Gustavus Adolphus women’s basketball players Jess Vadnais (Jr., Hudson, Wis.) and Bri Monahan (Sr., Hutchinson, Minn.) have been named All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by a vote of the league’s coaches with Vadnais being named the league’s Player of the Year. Erin Boese (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo) was named to the All-MIAC Defensive Team. Ashley Raymo (So., Worthington, Minn.) was Gustavus’ representative on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.
Vadnais, a two-time All-MIAC selection, averaged 18.9 points (league high), 4.1 rebounds, 3.26 assists, and 2.07 steals in 33.2 minutes per game. Vadnais also led the league in three-pointers (60) and free-throw percentage (165-182; 90.7%) while leading the team with 88 assists and ranking second in rebounds (110) and steals (56) heading into the NCAA Tournament. Her free throw percentage ranks fourth in Division III. She hit 37.1 percent (142-383) of her shots from the field and 33.1 percent (60-181) from three-point range. A versatile guard with a nose for the hoop, Vadnais broke the Gustavus single-season scoring record of 495 set by Bri Monahan last season and became the first Gustie women’s basketball player to score 500 points in a season. With 509 points heading into the NCAA Tournament, Vadnais moved from 20th to fifth on Gustavus’ career scoring list (1230 points). Vadnais also broke both the single-season and career school records for free throws made. Her 165 free throws this season obliterated the previous single-season record of 103 set by Shanna Behrens in the 1994-95 season, and pushed her career total to 323 as of March 1.
Monahan, a three-time All-MIAC selection, averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, placing fourth in the MIAC in scoring and 11th in rebounds. Late in the regular season, she became Gustavus’ all-time leading scorer and takes a career total of 1451 points into the NCAA Tournament. Monahan hit 48.8 percent (168-344) of her shots from the field and 74.6 percent (91-122) of her attempts from the charity stripe, ranking eighth and tenth in the MIAC, respectively. Monahan also led the team with 63 assists and will finish her career ranked in the top ten in school history in points, field goals, three-pointers, free throws made, rebounds, steals, and games played.
Boese, a repeat selection to the All-MIAC Defensive Team, started all 27 games for coach Mickey Haller’s Gusties, averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds. She also finished second on the team with 14 blocked shots and third in steals (42) and assists (46). Late in the season, Boese broke into the top-20 on the Gustavus career assists list. She enters the NCAA Tournament in 19th place with 136 career assists.
Raymo played in all 27 games heading into the NCAA Tournament, averaging 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 14.0 minutes of play as one of the first reserves off coach Mickey Haller’s bench. Raymo shot 21.2 percent (18-85) from the field and 76.2 percent (16-21) from the free-throw line.
Gustavus carries a 22-5 overall record into Friday’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against George Fox University. The Gusties placed second in the MIAC with a 18-4 mark in league play and advanced to the championship game of the MIAC Post-Season Tournament.