NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – George Mason women's basketball senior and rookie standout Nalani Kaysia has earned a spot of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon.
 
It is the first time since the 2017-18 season that a rookie has earned the postseason award, with Nicole Cardaño-Hillary being named to the A10 All-Rookie team in 2018. It is also the first postseason honor for the Patriots since 2020 when Cardaño-Hillary was named to the Atlantic 10 Second Team.
 
After playing three years of Division I volleyball, Kaysia transferred to George Mason to begin her college basketball career. She appeared in every game for the Patriots, starting 26 in her rookie season. Throughout the regular season, she averaged a team-best 8.2 rebounds (8^th, A-10) and 1.1 blocks (6^th, A-10) per game and is third on the team averaging 9.0 points per game while shooting .429 from the field. During the regular season, she registered 33 blocks, the most by a Patriot since the 2018-19 season.
 
However, Kaysia hit her stride during conference play, setting and matching multiple career-highs throughout the season. She is currently one of five student-athletes in the Atlantic 10 to be averaging a double-double against conference opponents with 12.3 points (19^th, A-10) and 10.4 rebounds (t-2nd, A-10) per game. Kaysia also registered 25 of her 33 blocks against conference opponents for an average of 1.6 blocks/game, good for fifth in the conference.
 
She wrapped up the regular season scoring in double-digit figures in 11 of the last 13 games while registering six double-doubles in that span. Throughout the entire season, she tallied seven double-doubles, the most by a Patriot this season.
 
The forward owns career bests of 22 rebounds, 19 points (three times), four blocks (twice), three assists and two steals (three times). Against Saint Louis on February 1, Kaysia pulled down her career-high 22 rebounds, the most by any men's or women's player in the Atlantic 10 this season.