HALIFAX, N.S. (Mar. 9, 2022) - The ACAA celebrated the best of the best on the hardwood, handing out its annual Basketball Awards in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday.
In leading Mount St. Vincent University to the top seed in the ACAA, Kelsey Crocker brought some individual hardware back to Halifax, as the fourth-year sharpshooter from St. John's became the first Mystic to be named the ACAA Women's Basketball Player of the Year since Maria Carroll in the 2018-19 season.
Crocker separated herself from the pack from the outside, leading the ACAA in scoring at 19.2 points per game, paired with the second-best field goal percentage in the conference at 52.1 per cent, as well as being the best from beyond the arc at 48.1 per cent from three-point range.
Meanwhile, Jordan Holness of the Holland College Hurricanes repeated as the ACAA Men's Basketball Player of the Year, as his 5.2 assists per game helped facilitate a Hurricanes offense that averaged 98.9 points per game in the regular season en route to the top seed in the ACAA.
The Toronto native also finished in the top 10 in the ACAA in scoring (16.5 points per game, seventh), rebounding (5.6 rebounds per game, 10th), and steals (2.0 per game, ninth), with his repeat making it three straight Hurricanes to capture the award after Jace Colley won it en route to being the CCAA Player of the Year in 2018-19.
Meanwhile, Gayo Isaya of the St. Thomas University Tommies was the men's recipient of the Dyrick McDermott Defensive Player of the Year award on top of earning a First Team All-Conference selection, while Randi Hudson of the Mount St. Vincent University Mystics earned the women's award named for the former six-time ACAA Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.
Reese Nowlan of Mount Allison University took home ACAA Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year honours after finishing third in conference scoring with 16.5 points per game and second in three-point percentage at 45.5 per cent.
Jasha'juan Downey of Holland College was named the ACAA Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year after finishing second in the conference with 19.2 points per game, which he paired with four rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. In addition, both Rookie of the Year recipients were also named to their respective Second All-Conference Teams.
On the sidelines, Mark Forward earned his fourth ACAA Women's Basketball Coach of the Year honour in five seasons and sixth overall (five women's, one men's) in guiding Mount St. Vincent to top spot in the ACAA, while men's basketball Tommies head coach John Hickey was named ACAA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year for the first time.
Women's Basketball First Team All-Conference
Lisa Bolander, Holland College
Kelsey Crocker, Mount St. Vincent University
Abby Miller, Mount Allison University
Emily Owens, St. Thomas University
Madison Owens, St. Thomas University*
Vanessa Soffee, St. Thomas University
Men's Basketball First Team All-Conference
Brett Curtis, Crandall University
Jordan Holness, Holland College
Gayo Isaya, St. Thomas University
Jayden Nordin, University of King's College
Sam Pierson, Mount Allison University
Women's Basketball Second Team All-Conference
Jenna Bain, University of King's College
Grace Bennett, Holland College
Tahlia Jones, Mount St. Vincent University
Alisha McNeil, Mount St. Vincent University
Reese Nowlan, Mount Allison University
Men's Basketball Second Team All-Conference
Bryce Corless, Holland College
Almin Dervisevic, St. Thomas University
Jasha'juan Downey, Holland College
Devon Glen, Crandall University
Geoffrey Lavoie, St. Thomas University
Dyrick McDermott Defensive Players of the Year
Women's - Randi Hudson, Mount St. Vincent University
Men's - Gayo Isaya, St. Thomas University
ACAA Basketball Rookies of the Year
Women's - Reese Nowlan, Mount Allison University
Men's - Jasha'juan Downey, Holland College
ACAA Basketball Coaches of the Year
Women's - Mark Forward, Mount St. Vincent University
Men's - John Hickey, St. Thomas University
ACAA Basketball Players of the Year
Women's - Kelsey Crocker, Mount St. Vincent University
Men's - Jordan Holness, Holland College
(Editor's Note - Mar. 22, 2022: Two corrections have been made to the piece; the article previously stated Chelsea MacKay was the last MSVU Women's Basketball Player of the Year when it was Maria Carroll in 2018-19, and Madison Owens has been added to the Women's Basketball First Team All-Conference after a voting tabulation error.)
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