Herrick, Vallone Grab TCCC Honors

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A pair of Wentworth seniors have earned The Commonwealth Coast Conference accolades for their play in the final week of the regular season.  Sam Herrick (Duxbury, Mass.) of the men's basketball team and Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) of the women's basketball team have earned conference player of the week honors for games played from February 14-20.

Herrick averaged 15.0 points and 14.0 rebounds in a pair of TCCC victories that solidified the Leopards' hold on the second seed in the TCCC Championship for the second straight season.  He collected 14 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocked shots in a 74-60 victory over Colby-Sawyer and also notched 16 points and 13 rebounds in a 71-58 triumph at New England College.  Herrick, who ended the regular season with 12 double-doubles, has 269 rebounds this season, which eclipses the old program record of 256 which was set by Steve King during the 1988-89 campaign.

He has started all 25 games for the 16-9 Leopards and is averaging 13.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 blocked shots per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor.  Wentworth hosts Colby-Sawyer in a TCCC Quarterfinal on Tuesday night.

Vallone closed out her senior campaign by enjoying a solid week, as she averaged a double-double with 16.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, 5.0 blocks, and 2.0 assists per game. She opened the week with 16 points, 12 rebounds, eight blocks and two assists in a 63-47 loss to Colby-Sawyer, the #3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament before closing out the week netting another 16 points, and grabbing a week-high 18 rebounds in a 43-37 road victory to TCCC foe New England College. She also shot 64% from the charity stripe (7-of-11), collected 32 points, 30 rebounds, and 10 blocks last week.

Starting all 25 games for the Leopards, who end their season with a 10-15 record, she averaged 10.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.0 blocked shots, and 1.6 steals per game.