LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's basketball team's dynamic duo took its high-flying ways to the All-Centennial Conference team.
Junior Lydia Konstanzer and sophomore Aliyah Stephens, who took the league by storm as one of its most prolific pairings, were regaled together with all-conference honors. Konstanzer moved up to the first team after consecutive second team nods in her first two seasons, while Stephens was chosen to the second team.
Just the seventh first team All-Centennial selection in program history, Konstanzer took her place as the premier post player in the conference with another impressive campaign. The Bears' co-captain led the CC with 13 double-doubles to become the school's all-time leader (35), ranking sixth in the conference in scoring (15.1 PPG) and fourth in rebounding (9.3 RPG). She led the league in total rebounds while standing second in steals (57), field goals (160), and offensive rebounds; third in defensive rebounds (148); fourth in total points (408); and sixth in blocks (28) and field-goal percentage (45.1).
Always reliable, Konstanzer scored at least nine points in all but four games and produced four games of at least 25 points. She had 28-point nights against McDaniel, Dickinson, and Gettysburg and powered her way to 19 points and 16 rebounds in the Bears' 57-38 victory over Muhlenberg in the first round of the CC playoffs.
After coming on strong in the second half of her rookie season, Stephens took a big leap forward and became a force on both ends of the floor. She averaged 14.5 points per game to rank seventh in the conference, pulling down 5.9 rebounds per contest and topping the CC charts with 123 made free throws, good for second-most in a single season in school history. Stephens tallied three double-doubles, including a 24-point, 13-rebound outburst in an overtime victory over Franklin & Marshall and a 24-point, 11-board stat line in a win at Dickinson. She totaled 22 points in the CC semifinals against Gettysburg.
The Bears' top on-ball defender, Stephens was third in the CC in blocks (39) and fourth in steals (50) as one of the conference's best lockdown artists.
Additionally, sophomore Marisa Morano was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team. She started all 27 games, averaging 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Ursinus finished 17-10 overall and 13-7 in conference play, winning its first CC playoff game since 2007 before falling to top-seeded Gettysburg in the semifinals. The Bears return all five starters next season.