HARTFORD, CT - Three members of the sixth-ranked Rutgers women’s basketball program were honored with a total of five BIG EAST Conference awards at the annual pre-tournament banquet March 4 in Hartford, CT.

Rutgers fifth-year senior Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL) was the unanimous selection as the BIG EAST Player of the Year, and became the first player in league history to earn four first-team all-BIG EAST certificates. Sophomore Essence Carson (Paterson, NJ) was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the ALL-BIG EAST Second Team, while classmate Matee Ajavon (Newark, NJ) joined Pondexter on the All-BIG EAST First Team.

Pondexter, who has already been named a mid-season candidate for the Naismith Award and Women’s Wooden Award (player of the year) as well as one of 11 nominees for the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard) and a finalist for the Bayer Advantage Senior CLASS Award, ranks fifth nationally in scoring, averaging 21.4 points per game, adding 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per contest this season. The MVP at the Junkanoo Jam Nov. 25-26 and the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge Dec. 3-4, the 5-9 guard also received four BIG EAST Conference player-of-the-week awards (Jan. 2, Jan. 16, Feb. 6, Feb. 13) and six berths on the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Jan. 23, Jan. 30). Pondexter was a frequent member of preseason honor lists this fall, earning first-team All-America accolades from the Associated Press and Women’s Basketball News Service, second-team All-America mentions from Gballmag.com, Lindy’s and Athlon Sports, and a spot on the Street & Smith’s “Terrific 10” Preseason All-America Team.

Named a candidate for all three 2005-2006 national player-of-the-year awards (Naismith, Wade Trophy, Women’s Wooden Award), Pondexter was the BIG EAST’s 2005-2006 Preseason Player of the Year.

Pondexter is the first Scarlet Knight to be named the BIG EAST Player of the Year in RU’s 11 years of league membership. Two former Knights were named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year – Caroline DeRoose (1994) and current Rutgers assistant coach Sue Wicks (1986-88). The 2003 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, Pondexter has been named to the All-BIG EAST First Team every year during her four-year career.

Carson started all 27 games for the Scarlet Knights during the regular season, averaging 8.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shutting down some of the league’s best perimeter players. The 6-0 guard posted 12 double-digit scoring games and one double-double, and was named to the Junkanoo Jam Freeport Division All-Tournament Team Nov. 25-26.

Carson is the second straight Scarlet Knight to be named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year – Chelsea Newton was the first RU player to earn the award when she received the distinction last season.

Ajavon started 18 of 27 games this season, averaging 11.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and a team-high 4.3 assists and 2.6 steals per contest and posting 18 double-digit scoring totals (one 20+ points). The 2005 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and a second-team all-BIG EAST selection last season, the 5-8 guard led the league in steals and was tied for sixth in assists overall this winter, and she also was tied for first in steals (2.75 spg) and fourth in assists (4.69 apg) in BIG EAST games.

No. 6/6 Rutgers (24-3, 16-0 BIG EAST) will look to capture its first BIG EAST Tournament crown next week. The top-seeded Scarlet Knights will begin play in the quarterfinal round, facing the winner of the first-round game between eighth seed Villanova (18-9, 9-7 BIG EAST) and ninth seed Marquette (18-9, 9-7 BIG EAST). Tipoff at the Hartford Civic Center (16,294) will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 5.

The game will be shown live on CSTV, and will be carried live on WMTR 1250 AM and on Rutgers’ student radio station, WRSU 88.7 FM. A live stream of the audio, as well as live statistics, will be available via www.scarletknights.com.

The winner of the quarterfinal contest will advance to the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals Monday, March 6, at 6:00 p.m.

2005-06 BIG EAST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL REGULAR SEASON AWARD WINNERS

*BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Cappie Pondexter, Rutgers (Sr., G, Chicago, Ill.)
BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Renee Montgomery, Connecticut (Fr., G, St. Albans, W.Va.)
BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR - Kim Barnes Arico, St. John's (Fourth season, SJU; 10th season, overall)
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Essence Carson, Rutgers (So., G, Paterson, N.J.)
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - Mel Thomas, Connecticut (So., G, Cincinnati, Ohio)
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - Carolyn Kieger, Marquette (Sr., G, Roseville, Minn.)
BIG EAST/AEROPOSTALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE - Megan Duffy, Notre Dame (Sr., G, Dayton, Ohio)

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
School Cl. Pos. Hometown High School
Matee Ajavon Rutgers So. G Newark, N.J. Malcolm X Shabazz
Angela Clark St. John's Jr. F Copiague, N.Y. Copiague
Jazz Covington Louisville Jr. C Adel, Ga. Cook
*Jessica Dickson USF Jr. F Ocala, Fla. Vanguard
*Megan Duffy Notre Dame Sr. G Dayton, Ohio Chaminade-Julienne
Cappie Pondexter Rutgers Sr. G Chicago, Ill. John Marshall
*Khara Smith DePaul Sr. F Hillside, Ill. Proviso West
Ann Strother Connecticut Sr. F Castle Rock, Colo. Highlands Ranch
Liad Suez-Karni Villanova Sr. F Even-Yehuda, Israel Ostrovsky
Marcedes Walker Pittsburgh So. C Philadelphia, Pa. University City
Kia Wright St. John's Jr. G Copiague, N.Y. Copiague

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM#
Meg Bulger West Virginia Jr. G Pittsburgh, Pa. Oakland Catholic
Essence Carson Rutgers So. G Paterson, N.J. Rosa Parks (East Side)
Treasure Humphries Cincinnati Jr. G Canton, Ohio Canton-McKinley
Carolyn Kieger Marquette Sr. G Roseville, Minn. Roseville
Kieraah Marlow Georgetown So. F Coatesville, Pa. Coatesville
Christina Quaye Marquette Jr. F Chicago, Ill. Regina Dominican
Allie Quigley DePaul So. G Joliet, Ill. Joliet Catholic
Jenna Rubino DePaul Jr. G Mokena, Ill. Lincoln-Way East
Vaida Sipaviciute Syracuse So. C Kaunas, Lithuania Patterson School (N.C.)
Barbara Turner Connecticut Sr. F Cleveland, Ohio East Technical
Mallorie Winn Pittsburgh Jr. G San Diego, Calif. Bishop's

HONORABLE MENTION
Monique Blake Seton Hall Jr. F Union, N.J. Union
Charde Houston Connecticut So. F San Diego, Calif. San Diego
Mel Thomas Connecticut So. G Cincinnati, Ohio Mount Notre Dame

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Shelly Bellman Cincinnati Fr. G Ottawa, Ohio Ottawa-Glandorf
Krystal Ellis Marquette Fr. G Racine, Wis. St. Catherine's
Chelsea Marandola Providence Fr. G Johnston, R.I. Johnston
Angel McCoughtry Louisville Fr. F Baltimore, Md. Patterson School
Renee Montgomery Connecticut Fr. G St. Albans, W.Va. South Charleston
* - unanimous selection # - Due to a tie in voting, an extra member has been added to the second team