WALTHAM, Mass. - Brandeis University women's basketball junior guard Jessica Chapin of Mendon, N.Y., has been named an All-University Athletic Association (UAA) first team selection. Teammates sophomore Diana Cincotta of W. Boylston, Mass., senior Cassidy Dadaos of Healdsburg, Calif., and Lauren Orlando of Peabody, Mass., all earned All-UAA honorable mention accolades after helping the team to a 17-7 record, 7-7 in the UAA, and a fourth-straight NCAA Division III tournament berth.
Chapin, a second-team All-UAA selection as a sophomore, led the Judges in scoring (14.1 ppg, 3rd in the UAA), rebounding (6.7 rpg, 6th in the UAA), assists (3.2 apg, 6th) and steals (3.0 spg, 2nd), making her one of three players in the UAA in the top 10 in all four categories. She also finished second in the conference in minutes played, averaging 32 per game. Chapin was the team's leading scorer 13 times and leading rebounder 12 times, recording three double-doubles in her last four games. Chapin finished the regular season ranked second on Brandeis's all-time list with 117 career 3-pointers, 30 out of first place, while her 42 trifectas this season are one shy of the single-season record. She also ranks No. 6 on Brandeis's career steals list with 183.
Cincotta, who started 23 games at guard after missing the season-opener, finished fifth on the team in scoring at 6.4 points per game, second on the squad with 56 assists (2.4 apg) and third with 20 steals (0.9 spg). She led the team in scoring once and assists six times.
Dadaos, a forward, was the Judges' fourth-leading scorer (6.5 ppg) and second-leading rebounder (5.2 rpg), putting up career-highs in both categories. She was the team's high scorer twice this season, reaching double figures four times, and their high rebounder on eight occasions.
Orlando, a forward who was a UAA honorable mention selection last season, was Brandeis's second-leading scorer at 9.5 points per game, 14th-best in the UAA. She also pulled down a career-high 4.5 rebounds per game, third on the team, and led the squad with 17 blocked shots. She enters the post-season tied for second on the Judges' career blocked-shots list with 73, while also rating sixth in career field-goal percentage (45.2%) and seventh in free-throw percentage (71.3%).
In head coach Carol Simon's 22nd season at the helm (318-239 record), the Judges earned their at-large berth to the NCAA tournament thanks to the second-toughest schedule in the nation, according to the d3hoops.com's most recent calculations. Brandeis played 11 of their 24 games against NCAA tournament squads, posting a 6-5 record against them. That includes a Brandeis Tip-Off Tournament that saw all four squads make the Field of 63: Brandeis, Bowdoin, Western Conn., and Widener. The Judges earned the right to host first- and second-round games for the first time on March 6 and 7. They will take on Western Connecticut State University in the first round.
On the court, Brandeis's strength this season has been their shooting. For a good part of the year, the Judges led the UAA in field-goal, free-throw and 3-point percentage. They finished the regular season atop the league in 3-pointers per game (5.8 3pg) and free-throw shooting (74.0%), second in 3-point shooting (34.0%) and third in field-goal shooting (41.9%). They also ranked third in assists (15.6 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (0.88 a/to).