April 15, 2011

PHILADELPHIA - Senior Ashley Gale was named to the All-Big 5 First Team, as well as the Most Improved Player.  Senior Chelsea Conner and freshman Jess Koci were honored on the All-Academic and All Big 5 Second Teams, respectively, as announced by the Big 5 office today.

The award winners will be formally recognized on Tuesday at the women’s Big 5 basketball banquet at the Drexelbrook.

Gale helped the Explorers to a #9 seed in the Atlantic10 Tournament, averaging 18 points and 5 rebounds per game.  The Cheltenham, Pa. native was selected to the A-10 Second Team and All-Defensive Teams after leading the A-10 in scoring with 20.7 points per game in conference play.  Gale was also the A-10’s Most Improved Player.

Conner maintains a 3.67 GPA as a Speech, Language and Hearing graduate student.  After averaging 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in her three previous seasons, Conner posted a career-high 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game this season.  She led the Explorers in blocks with 21.

Koci, an A-10 All-Rookie Team selection, was sixth in the A-10 in rebounding with 7.5 per game, to go along with 7.5 points per contest.  The Philadelphia native finished second in the A-10 in offensive boards, with 3.6 per game. 

Temple’s Shey Peddy was tabbed Big 5 Player of the Yearm while Alyssa Baron of Penn was the Rookie of the Year.

Joining Gale on the First Team were Peddy, Baron, Qwedia Wallace (Temple) and Kristen McCarthy (Temple).

Temple’s Tonya Cardoza was named Big 5 Coach of the Year.