore guard Nick Gearhart were named first team All-PAC along with Waynesburg senior guard Matt Popeck.
W&J 18th-year women’s head coach Jina DeRubbo was honored as the PAC Coach of the Year and Presidents junior forward Victoria Koeck was recognized as the PAC Defensive Player of the Year.
The Coach of the Year honor is DeRubbo’s eighth. She led top-seeded W&J to the PAC championship, its first in 16 seasons. DeRubbo’s squad posted another 20-win season, its 13th since 2004-05, and finished the regular season 17-1 in PAC play. The 23 wins this season are one shy of a school record. W&J plays Transylvania (Ky.) in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday night.
Koeck started 23 games, totaling 20 blocks and 24 steals. She has headlined W&J’s defensive effort throughout the season, helping lead the Presidents to the league’s second-best scoring defense, limiting opponents to 52.1 points per game. W&J led the PAC in field-goal percentage defense and three-point field goal percentage defense.
Westminster junior guard Natalie Murrio was voted the PAC Player of the Year and Bethany freshman guard Lindsay was named the Newcomer of the Year,
Waynesburg senior center Brooke Fuller was named to the all-conference first team. W&J’s Meghan Dryburghkamryn Lach and Piper Morningstar were second-team selections.