BOSTON – Blanca Millan continues to make history as the Maine guard became the first America East women’s basketball player to earn multiple Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors Friday morning as the conference revealed the 2020-21 award winners. All of the conference’s 2020-21 major awards were announced along with the All-Conference, All-Defensive, All-Rookie and All-Academic teams. Award winners were determined in a vote by the league’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
Full Awards Listing
Millan was one of four major award recipients along with Stony Brook’s McKenzie Bushee who received the Sixth Player of the Year accolade. Vermont freshman Anna Olson collected Rookie of the Year honors while Maine Head Coach Amy Vachon was named Coach of the Year.
Player of the Year
Blanca Millan, Sr., Guard, Maine
Defensive Player of the Year
Blanca Millan, Sr., Guard, Maine
Sixth Player of the Year
McKenzie Bushee, Sr., Forward, Stony Brook
Rookie of the Year
Anna Olson, Fr., Forward, Vermont
Coach of the Year
Amy Vachon, Maine – 4th Season
The All-Conference teams are composed of five seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, one graduate student and one freshman. 10 of the 15 honorees play on a top-four team in the standings.
2020-21 America East Women’s Basketball Awards
First Team All-Conference
Denai Bowman, So., G, Binghamton
Blanca Millan, Sr., G, Maine
Dor Saar, Sr., G, Maine
Anne Simon, So., G, Maine
Denise Solis, So., F, UMass Lowell
Second Team All-Conference
Maeve Carroll, Jr., F, Maine
Asiah Dingle, Jr., G, Stony Brook
Kharis Idom, Jr., G, UMass Lowell
India Pagan, Sr., F, Stony Brook
Amanda Torres, Sr., G, New Hampshire
Third Team All-Conference
Juliet Esadah, Gr., F, UMBC
Ivy Gogolin, Jr., F, New Hampshire
Helene Haegerstrand, So., F, UAlbany
Anna Olson, Fr., F, Vermont
Anastasia Warren, Jr., G, Stony Brook
All-Defensive Team
Denai Bowman, So., G, Binghamton
Blanca Millan, Sr., G, Maine
Denise Solis, So., F, UMass Lowell
Amanda Torres, Sr., G, New Hampshire
Hailey Zeise, Gr., G/F, Stony Brook
All-Rookie Team
Kayla Cooper, Fr., G, UAlbany
Adara Groman, Fr., G, New Hampshire
Lyzi Litwinko, Fr., G, NJIT
Alexia Nelson, Fr., G, UMBC
Anna Olson, Fr., F, Vermont
All-Academic Team
Kelly Fogarty, Sr., 3.94, Maine
Ivy Gogolin, Jr., 3.95, New Hampshire
Fanny Wadling, Sr., 3.94, Maine
Kaylee Wasco, Gr., 4.00, Binghamton
Hailey Zeise, Gr., 3.93, Stony Brook
A handful of award winners will be in action on Sunday for the Hercules Tires #AEPlayoffs quarterfinals. Complete tournament information can be found at Playoffs Central.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
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