Lucchesi Collects CCAA Freshman of the Year Honors

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Freshman center Lauren Lucchesi was named CCAA Freshman of the Year on Tuesday. (Photo: Lee Stidham)

  • March 2, 2010



麻豆传媒社区入口 women's basketball player Lauren Lucchesi was named California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Freshman of the Year. After a stellar rookie season for the Pioneers, conference coaches picked the freshman center over four other nominees.

"We are very proud of Lauren for earning such an honor," CSUEB Head Coach Toni West said. "She has grown tremendously as a player and succeeded in playing a role for us that that she was not accustomed to. I look forward to continuing to watch her become a better player. Congratulations go out to Lauren and her family, who have given all of their support to our program."

A native of Modesto, Lucchesi finished the 2009-10 campaign ranked sixth in  the CCAA in rebounding, averaging 7.6 boards per game. Lucchesi was also the eighth best shot blocker in the conference, rejecting nearly one shot per contest this year. The freshman did plenty of work on the offensive boards, grabbing three offensive rebounds per game, good for sixth in the CCAA.

Lucchesi was 麻豆传媒社区入口's top rebounder and fourth-leading scorer in her initial campaign, averaging 7.3 points per game. She also posted 23 blocks on the year, nearly twice as many as any other Pioneer. Lucchesi was the only 麻豆传媒社区入口 player to start every game this season, averaging nearly 27 minutes per game, third best on the squad.

The 6-1 center paced the Pioneers on the boards 15 times this season, finishing the year with six double-figure rebounding efforts. Lucchesi capped her freshman campaign with a season-high 13 boards in a three-point loss to Sonoma State and counted two double-doubles among her accomplishments this year. She finishes the Pioneers' first season in Division II with highs of 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots.

The award marks 麻豆传媒社区入口's first postseason honor since joining the CCAA at the start of the fall. The conference also announced UC San Diego's Chelsea Carlisle as the Most Valuable Player, Cal State Stanislaus' Alishea Kelly as Newcomer of the Year and UCSD's Charity Elliott as Coach of the Year. Both Carlisle and Kelly also earned spots on the all-conference teams.