PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers guard Epiphanny Prince (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named the 2007-08 All-Met Division I College Basketball Player of the Year it was announced by the National Invitation Tournament and the Met Basketball Writers Association on Tuesday.
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer was a co-recipient of the Maggie Dixon Coach of the Year award with Marist coach Brian Giorgis. This marks the record sixth time Stringer has been tabbed for the top coaching honor (1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006).
Joining Prince on the All-Met First Team are three other RU players, Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.), Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) and Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) Vaughn was last year's MBWA Player of the Year, marking the ninth time in 13 seasons a Rutgers player has earned the honor.
Prince paced the Scarlet Knights with 13.8 points per game and 2.5 assists per game this season. The sophomore was tabbed to the Associated Press All-America third team and was voted a first team all-BIG EAST honoree. In addition, Prince - who also handed out 2.8 assists per game - was named the league's Most Improved Player in a vote among head coaches.
Ajavon, also a first team All-BIG EAST selection, averaged 12.2 points this season for the Scarlet Knights. She led the team in assists with 170 on the year. Carson, the all-time leader in RU history in games played, averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 2007-08.Additional honorees for the pair of seniors were All-America honorable mention accolades and a spot on the Greensboro Regional All-Tournament team.
Vaughn led the team in rebounding (8.3 rpg) for the third straight year, the first player to do so since Vicky Picott (1988-1991). The junior center, a second team all-BIG EAST selection, averaged 10 points per game for RU.
Rutgers finished the 2007-08 season with a 27-7 ledger, ranked No. 7 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the end of season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The Scarlet Knights finished second nationally in scoring defense and fifth in field goal percentage defense.
Former Rutgers player Cappie Pondexter earned the MWBA Player of the Year crown in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2005. Recent RU women's basketball Hall of Fame inductees Shawnetta Stewart and Tasha Pointer were each MWBA Players of the Year.
All-Met players and coaches will be honored Thursday evening, April 17, at Giants Stadium Club in East Rutherford, N.J.
HONOREES
FIRST TEAM: Epiphanny Prince, Rutgers, 5-9, So, G, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Matee Ajavon, Rutgers, 5-8, Sr, G, Newark, N.J.; Essence Carson, Rutgers, 6-0, Sr, G/F, Paterson, N.J.; Kia Vaughn, Rutgers, 6-4, Jr, C, Bronx, N.Y.; Rachele Fitz, Marist, 6-0, So, F, Seven Hills, Ohio; Valerie Nainima, LIU, 5-7, So, G, Suva, Fiji.
SECOND TEAM: Jennifer Walking, FDU, 6-0, Sr, F, Westminster, Md.; Caitlin Flood, Manhattan, 5-11, Sr, F, Blairstown, N.J.; Kia Wright, St. John's, 5-8, Sr, G, Copiague, N.Y.; Monique McLean, St. John's, 5-11, Jr, G, Newport News, Va.; Noteisha Womack, Seton Hall, 6-3, Jr, F, Washington; Sabra Wrice, Fairfield, 5-8, Sr, G, Riverside, N.J.
Player of the year: Epiphanny Prince, Rutgers
Co-Coachs of the year: Brian Giorgis, Marist; C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers.
