Villanova Tops Big 5 Women’s Awards

 

 

Big 5 Announces 2022-23 Women’s Basketball Award Winners

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- Villanova senior forward Maddy Siegrist was announced on Tuesday as the Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year for the third straight year, while Saint Joseph’s forward Laura Ziegler was named Rookie of the Year, and Villanova head coach Denise Dillon was chosen as Philadelphia Big 5 Coach of the Year for the second straight season. 

The major award winners on the women’s side include Siegrist, Ziegler, and Dillon, in addition to Villanova forward Christina Dalce being named the Most Improved Player and Saint Joseph’s Talya Brugler earning Big 5 Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades. 

Villanova won this year’s Big 5 title with a perfect 4-0 record.

Siegrist and Brugler are joined on the All-Big 5 first team byPenn guard Kayla Padilla, Temple guard Aleah Nelson and Villanova guard Lucy Olsen.  

The All-Big 5 second team features Ziegler and Mackenzie Smith from Saint Joseph’s, La Salle’s Kayla Spruill, Penn’s Jordan Obi and Dalce. 

There were also two Honorable Mention honorees, including Villanova’s Maddie Burke and Claire Jacobs from La Salle. 

Siegrist was recognized as the Big 5 leading scorer averaging 29.2 points per game average and as the top free throw shooter at .858 (223-of-260). 

Siegrist led the country in scoring at 29.2 points per game to go with a 9.2 rebounds per contest average. She shot 51.0 percent from the field (403-of-790), 36.1 percent from three-point range (52-of-144) and 85.8 percent from the foul line (223-of-260).  She scored 20 or more points in all 37 games this year, including 17 games of 30 points or more. The 37 consecutive 20-point game stretch is the longest streak by any women’s or men’s D-1 player this century. 

 

Dillon led the Wildcats to a school record 30 wins with a 30-7 overall record, a 17-3 BIG EAST mark and a perfect 4-0 record in Big 5 play. Villanova advanced to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history as a four-seed in the Greenville Two Region. In her team’s second round NCAA Tournament win over Cleveland State, Dillon registered career win number 400.

 

Dalce started all 37 games this past season and averaged 7.3 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per contest to go with a school record 86 blocked shots. The 86 blocks led the BIG EAST and ranked 13th nationally. Dalce also tallied four double-doubles.   

           

Brugler started all 31 games this season and averaged 16.7points per game and 5.1 rebounds per contest in 33.3 minutes per game. She shot .527 from the field, and .344 from three-point range.

Philadelphia Big 5 Women’s Basketball Award Winners

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova (Grad Student, Forward)

 

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Laura Ziegler, Saint Joseph’s (Freshman, Forward)

 

COACH OF THE YEAR

Denise Dillon, Villanova

 

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Christina Dalce, Villanova (Sophomore, Forward)

 

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Talya Brugler, Saint Joseph’s (Sophomore, Forward)

 

LEADING SCORER

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova (Grad Student, Forward) 29.2 ppg.

 

LEADING FREE THROW SHOOTER

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova (Grad Student, Forward) 85.8 percent (223-of-260)

 

ALL-BIG 5 FIRST TEAM

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova 

Kayla Padilla, Penn

Talya Brugler, Saint Joseph’s

Lucy Olsen, Villanova

Aleah Nelson, Temple

 

ALL-BIG 5 SECOND TEAM

Kayla Spruill, La Salle 

Jordan Obi, Penn​​​​​​

Christina Dalce, Villanova

Laura Ziegler,​St. Joseph’s

Mackenzie Smith, St. Joseph’s

 

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG 5 

Claire Jacobs, La Salle 

Maddie Burke, Villanova