JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University duo of
Taiah Thornton and
Dominic Laws have received honorable mention recognition for Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Student-Athletes of the Year, announced by the league today. Rising redshirt senior Thornton of the women's basketball program and rising senior Laws of the men's soccer team, were nominated as the Saint Peter's Student-Athletes of the Year for their work in the classroom and on their respective playing fields.
Thornton was the only women's basketball player to start in all 30 contests during the 2019-20 season. She led the team in scoring and steals, averaging 14.9 points per game and 2.3 steals per contest. Thornton finished her junior campaign sixth in the MAAC in scoring and third in steals. In conference play, she led Saint Peter's in field goal percentage, shooting 45 percent from the field through the team's 20 league games. Additionally, the guard from Pennsauken, NJ pulled in 3.3 rebounds per outing and handed out 2.5 assists per meeting. At the conclusion of the season, she was voted to the All-MAAC Third Team.
Off the court, Thornton is a biology major who boasts a 3.69 grade point average. She earned a spot on the 2019-20 MAAC All-Academic Team and was a member of the 2018-19 MAAC Academic Honor Roll.
Laws ascended as the conference's most prolific scoring threat during 2019, finishing up his junior ledger as the MAAC leader in goals (12), goals per game (.63), points (31), points per game (1.63), shots (76), shots per game (4). His offensive outburst led to MAAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, a unanimous selection to the All-MAAC First Team, and spots on the MAAC Men's Soccer All-Tournament Team, United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's All-East Regional Second-Team, and All-ECAC Team. Laws also ranked fourth in the league in assists (7) and was a two-time MAAC Offensive Player of the Week in 2019. Over his three years in Jersey City, the native of Sunderland, England, has recorded 56 points, scored 23 goals, and dished out 10 assists. His career shots on goal are ranked fifth all-time in addition to his total shots ranking eighth on the all-time leaderboard. In 2018, Laws was selected to the All-MAAC Second Team and he was honored as Saint Peter's Sophomore Male Student-Athlete of the Year.
In the classroom, Laws holds a 3.59 grade point average in business management. He has been selected to a pair of MAAC Academic Honor Rolls and was placed on the 2019 MAAC All-Academic Team.
To be eligible for the MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at a full-time MAAC member institution, compete in a sport sponsored by the MAAC, and completed one full academic year at the institution. The student-athlete must also have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale and be a significant starter or reserve for his/her team(s).
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.
