EDISON, NJ – Marist guard's Hannah Hand and Rebekah Hand have both been named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) 2016-17 Women's Basketball All-Rookie Team, as voted upon by the league's 11 head coaches.
The All-Rookie Team consists of Marist guard Hannah Hand, Marist guard Rebekah Hand, Monmouth University guard Kayla Shaw, Rider University guard Stella Johnson, and Saint Peter's University forward Zoe Pero.
One of these five freshmen will be honored as the 2016-17 MAAC Rookie of the Year at the Postseason Awards Show, which is going to be held at the brand-new Albany Capital Center on Friday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. The Postseason Awards Show airs live on ESPN3.
Rebekah and Hannah Hand are currently the fourth leading sister scoring tandem in the nation (Second amongst twin sisters). There are 16 sets of sisters in division one and 10 sets of twin sisters. Cal Poly has the top scoring sisters in the nation (Dynn and Lynn Leaupepe at 29.8 ppg), while UNLV has the top scoring twins (Dakota and Dylan Gonzalez at 23.6 ppg), right ahead of the twins at Marist, Rebekah and Hannah Hand (23.5 ppg).
Hannah Hand averaged 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game this season. The Argyle, TX native shot 42.5 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from behind the arc, which was the second-best three-point field goal percentage in the MAAC behind Monmouth's Kayla Shaw.
Hand's 10.2 points per game ranked third-best amongst freshmen in the conference, she trailed Rebekah Hand (13.4 ppg) and Shaw (11.6 ppg). She was also tied for seventh in the league and third amongst freshmen in assists per game (2.9). The guard played in 27 games and made 24 starts, she was named MAAC Rookie of the Week twice (January 16 & January 30). Hand was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team.
Rebekah Hand averaged 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in 30 starts for Marist. The guard led MAAC freshmen in scoring, rebounding, free-throw percentage (80.4%), defensive rebounds per game (4.6), and minutes per game (35.9).
She ranked 10th in the league in scoring (13.3 ppg), eighth in rebounding (6.8 rpg), sixth in assists (3.1 apg), third in free-throw percentage (80.4%), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.0), tied for ninth in defensive rebounds per game (4.6), and fourth in minutes played (35.9). The Argyle, TX native was named MAAC Rookie of the Week eight times this season and earned the honor five weeks in a row (November 21-December 19). Hand was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team.
The 2017 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship game takes place on Monday, March 6 at 5:00 p.m. and will air live on ESPNU with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
The Marist women's basketball team is the #6 seed in the championship, and will open play on Thursday, March 2 against Saint Peter's at 1:30 p.m.
