Roser Claims Second Consecutive NEAC Player of the Year Award

GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – Senior Ashley Roser (Taberg, N.Y.) of the Wells College women's basketball team has earned North Eastern Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the conference office announced on Tuesday. Roser, who also earned her fourth career NEAC First Team All-Conference selection, becomes the second player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons (Jessica Doane, Baptist Bible College, 2005-06/2006-07).

During her senior campaign in a Wells uniform, Roser led the conference in point scoring with 562 points in 25 games, averaging 22.5 points per game to rank second in the league. Her 562 total points placed her 109 points ahead of the second place finisher, Vanessa Whitfield from Wilson College. On a national scale, Roser ranked third amongst NCAA Division III players with 19 double-doubles in 2013-14 while averaging 13 rebounds per game, ranking ninth nationally. Her 22.5 points per game in 2013-14 place her ninth overall in the East Region and 10th nationally.

Against league opponents, Roser struck for 352 points as the Express posted a 12-2 NEAC record, clinching the NEAC North Division for the first time in program history. Entering the NEAC playoffs this upcoming weekend, Roser's 324 rebounds place her first amongst conference players while her 51 blocks slot her fifth amongst her competition within the league.

Roser, who set career-high season totals in point scoring and scoring average, also built up a career-best double-double streak of 23 games snapped this season against Keystone on Jan. 7, falling only three double-doubles short of tying the all-time Division III record for consecutive double-doubles.

One of the first recruits of Head Coach Mike O'Brien, Roser was a member of the inaugural modern day season of women's basketball at Wells. Across her 96 career games played, the four year team captain has averaged 21.2 points per game alongside 14.4 rebounds per game. The program leader in virtually every offensive and defensive statistical category, Roser is currently the active Division III leader in point scoring (2,033), rebounding (1,387), field goals made (718), field goal attempts (1,611) and free throw attempts (808).

Recording her 2,000th career point against Morrisville St. on Feb. 19, Roser became only the third player in Division III history to have reached 2,000 career points and 1,350 rebounds in a career. She also accounted for the second-highest amount of rebounds amongst 2,000 point scorers in D3 history with 1,387 career rebounds.

In her team's first-ever victory over Keuka College on Feb. 22, Roser picked up her 80th career double-double after posting 29 total points alongside 16 rebounds for the Express. Entering the NEAC postseason this Saturday, Roser stands only three double-doubles shy of tying the all-time Division III record set by Kathryn Stockbower of Swarthmore College. Against NEAC opponents in her career, Roser boasts 61st career double-doubles against NEAC opponents.

En route to earning NEAC Player of the Year honors in 2012-13, Roser led the nation in rebounds per game (16.7). Since national historic records were digitized by the NCAA prior to the 1999-00 athletic season, Roser became only the fourth player in Wells College history to conclude their athletic season with top-10 national rankings in two or more categories. In addition, Roser joins women's lacrosse alum Emily Lotkowictz '10 as one of only two players in college history to be listed amongst the top-10 in three or more categories in separate seasons across their athletic careers.

She also joins Juan Paulino of the men's basketball team as one of only two Wells players to claim a statistical title. Following the conclusion of the 2009-10 men's basketball season, Paulino led all NCAA Division III men's basketball players with 16.5 rebounds per game while also posting the nation's best field goal percentage (.705). Including Roser, Lotkowictz and Paulino, only six student-athletes in Wells history have earned placement into the national top-10 statistical rankings.

In her career, Roser has claimed 16 NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week awards in her career and picked up numerous awards and accolades. A four-time winner of Women's DIII News Preseason All-American Honorable Mention, Roser secured D3Hoops.com 2013 Women's All-East Region Second Team honors last season while earning her school's Female Student-Athlete of the Year award as a junior.

She will graduate this spring as the single-game program record holder in points scored (39, at SUNYIT, 2/10/13), field goals made (15, vs. Hilbert, 12/2/13), field goals attempted (2x, 29, vs. Morrisville St., 11/23/10; at Cazenovia, 12/1/10), free throws made (17, vs. Cazenovia, 1/22/11), free throws attempted (19, vs. Cazenovia, 1/22/11), free throw percentage (1.000, 5x, most recently 13-13, at SUNYIT, 2/10/13), most rebounds (31, vs. Penn St.-Berks, 2/13/11), and most blocked shots (10, at Cazenovia, 1/30/13).

The Express return to action this Saturday, Mar. 1 as they open the NEAC Women's Basketball Championship Tournament with an 8:00 p.m. contest against the winner of Tuesday evening's game between Gallaudet University and the College of Saint Elizabeth. The NEAC tournament will be held on the campus of Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, Pa.