Kia Fernandes Selected to All-MASCAC First Team

SALEM, MASS. - Senior Kia Fernandes was named to the 2018-19 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball First Team for the second year in a row in a vote by the seven conference coaches on Thursday.

Fernandes, led Salem State in scoring, netting 15.2ppg, which was fifth best in the conference. The senior was second in the league in rebounding (10.0 rpg), blocks (60) and posted the fifth best field goal percentage (46.9%) in the conference. The Wareham, Mass. native finished her Salem State career with 1,262 points (11th all-time), 882 rebounds (2nd all-time) and 215 blocked shots (3rd all-time).   

Senior guard Lucy Barrett of Westfield State was selected as the 2018-19 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Framingham State's Liana Cunningham, from Quincy, Mass., was voted Rookie of the Year, and after leading Worcester State to a share of the Regular-Season Championship and earning the top seed in the MASCAC Tournament, head coach Karen Tessmer was selected by her peers as the 2018-19 Champion's Choice Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.  

Barrett, from Williamstown, Mass., helped the Owls compile a 10-2 regular season and earning a share of the Regular-Season Championship. Barrett was the conference's top scorer, averaging 19.2 points per game. She also topped the league in free-throw percentage (88.8%) and steals (79). She eclipsed the 20-point plateau nine times during the regular season and scored 30 or more on two occasions.

Cunningham, from Quincy, Mass., started all 24 regular-season games for the Rams in her freshman campaign averaging 28.1 minutes per contest. Her strength was in the pass as she ranked third in the conference in assists with 112. She also showed off her quick hands picking up 44 steals, good for eighth in the MASCAC. She averaged 3.6 rebounds as a guard. She had 11 games with five or more assists, including a 10-dish performance against Regis.

20118-19 All-Conference First Team: Kailyn Aguiar from Bridgewater State, Kia Fernandes from Salem State, Brittany Herring from Worcester State, and Mary Kate O'Day from Framingham State.

20118-19 All-Conference Second Team: Melissa Gray from Westfield State, Angelina Marazzi from Fitchburg State, Kierra McCarthy from Westfield State, Catherine Sweeney from Worcester State, and Emily Velozo from Framingham State. 

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation's first Division III men's and women's playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom.  MASCAC core member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University.  Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men's ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University joined the conference as an affiliate member in football beginning in 2013.