March 1

White named HCAC Freshman of the Year, four Jackets total receive All-HCAC honors
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

GREENWOOD, Ind. – With the release of the HCAC postseason honors, Mandy White leads the way for the Lady Jackets with the distinction of being named HCAC Freshman of the Year. Three other DC players received conference accolades as Kayla Mengerink was named to the All-HCAC team with Sarah Bird and Katie McNamara earning Honorable Mention recognition.

As one of three players to start every game this season, White burst out onto the scene with a 15-point, seven-rebound performance in a 68-66 overtime win against Albion in the first game of the season.

The conference soon got wind of her play when she dropped 20 points and 10 boards against in 59-44 win over Hanover in late December. Her play continued throughout the year and was rewarded by the HCAC with the Freshman of the Year honor.

White was one of the key members of the DC squad that went 14-11 overall and 7-9 in the conference. The 14 wins marked an eight-game improvement from the 2005-06 season, the second-best in the conference. She led Defiance in scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Her seven double-doubles during the season also led DC.

White is the second DC player to be named Freshman of the Year of the HCAC since Meghann Savard earned the honor in the 2002-03 season.

In addition to White’s honor, the HCAC also duly noted Kayla Mengerink’s contributions on the court by being named to the All-HCAC team. As the primary ball handler for DC, Mengerink averaged 3.9 assists per game which led the team and placed her third in the conference. While her 10.7 scoring average put her second on the team, it was Mengerink’s long-distance shooting that made her a threat. She shot a .441 clip from behind the arc, a mark that led the HCAC in that category.

Sarah Bird and Katie McNamara each received their first conference postseason honors by being named All-HCAC Honorable Mention. As a fixture in the starting lineup, Bird put up 9.7 points per game, including a 25-point outburst in an 86-60 win over Myers University that earned her Player of the Week on December 24.

In McNamara’s first season as a Yellow Jacket, she evolved into a versatile player, contributing on both sides of the ball. She finished first on the team in steals (54), second in rebounding (4.5), second in assists (39), and. fourth in scoring (9.4). Her specialty was the three-point shot, as her 35 treys was third-best in the conference.

Defiance finished the regular 14-11 and fifth in the HCAC with a 7-9 record. Next season should be promising for the Lady Jackets who return all five starters.