Health & Fitness
Women’s College Basketball: Rider’s ‘Mac’ Honored by the MAAC
Junior MyNeshia McKenzie of the Rider University women's basketball team was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week it was announced Monday afternoon (Jan. 28).
EDISON — Junior MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) of the Rider University women’s basketball team was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week it was announced Monday afternoon (Jan. 28).
McKenzie was also recognized by CollegeSportsMadness.com for all games Jan. 21-27.
Rider’s leading scorer (14.5 points) and rebounder (9.5 rebounds per game), McKenzie led Rider to a 2-0 week, averaging 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds as the Broncs won against Saint Peter’s and pulled off the upset win at second place Fairfield this past Sunday.
Find out what's happening in Lawrencevillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“‘Mac’ has been playing well,” said head coach Lynn Milligan. “She is understanding what her team needs from her every day.”
Against the Stags, McKenzie played all 40 minutes and scored 19 points while pulling down 12 rebounds for her eighth ‘double-double’ of the season and 20th of her career. She added two steals in the final 1:16 of the game after Fairfield cut Rider’s lead to six to clinch the victory for the Broncs.
Find out what's happening in Lawrencevillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Against Saint Peter’s on Jan. 24, McKenzie scored 10 points and added nine rebounds, four on the offensive glass in 29 minutes of action.
In eight conference games this season, McKenzie is averaging 16.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest.
A Second Team preseason All-MAAC honoree after earning Third Team All-MAAC honors last season, McKenzie is second in the conference (and 57th nationally) in rebounding, fourth in the MAAC in scoring and sixth in the conference (and 77th nationally) in free throw percentage (81.8 percent).
“MyNeshia is really becoming confident in her game at both ends of the floor,” Milligan added.
McKenzie’s 674 career rebounds are sixth best all-time at Rider.
This is McKenzie’s second MAAC Player of the Week honor (January 14) and the fourth time that a Rider Bronc has earned the accolade from the conference office this season.
“It is a credit to our entire team that we’ve received conference recognition for the fourth time,” Milligan said. “Our depth continues to be our strength and this recognition for ‘Mac’ certainly proves that.”
Through eight conference games, Rider has already surpassed its win total from the 18-game conference schedule in 2011-12.
Rider hosts Manhattan College on Thursday in a conference game at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gymnasium.
