Edgerton, Roiger Earn Major Conference Accolades
by:
Tara FreemanKatie Edgerton '12 was named the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year.
Feb. 23: St. Lawrence University senior co-captain Katie Edgerton and the Saints' coaching staff earned Liberty League recognition on Thursday, as the conference announced its annual award winners. Edgerton was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and was one of three to earn All-Conference, while head coach Dan Roiger and his staff earned Coaching Staff of the year honors.
Edgerton led the St. Lawrence defensive effort without gaudy statistics. Consistently guarding an all-conference player, she reduced the number of touches and forced difficult shots by her opponents. An excellent rebounder for her position, she led the team in minutes and played hard for the entire game. Eleventh in the league in scoring, the Shelburne, VT native was eighth in shooting percentage, the first amongst guards in those rankings. She led the league in free throw percentage and ended several games in the final minutes by her shooting at the line. Edgerton has earned All-Conference recognition for the third straight year.
In Roiger's third year at the helm of the women's basketball program, he has led his team to its second straight Liberty League regular season title and third straight tournament appearance. The Saints, who set a University record with 18 consecutive victories, posted a perfect 16-0 regular season mark, the first in the conference's history. Ranked fourth in the region, the Saints are finished the season 21-5 overall and led the league in four statistical categories.
"Being named Coach of the Year is a reflection of the success of our team," said Roiger. "It is a great credit to our players and how hard they have worked, the leadership we have, and their commitment to success. They have found ways to dig in and persevere throughout the season, and this award is simply a credit to them."
Joining Edgerton on the Liberty League All-Conference squads were sophomore Kelly Legg and senior Iris Santoni. Both were tabbed with Second Team honors. Legg was the top scorer for the Saints and eighth in the league as she averaged 11.5 points per game. Earning All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year, she was second in the league in blocks and 16th in rebounding. The Fairport, NY native earned All-Tournament team honors at the Amherst Tip-off earlier in the season.
Santoni, a veteran point guard, earned All-Conference honors for the first time in her career. She led the team in assists, was second in steals and fourth in scoring. The Northampton, MA native was 13th in the league in assists and joined Legg on the All-Tournament team at Amherst.
Meanwhile, first-year point guard Kara McDuffee was one of five selected to the conference's All-Rookie team. Third for the Saints in field goal percentage, she has recorded double-figures in scoring four times this season, including a career-high 18 points against William Smith on Jan. 14. She also earned a spot on the Liberty League All-Tournament team for her efforts in the championship game.
The Saints, who boasted a 3.49 GPA in the fall semester, also had seven individuals earn Liberty League recognition as Academic All-Conference. Edgerton and Santoni were joined by their classmates Breezy Dwyer and Casey Capello, as well as sophomores Katie Abramski, Kathleen McCallops and Cassie St. Hilaire in holding a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.