Guru Report: Temple's Shey Peddy Wins Two Top Honors From Atlantic 10

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By Mel Greenberg

PHILADELPHIA – Though you will hear that Temple senior star Shey Peddy is not about individual awards, which is quite truthful, talk throughout the Atlantic 10 had had her name high on the list of honors to be handed out by the conference.

As the Owls’ current 13-game win streak heated up, there had been much discussion in recent weeks that Peddy would be thrilled to be named defensive player of the year when the Atlantic 10.

Well, the conference coaches have granted her wish and added another award that says she plays on offense equally as well.

On the eve of the conference tournament, which begins play Friday morning (11:30) at St. Joseph’s Hagan Arena, Peddy was named both the Atlantic 10 player of the year and defensive player of the year.

Peddy has been on the bookends of Temple’s success this season finishing one game behind unbeaten St. Bonaventure in the regular season standings.

Her last-second assist of Kristen McCarthy's game-winner at Richmond to open conference play rescued Temple at a time the Owls were still staggering a bit from the strong nonconference slate that featured a slew of ranked teams.

And in recent weeks, Peddy has keyed Temple’s relentless pressure on the defensive side.

Peddy is the first Temple player to capture the Atlantic 10’s top honor on the court since Kamesha Hairston was named in 2007 after future WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree won it twice in 2005 and 2006.

Peddy is also the first player in the conference since Dupree to win both POY and DPOY honors.

Originally enrolled at Wright State, Peddy transferred to Temple with the desire to play for hometown heroine Tonya Cardoza, who like Peddy grew up in Roxbury, Mass., near Boston.

Cardoza was named the conference coach of the year last season and might have repeated but for the sensational overall season of St. Bonaventure that set all kinds of school records and is ranked for the first time ever in the Associated Press women’s poll, this week remaining at 19^th.

“I don’t know anyone has ever requested me before when we’ve visited here,” Bonnies coach Jim Crowley quipped back in January when his group upset Temple in the Liacouras Center the second game on the conference schedule.

Crowley, a candidate for national coach of the year from several organizations, is the dean of the conference coaches and his two stars Jessica Jenkins, a three-point shooting ace, and Megan Van Tatenhove joined Peddy on the first team along with Richmond senior Abby Oliver and Dayton senior Justine Raterman.

Jenkins and Van Tatenhove also were named to the all-academic team.

The conference has the complete list of postseason honorees at its website.

Temple’s Kristen McCarthy was named to the second team as was St. Joseph’s Michelle Baker.

La Salle’s Brittany Wilson was named to the third team and Explorers newcomer Jada Payne made the all-rookie team.

Peddy was also, obviously, named to the all-defensive team.

Dayton’s Andrea Hoover took the conference’s rookie award, while Charlotte’s Epiphany Woodson was named the sixth player of the year, and Richmond’s Becca Wann was named most improved player.

-- Mel