2023-24 GNAC Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams Announced

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Lyric Grumblatt, Rivier

Grumblatt was an imposing presence in the Rivier lineup both offensively and defensively. She was one of top scorers in all of NCAA Division III, closing out the regular season with 642 points, while averaging 25.7 points per game. Both were top marks in the GNAC and were ranked in the top-five nationally. A lot of her scoring prowess was thanks to her league-leading 78 three-pointers, which also ranked her in the DIII top-five. She shot 38.4 percent from downtown, which was a league best. However, it wasn’t just her offense where Grumblatt was a threat. She was also an intimidating on-ball defender, coming away with a GNAC-best 77 steals. During the regular season, the Raiders star produced seven double-doubles, scored 20 or more points 19 times, and passed the 30-point mark eight times. She also had five games with five or more steals. She was recognized as the GNAC Player of the Week four times (weeks ending Dec. 10 Jan. 7 Jan. 28, and Feb. 11).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jakara Murray-Leach, Albertus Magnus

Murray-Leach proved to be an troublesome piece for opposing players thanks to her strong defensive effort for Albertus Magnus. She finished the regular season in a tie as the league’s top shot-blocker with 45 on the season. Thirty-four of those stops came in conference play, giving her the league lead in that category. Murray was also a force on the defensive glass, ranking in the conference’s top-10 with 153. She also had 49 takeaways on the season. Murray-Leach had three or more blocks in six games, including an incredible 10-block performance against Johnson & Wales. She also had seven games with three or more steals.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Grace Ramsdell, Saint Joseph's (Maine)

Ramsdell made quite an impact in the Saint Joseph’s (Maine) lineup, playing in her first year of intercollegiate basketball and being inserted directly into the starting lineup. She finished the regular season as the team’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder, averaging just over 14 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. She had eight double-doubles during the regular season and scored 20-plus points four times. Her performance was recognized by the GNAC as Rookie of the Week eight times (weeks ending Nov. 26, Dec. 3, Dec. 10, Dec. 31, Jan. 7, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, and Feb. 11).

COACH OF THE YEAR

Wendy Davis, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)

Davis led the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) to a 13-1 GNAC (22-3 overall) season, earning the No. 2 seed in the 2024 GNAC Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament. Davis’ Blue Jays squad was a tough test for all conference opponents this year as it completed the regular season as the league’s second-best scoring offense at 73.9 points per game as well as being the second-best scoring defense allowing 57.0 points per game. Those numbers helped USJ finish first in the GNAC in scoring margin at 16.9 points. Part of the team’s offensive output was thanks to its efficient shooting from the floor. The Blue Jays ranked in the top-20 in all of NCAA Division III in field goal percentage at 43.9 percent. They could also move the ball as their 17.6 assists per game not only led the conference, but also placed them in the top-20 on the national leaderboard.