3/22/2010
SUNY Cortland senior forward Jessica Laing (Bloomville/South Kortright) has been honored as one of the nation’s top Division III players during the 2009-10 season with her selection to both the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/State Farm and the D3hoops.com All-America teams.
Laing was one of 10 players nationally chosen to the WBCA All-America first team and was a second-team D3hoops.com selection, making her one of the top 10 players receiving recognition from that national Web site. In addition, Laing has been chosen as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Div. III Upstate New York Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
In her four-year career at Cortland, Laing earned WBCA All-America honors three times (honorable mention as a sophomore and junior, first team as a senior) and D3hoops.com All-America honors twice (third team as a junior, second team as a senior). She was a four-time All-ECAC selection, including first-team recognition three times). Laing was also one of 12 finalists for the 2009-10 Jostens Trophy (the award was won by Julia Hirssig of Wisconsin-Stout).
Laing led Cortland this season with 20.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. She shot 43.3 percent from the field and 79.6 percent from the foul line, and led the Red Dragons with 41 three-pointers. Laing recorded points-rebounds “double-doubles” 23 times in 29 games this season and 77 times in 117 career games.
Laing finished with career totals of 2,166 points and 1,305 rebounds, both school records. She is only the 10th player in NCAA Division III history to reach the combination of 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, and the only player on that list to also make at least 100 three-pointers (136). Laing is the all-time leading scorer and second-leading rebounder in the 27-year history of State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) women’s basketball.
2009-10 WBCA All-America First Team
Molly Ariail, Randolph-Macon
Melissa Beyruti, Kean
Jessica Chapin, Brandeis
Julia Hirssig, Wisconsin-Stout
Jessica Laing, Cortland
Lyndsie Long, Elmhurst
Caitlin Moser, Gettysburg
Chelsie Schweers, Christopher Newport
Carrie Snikkers, Hope
Caroline Stedman, Amherst
2009-10 D3hoops.com All-America
First and Second Teams
First Team
G - Chelsie Schweers, Christopher Newport
G - Claire Ely, Puget Sound
F - Julia Hirssig, Wisconsin-Stout
F – Lyndsie Long, Elmhurst
C – Carrie Snikkers, Hope
Second Team
G – Caroline Stedman, Amherst
G – Melissa Beyruti, Kean
F – Jessica Berry, Utica
F – Jessica Laing, Cortland
C – Christina Solari, Illinois Wesleyan