Following a record-setting first season at Marquette, Allazia Blockton was named the women’s basketball BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Wednesday.
Blockton, a 6-foot guard from Milwaukee studying biomedical sciences, averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in 29 games this season. She was named the conference’s Freshman of the Week seven times and National Freshman of the Week twice by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
“Allazia is a very special competitor who has carried a huge load for us this year as a freshman,” head coach Carolyn Kieger told GoMarquette.com. “She is very consistent and determined and has set very high goals for herself as well as this program.”
Those goals helped lift Marquette out of the BIG EAST cellar, where they were a year ago. The Golden Eagles went 14-15 overall and 9-9 in conference this season to finish sixth despite being picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll.
Blockton was also named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, which can be considered a snub from the first team considering her statistical ranks and accolades. She was unanimously selected to the conference’s All-Freshman Team, joined by teammate Natisha Heideman.
Junior McKayla Yentz was named the league’s Most Improved Player. She averaged 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game after averaging just 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game last year.
“Her success story needs to be shared as an example for other young players,” Kieger told GoMarquette.com. “She never once complained about playing time or made excuses. Instead, she got in the gym and worked on her craft, earning every minute she played this season.”
Marquette’s decorated squad will take on 3-seed Seton Hall in the second round of the BIG EAST Tournament Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
