ROCHESTER, NY - Two women who played extremely well in the front court for the University of Rochester this season have been suitably rewarded by the head coaches in the University Athletic Association.
The UAA head coaches selected first-year post player Julianna Okoniewski as the UAA Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-UAA. Senior forward Lena Ethington was named Second Team All-UAA as well. It is the first All-UAA honor for each woman.
Okoniewski (oh-CONN-niss-kee, Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem Central) is the second Rochester women's player to earn UAA Rookie of the Year honors. The league head coaches selected Alexandra Leslie (Class of 2018) as the top rookie in 2014-15.
She led Rochester with a 12.5 ppg. scoring average and was second in rebounding at 7.8 rpg. She scored in double figures 18 times in 25 games including 10 of Rochester's last 11 games. She had eight games with 10 or more rebounds and posted six double-doubles. Her scoring career high was 21 points (12/30/18 vs. Westminster at the Otterbein Smokey Ballenger Classic and 1/27/19 vs. Brandeis in the Palestra). Her rebounding high was 15 at Brandeis on 2/3/19.
Ethington (Los Angeles, CA/Marlborough) had a breakout season in terms of scoring and rebounding. She averaged 10.8 ppg. on 41% shooting from the floor, 66% at the line. She scored 10 or more points 16 times with a high of 23 points on 2/17/18 at Case Western Reserve.
She collected 250 rebounds in 25 games (10.0 rpg.) and topped double figures 11 times. She had four games with 15 or more: 16 at Oberlin (12/29/18, Otterbein Tournament vs. Oberlin), 17 against Case Western Reserve (1/21/19 at the Palestra), 18 at Ithaca (12/11/18), and 19 at Case Western Reserve on 2/17/19 in Cleveland). She had seven double-doubles. It is the highest rebounding average in five years– since Loren Wagner collected 12.6 rpg. in 2013-14.
Rochester finished the 2018-19 season 10-15. The Yellowjackets were sixth in the UAA standings with a 4-10 record.