March 8, 2005

Fairfax, Va - George Mason University sophomore forward Kristin Higy (Akron, Ohio) earned All-Colonial Athletic Association Academic Team honors as announced at the CAA Women's Basketball Championship banquet, held Tuesday evening at the Johnson Center on Mason's campus.

Through three semesters at Mason, Higy currently holds a 3.81 cumulative GPA and registered a 3.88 in the 2004 fall semester. Higy has been named to the Dean's List, as well as the Athletic Director's Honor Roll for three consecutive semesters and also earned the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award last season.

Higy has been a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and has been since her freshman year. In her spare time, Higy has volunteered at career fairs for students in the area, at basketball skill clinics at local elementary schools and is in the process of coordinating a community service project for the women's basketball team.

Higy has played and started in 26 of Mason's 27 games this season. The Ohio native has led or tied the Patriots in scoring on two occasions this season, twice in rebounding, once in assists and four times in the steals category.

George Mason is hosting the CAA Women's Basketball Championship for the first time in school history. The Patriots, a No. 6 seed, will compete against No. 3 seed Drexel on Mar. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Patriot Center.

2005 CAA Women's Basketball Award Winners

First Team All-CAA
Tiara Malcom, UD F SR 6-1 Wilmington, Del./Caravel Academy
Shareese Grant, ODU G SR 5-8 Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne
Catherine Scanlon, Drexel G/F JR 5-11 Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara
Katrina Martin, Drexel F SR 5-9 Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Seton
Cigi McCollin, Hofstra G SO-R 5-7 Long Island, N.Y./Christ the King

Second Team All-CAA
Meagan Samis, UNCW F FR-R 6-1 Oklahoma City, Okla./Casady
Meredith Alexis, JMU F/C SO 6-3 Hanover Township, Pa./Bishop Hoban
Lawona Davis, ODU F/G JR 5-11 Port St. Lucie, Fla./Centennial
Kyle DeHaven, W&M G SO 5-9 Herndon, Va./Herndon
Lesley Dickinson, JMU G SO 5-10 Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the King

Third Team All-CAA
Lizanne Murphy, Hofstra F SO 6-1 Beaconfield, Quebec/Dawson
Lauren Hogan, VCU F SR 6-1 Prince George, Va./Prince George
Vanessa Gidden, Hofstra C SO 6-3 Stamford, Conn./Stamford
Tierra Jackson, Towson F JR 5-10 Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglass
Tiffany Young, UD F SR 6-2 Fairfax, Va./Fairfax

All-Rookie Team
Meagan Samis, UNCW F FR-R 6-1 Oklahoma City, Okla./Casady
Tamera Young, JMU G/F FR 6-1 Wilmington, N.C./Laney
Alis Freeman, Towson G FR 5-7 Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill
Tiffany Green, ODU F FR 6-2 Chesapeake, Va./Indian River
Narissa Suber, Drexel G FR 5-9 Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee

All-Defensive Team
Kyle DeHaven, W&M G SO 5-9 Herndon, Va./Herndon
Vanessa Gidden, Hofstra C SO 6-3 Stamford, Conn./Stamford
Tyresa Smith, UD G SO 5-10 Dover, Del./Polytech
Lawona Davis, ODU F/G JR 5-11 Port St. Lucie, Fla./Centennial
Shareese Grant, ODU G SR 5-8 Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne

All-Academic Team
Andrea Benvenuto, JMU G SO 5-7 Ancaster, Ontario/St. Mary's
Lesley Dickinson, JMU G SO 5-10 Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the King
Meagan Evans, VCU G SR 5-9 Sherbrooke, Australia/Nunawading
Maria Giovannetti, VCU F SR 5-11 Richmond, Va./St. Gertrude's
Kristin Higy, Mason F SO 6-1 Akron, Ohio/Hoover
Alena Koshansky, UD G SO 5-8 Fairfax, Va./Chantilly
Lizanne Murphy, Hofstra G/F SO 6-1 Beaconfield, Quebec/Dawson College
Julie Sailer, UD G/F SR 5-11 Washington Crosdsing, Pa./Council Rock
Bethany Stranges, UNCW F FR-R 6-3 St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville
Michaela Vezenkova, UNCW F SO 6-3 Botevgrad, Bulgaria/The Grammar School

Caa player of the Year
Tiara Malcom, Delaware

CAA Rookie of the Year
Meagan Samis, UNCW

CAA Defensive Player of the Year
Kyle DeHaven, W&M

Co-Coach of the Year
Denise Dillon, Drexel
Tina Martin, Delaware

2005 Dean Ehlers Leadership Award
Kelli Talbot, Towson F/G SR 5-9 Holmdel, N.J./Red Bank Catholic