Guirantes & Johnson Earn Major All-Met Awards
Apr 26 | Women's Basketball
Arella Guirantes is the MBWA Player of the Year; Diamond Johnson is the Rookie of the Year
NEW YORK – Arella Guirantes of Rutgers women's basketball has been named All-Met Division I women's college basketball Player of the Year for 2020-21 as announced Monday by the Met Basketball Writers Association. Freshman Diamond Johnson has been named the MBWA Rookie of the Year.
Both Guirantes and Johnson were also selected on the All-Met First Team.
Guirantes represents the ninth player and 13th time a Scarlet Knight has been named Player of the Year since the Met Writers inaugurated women's awards in 1996. The last player from Rutgers honored was Tyler Scaife in 2018.
A 5-foot-11 senior guard from Bellport, N.Y., Guirantes - who was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention before being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA Draft - led the Scarlet Knights (14-5) and was third in the conference with 21.3 points per game (No. 17 in the nation).
Guirantes also posted an average of 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, the only player in the Big Ten to average in the Top 5 in points, assists, steals and blocks. She shot 41.6% (137-320) from the field, 37.8% (31-82) from 3-point range and 86.8% (99-114) at the free throw line.
Guirantes recorded a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) in a Dec. 23 homecourt victory over Manhattan, one of only 15 triple-doubles nationally this past season and just the third ever at Rutgers. In a 69-66 NCAA Tournament loss to BYU, she registered 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
Other former MBWA Players of the Year from Rutgers, in addition to Guirantes and Scaife: Epiphanny Prince, 2008; Kia Vaughn, 2007; Cappie Pondexter, 2003-04-05-06; Tasha Pointer, 1998 (co-winner) and 2001; Shawnetta Stewart, 1999-2000; Tomura Young, 1998 (co-winner).
First Team
Leilani Correa, St. John's 6-0, So., G Manchester, NJ
Anna DeWolfe, Fordham 5-8, So., G Cumberland, ME
Willow Duffell, Marist 6-2, Sr., F Harriman, NY
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Seton Hall 5-11, Gr., G/F Ossining, NY
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers 5-11, Sr., G Bellport, NY
Diamond Johnson, Rutgers 5-5, Fr., G Philadelphia, PA
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall 5-6, So., G Wilmington, DE
Second Team
JaKayla Brown, Hofstra 5-10, Jr., G LaPlata, MD
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall 5-10, Sr., F Hartford, CT
Makayla Firebaugh, Rider 5-10, Fr., G Winchester, VA
Kendell Heremaia, Fordham 5-9, Sr., G Whangarei, New Zealand
Emilija Krista Grava, Wagneer 6-0, Jr., F Ligatne, Latvia
India Pagan, Stony Brook 6-1, Sr., F New London, CT
Taiah Thornton, Saint Peter's 5-5, Sr., G Pennsauken, NJ
Player of the Year: Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Rookie of the Year: Diamond Johnson, Rutgers
Coach of the Year: Caroline McCombs, Stony Brook
Both Guirantes and Johnson were also selected on the All-Met First Team.
Guirantes represents the ninth player and 13th time a Scarlet Knight has been named Player of the Year since the Met Writers inaugurated women's awards in 1996. The last player from Rutgers honored was Tyler Scaife in 2018.
A 5-foot-11 senior guard from Bellport, N.Y., Guirantes - who was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention before being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA Draft - led the Scarlet Knights (14-5) and was third in the conference with 21.3 points per game (No. 17 in the nation).
Guirantes also posted an average of 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, the only player in the Big Ten to average in the Top 5 in points, assists, steals and blocks. She shot 41.6% (137-320) from the field, 37.8% (31-82) from 3-point range and 86.8% (99-114) at the free throw line.
Guirantes recorded a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) in a Dec. 23 homecourt victory over Manhattan, one of only 15 triple-doubles nationally this past season and just the third ever at Rutgers. In a 69-66 NCAA Tournament loss to BYU, she registered 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
Other former MBWA Players of the Year from Rutgers, in addition to Guirantes and Scaife: Epiphanny Prince, 2008; Kia Vaughn, 2007; Cappie Pondexter, 2003-04-05-06; Tasha Pointer, 1998 (co-winner) and 2001; Shawnetta Stewart, 1999-2000; Tomura Young, 1998 (co-winner).
First Team
Leilani Correa, St. John's 6-0, So., G Manchester, NJ
Anna DeWolfe, Fordham 5-8, So., G Cumberland, ME
Willow Duffell, Marist 6-2, Sr., F Harriman, NY
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Seton Hall 5-11, Gr., G/F Ossining, NY
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers 5-11, Sr., G Bellport, NY
Diamond Johnson, Rutgers 5-5, Fr., G Philadelphia, PA
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall 5-6, So., G Wilmington, DE
Second Team
JaKayla Brown, Hofstra 5-10, Jr., G LaPlata, MD
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall 5-10, Sr., F Hartford, CT
Makayla Firebaugh, Rider 5-10, Fr., G Winchester, VA
Kendell Heremaia, Fordham 5-9, Sr., G Whangarei, New Zealand
Emilija Krista Grava, Wagneer 6-0, Jr., F Ligatne, Latvia
India Pagan, Stony Brook 6-1, Sr., F New London, CT
Taiah Thornton, Saint Peter's 5-5, Sr., G Pennsauken, NJ
Player of the Year: Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Rookie of the Year: Diamond Johnson, Rutgers
Coach of the Year: Caroline McCombs, Stony Brook
Players Mentioned
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