ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The No. 25 Fairfield University Women's Basketball team, and the top-seed in the upcoming MAAC Championships, was well-represented in the conference's postseason awards as the squad claimed three major awards and had four student-athletes earn All-MAAC Honors. Senior Janelle Brown highlighted the group becoming the MAAC Player of the Year with freshman Meghan Andersen unanimously voted the MAAC Rookie of the Year. As the leader of the Stags' historic season, Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis was also a unanimous pick for the MAAC Coach of the Year.
 
Brown and Andersen were also named to the All-MAAC First Team with Emina Selimovic joining the group as an All-MAAC Third Team selection. Andersen also earned a spot on the All-MAAC Rookie Team, joined by classmate Kaety L'Amoreaux.
 
"With the unselfish, team-first way that we play, it's easy to overlook the individual excellence night in and night out if you aren't paying attention," Coach Carly said. "Seeing Nellie, Meg, Emina, and Kaety get the nod for All-MAAC is great to see."
 
One of the most efficient players in the country, Brown has maintained a .584 field goal percentage while also shooting 47 percent from deep and 85 percent from the free throw line. She leads all Division I guards in field goal percentage while ranking 21st overall. She was named the MAAC Player of the Week for three-straight weeks, highlighted by a career-high 35-point performance at Sacred Heart where she went 15-for-17 from the field.
 
Also one of the best on-ball defenders in the conference, Brown ranks third with 2.5 steals per game, a number that places her 33rd in the country. Her 72 steals also ties Tricia Sacca (Fabbri) for ninth-most in a single season in program history. Brown becomes the fourth Stag ever to receive MAAC Player of the Year honors and the second in the last three seasons.
 
"This is such a cool moment for Nellie," Coach Carly said. "The growth she's had since we first got to campus a little under two years ago to now can't be overstated. Every single day, no matter what we are doing, Nellie does it with 100% effort and intensity. She has learned how to pick her spots on both sides of the floor and, as a result, has become one of the most efficient players in the country. She has also grown so much as a leader as she elevates the people around her in every situation. She impacts the game in every facet and this honor is very much deserved."
 
Andersen is in the midst one of the best rookie campaigns in the country as she was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week 11 times, tying for the second most in conference history. She was also the only freshman ever to be selected a Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist and was one of 40 picks to the USWBA National Player of the Year Watch List.
 
Andersen leads the team with 15.6 points per game, the second-most in the MAAC. She also ranks in the top-five in the conference in four other categories including: field goal percentage (.528), 3-point percentage (.372), 3-pointers per game (2.0) and blocks (1.4). She is also just 22 points shy of breaking the program's rookie scoring record set by Katrina Fields in 1982. She becomes the tenth MAAC Rookie of the Year in school history.
 
"This award says a lot about Meg as a player and a competitor as she is surrounded by great rookies not only on our team but in this league," Coach Carly said. "Meg's presence has been felt the moment she set foot on campus with her offensive dominance and poise, and her consistency of getting in the gym day in and day out. She worked, learned, and grew every single day on both sides of the ball. Her humble nature makes her easy to root for, and her impact on both sides of the ball has been a massive reason for our success. We knew we were getting a special one when we signed her, but now everyone knows exactly how special she really is."
 
As the leader of historic season, Coach Thibault-DuDonis was a unanimous pick for the MAAC Coach of the Year award. Coach Carly has led the Stags to the best regular season in school history, with a 28-1 record and a current 26-game winning streak, both the second-best marks in the nation. The squad also earned the program's first-ever national rankings and just the fourth MAAC team to ever be ranked in the AP Top-25 poll. Fairifeld is also the first team outside the latest USA Today Coaches Poll and are slotted fifth among mid-majors in the College Insider poll.
 
Coach Carly has reinvigorated the Stags on both sides of the ball, as they lead the MAAC in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Coach Carly's up-tempo offense has led the Stags to average 73.5 points per game, their best mark in over two decades. Fairfield has also connected on 259 3-pointers, the sixth most in MAAC history. They have also been one of the most efficient offenses in the country, placing 12th with a .475 field goal percentage, which would also be the highest mark in school history.
 
On the defensive side, the Stags rank in the top-five in the nation in scoring defense allowing 53.6 points per game and 13th in field goal percentage at .356. Fairfield has held 12 opponents under 50 points this year while ten foes have shot under 30 percent.
 
Coach Carly was also one of five candidates chosen as a Mid-Major Coach of the Year Finalist.
 
"At the risk of sounding cliché, this truly should be recognized as a Staff of the Year award," Coach Carly said. "I am surrounded by the best coaches in the country in Erika, Erik, Blake, Alex and Aislinn.  When I was hiring my staff, it was of utmost importance to me that I hired individuals who cared about people first and were great teachers of the game and of life.  I got all of that and so much more.  They believed in the vision I had for this program, and have worked tirelessly to recruit and retain amazing young women on our team to make it happen. I am thankful for our student-athletes, coaches, and administration for showing up for this program every day and making this possible."
 
Along with the three major awards, the Stags also have four selections for All-MAA honors. Brown and Andersen were both chose to the All-MAAC First Team while Selimovic earned a spot on the Third Team.
 
Selimovic has been an integral part for the Stags this year as she has set career-highs with 285 points and 148 rebounds. She has led the Stags on the glass in seven games while also tallying double-figures in scoring 11 times. She has stepped up down the stretch averaging 15.8 points and 6.0 rebounds over her last five games.
 
"Emina has worked so meticulously all season long and it is paying dividends," Coach Carly said. "Her attention to detail, versatility on offense, and ability to rebound out of area has shown up huge throughout the season, and her defending and passing have turned into real assets. She was already a great player in the MAAC, and has had a growth mindset since getting to campus this summer to continue to add to her game. We are so happy for her hard work and consistency to get rewarded."
 
Along with being on the All-MAAC First Team, Andersen also placed on the All-MAAC Rookie team alongside her classmate L'Amoreaux.
 
L'Amoreaux is tied for second on the squad with 53 made 3-pointers which is also in the top-five in the MAAC. She placed in double-figures 13 times, highlighted by a career-high tying 20-point performance at Mount St. Mary's where she connected on six second half 3-pointers, including the game tying and go-ahead bucket in the last 30 seconds. In total, L'Amoreaux averaged 10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.6 steals during her rookie campaign.
 
"Kaety is one of the fiercest competitors I've had the pleasure of coaching," Coach Carly said. "She is incredibly skilled on both sides of the ball, fearless and a relentless energy giver which is incredibly special to see from a first-year.  Her fingerprints are all over the game whether it is defending an opponent's best player, taking charges, creating for her teammates, or scoring in a variety of ways.  Her future is bright!"
 
Additionally, the Stags had five representatives on the All-Academic Team with Mimi Rubino, Lauren Beach, Izabela Nicoletti-Leite, Kate Peek, and Brooke Tatarian all earning a spot. To be eligible, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.
 
The 25th-ranked Stags will continue their quest for the program's fifth MAAC title when they open MAAC Tournament play on Wednesday afternoon. As the MAAC Regular Season Champions, and the top-overall seed, the Stags have earned a bye into the Quarterfinals and will take on either No. 8 or No. 9 Iona on Wednesday at 1pm at the Jim Whalen Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.