O'Keefe Featured In Quaboag Current - "O'Keefe Takes Home MASCAC Player (of the Year) Crown"
Buzzards Bay, MA --- Senior Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, MA) has been tabbed as the MASCAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year in a vote by the leagues seven head coaches last week as announced by conference publicist Jim Seavey.
Along with O'Keefe who was a first-team honoree, junior Meaghan Burns (N. Brookfield, MA) received a nod to the all-conference second-team while Karen Tessmer was recognized as the Co-MASCAC Coach of the Year.
O'Keefe has been instrumental in the success of the Lancers this season as she tops the MASCAC in rebounding (12.6 RPG) and total blocks (42).
O'Keefe is also third in the conference both in average scoring (16.0 PPG) and free throw percentage (.802) while she is fourth in field goal percentage (.486) and fifth in three-point percentage (.325).
As of this past Sunday, O'Keefe was ranked eighth in the NCAA Division III in total boards and ninth in rebounding average. In addition to being one of six in New England with 15 double-doubles to her credit in 25 games, she is 18th in the region in scoring.
O'Keefe is the first Worcester State student-athlete to receive conference player of the year laurels since former All-American Sacha Ashton was honored during the 1999-00 campaign. Her total points (400) and caroms (315) are sixth and third most in a single-season, respectively, to date.
Burns had a break-out season for the Blue and Gold as she finished with all-around consistent averages of 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 25 games.
Burns is currently ranked 14th in the MASCAC in points per contest while her 70 total swipes are seventh overall.
In helping lead the Worcester State to nine wins in a competitive league slate, Burns was key for the Blue and Gold with averages of 13.6 points, 4.5 boards, 3.6 steals and 2.9 helpers in 12 league games.
O'Keefe and Burns both were high school teammates at Quaboag Regional High School and together they helped lead the Highlanders to five consecutive Central Massachusetts titles.
Tessmer, at her 19th season at the helm of the Lancers, picks up her third league Coach of the Year honor as she was also recognized by her peers 2006 and 1998.
Tessmer helped guide the squad during the regular season to an overall mark of 13-12, a 9-3 record in MASCAC play and a second-place finish in the conference standings. She shared this years Coach of the Year plaque with Bridgewater State's Bridgett Casey.
Worcester State, who received a first-round bye and second-seed in this week's MASCAC Women's Basketball Tournament, will play #3 Westfield State at 7 PM tomorrow at home.
Should they advance to the championship, they take on either top-seeded Bridgewater State or #4 Framingham State on Saturday.