ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Three Saint Peter's University women's basketball players have earned All-MAAC honors, as announced by the conference office this morning. Redshirt-senior
Taiah Thornton leads the way, earning All-MAAC First Team honors, while classmate
Kendrea Williams received her first all-conference nod after being selected to the All-MAAC Third Team. Freshman
Ajia James rounds out the group, earning a unanimous selection to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
With her selection, Thornton becomes the first Peacock to earn a place on the Women's Basketball All-MAAC First Team since Tania Kennedy was voted to the squad at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. The Pennsauken native has been a force for Saint Peter's all year, leading the team in scoring average with 14.4 points per game, total assists (125), and total steals (61). Additionally, Thornton ranks fourth in the MAAC in scoring average, third in assists per game (5.2), and fifth in steals per game (2.5). Perhaps her most impressive performance of the year came in the team's season-opener, when Thornton finished with her first career triple-double, recording 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 11 steals in Saint Peter's 69-64 win over NJIT on Nov. 25. The redshirt-senior finishes the season as a two-time MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as voted on by the conference's sports information directors.
Williams earns her first all-conference award with her selection to this year's All-MAAC Third team, however the Piscataway native has been at the top of the list with the league's best guards since she began playing for the blue and white in 2019-20. This season, Williams ranks second on the team in scoring average (12.4 points per game), while being the clear-cut leader in three-point percentage, averaging a nearly 37 percent success rate when pulling up from deep. At the conference level, Williams is one of the top shooters in the league, ranking fourth among all MAAC players in field-goal percentage, averaging 42.6 percent from the floor this season. The redshirt-senior also put together an incredible run from Feb. 6 - Feb. 14, scoring at least 20 points in four straight contests while shooting 43.4 percent from beyond the arc. As a credit to her hard work both on and off the court, Williams was also named the MAAC Female Student-Athlete of the Week on Dec. 9, 2020.
James had a standout-season to mark her rookie campaign, earning one of just five unanimous selections across all four All-MAAC teams following the end of the regular season. The freshman played an integral role in the Peacocks' success this year, proving to be a dominant force through both scoring and rebounding. The Stafford, Virginia native finished the year averaging 8.3 points per game while leading the team on the boards with 8.2 rebounds per game. The rebounding mark puts James ahead of all other freshmen in the MAAC, as she ranks fourth in the league in rebounding average. Additionally, James finishes the regular season as one of only two players in the league to record over 200 rebounds on the year, finishing with 206 boards through 25 games. The rookie finished the year with five double-doubles, including a 20-point, 15-rebound performance against Niagara on Feb. 20. James also finishes the year with two MAAC Rookie of the Week awards and one MAAC Player of the Week honor.
All-MAAC First Team
Lou Lopez-Senechal - Fairfield*
Willow Duffel - Marist
Mackenzie DeWees - Quinnipiac
Mikala Morris - Quinnipiac
Taiah Thornton – Saint Peter's
All-MAAC Second Team
Katie Armstrong - Fairfield
Dee Dee Davis – Manhattan
Courtney Warley - Manhattan
Angel Parker - Niagara
Isis Young – Siena
All-MAAC Third Team
Juana Camilion - Iona
Sarah Barcello - Marist
Trinasia Kennedy - Marist
Rose Caverly - Quinnipiac
Kendrea Williams – Saint Peter's
MAAC All-Rookie Team
Caitlin Weimar - Marist*
Belle Kranbuhl – Monmouth*
Makayla Firebaugh - Rider*
Raphaela Toussaint – Rider
Ajia James – Saint Peter's*
The Peacocks will travel to the MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City this week. The team's No. 3 seed will earn them a spot in the quarterfinals on March 11, where they will face off against No. 6 Iona in a 12 p.m. matchup.
