BOSTON, Mass. – Senior guard Michelle Fauci (Boxford, Mass.) and junior forward Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) each earned All-The Commonwealth Coast Conference honors, as announced by Commissioner Gregg Kaye Tuesday morning. Fauci was named the league's defensive player of the year and a Second Team All-TCCC selection, while Vallone joined Fauci on the second team.
Fauci has enjoyed a stellar senior season, as she has averaged 13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.2 steals per game, while shooting 47 percent from the floor. She notched career highs of 23 points in a loss to RIT on Dec. 13 and against Eastern Nazarene on Jan. 12 and had 12 steals in a win over MIT on Nov. 17 and a loss to Suffolk on Jan. 14. The 12-steal performances were one shy of tying the school record of 13 thefts in a game and her 104 steals this season established a new school record. Additionally, she spearheaded a Leopard defense that ranked fourth among TCCC teams in conference-only steals per game (11.2), scoring defense (56.4 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (.349), while tying for second place in rebounding defense (37.4 rebounds per game). She ranked third among TCCC players in conference-only steals per game (3.3). Her overall average of 4.2 steals per game presently ranks sixth in NCAA Division III. Through 94 career games, Fauci is averaging 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.
Vallone, who was an honorable mention selection as a sophomore, put up impressive numbers to help the Leopards to their first TCCC Tournament berth since the 2007 season. Starting all 24 games, she averaged 11.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. She also shot 81.1 percent from the free throw line. Vallone matched a career high with 22 points in a loss at Emerson on Nov. 24 and recorded eight double-doubles on the year, including hauling down a season-high 18 rebounds in a loss at Endicott on Jan. 23. In 70 career games (65 starts), she has averaged 11.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and steals per game.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Amanda Rodgerson, Wentworth has a 12-13 record entering TCCC Tournament, which begins tonight. As the number six seed, the Leopards will travel to third-seeded Regis for a 7:00 p.m. tilt tonight.
