April 23, 2009

Villanova University senior forward Laura Kurz has been named the 2008-09 Philadelphia Big Five Women's Basketball Player of the Year. She becomes the first Wildcat to win this award since Trish Juhline in 2003. Kurz was also named to the first team All-Big Five squad. Senior guard Siobhan O'Connor earned the Sportsmanship Award, as well as second team Big Five honors, while junior guard Maria Getty was a second team selection, in addition to earning a spot on the All-Academic Team.

Kurz, who is a native of Lower Gwynedd, Pa., and a graduate of Germantown Academy, started all 33 games this season for Villanova and led the team in scoring (17.4 ppg.), rebounding (7.2 rpg.), blocks (42) and field goal percentage (.452). She scored in double figures in 30 of her team's 33 games. She also registered seven games of 20 points or more this past season, including a career-high 35 point effort at Pittsburgh on Feb. 18. Also this past year, Kurz became just the second player in Villanova women's basketball history to score 1,000 points in two seasons.

O'Connor played in all 33 games and averaged 7.5 points per game, 2.3 assists per contest and 2.5 rebounds per game. O'Connor led the team in free throw percentage at .851 and she ranked fourth on the team in three-point field goals made with 38.

Getty started all 33 games and averaged 8.3 points per game (second on team), 3.2 rebounds per contest and 1.9 assists per game. Getty led the Wildcats in three-point field goals made with 50 and ranked second on the team in steals with 27. Getty, who currently has a 3.75 GPA as a finance major, was named a first team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine District II Academic All-American earlier this year.

Villanova finished the season with a 19-13 overall record and a 10-6 Big East Conference mark. The Wildcats finished fourth in the Big East Conference regular season standings, advanced to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament and earned an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

2008-09 PHILADELPHIA BIG FIVE HONORS:

Laura Kurz - Player of the Year; First Team

Siobhan O'Connor - Sportsmanship Award; Second Team

Maria Getty - All-Academic Team; Second Team