BOSTON, Mass – The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) released the 2016-17 Women's Basketball postseason awards on Tuesday morning. Following an impressive season where she led the conference in points per game then helping the Beavers claim the NEWMAC crown, Babson's Giovanna Pickering has been tabbed the Athlete of the Year. Helping take WPI to their second straight championship appearance, Ama Biney has claimed Defensive Player of the Year accolades while Wellesley's Caitlin Aguirre takes home the Rookie of the Year award. 

Leading MIT to a 20-6 overall record and impressive 13-3 mark in conference play, head coach Sonia Raman has been tabbed as the 2016-17 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. 

Joining Pickering and Biney on First Team is Ava Adamopoulos (Springfield), Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Smith), Kara Holinski (MIT) and Taylor V'Dovec (MIT). 

Taking home Second Team honors is Priscilla Dunphy (WPI), Ogechi Ezemma (Clark), Gill Gerton (Coast Guard), Taylr Russell (Babson), Charlie Boyle (Emerson) and Jennifer Narlee (Babson). 

New to the conference this year, the NEWMAC has established an All-Sportsmanship Team for the 2016-17 Academic Year. The award is intended to recognize one student-athlete from each team, in every sport that best demonstrates the ideals of the NEWMAC and its Code of Conduct, regardless of his/her overall performance or statistics for the season. The 11 women's basketball honorees are listed below.

Giovanna Pickering

Ama Biney

Caitlin Aguirre

Sonia Raman

2016-17 NEWMAC Women's Basketball All-Conference

2016-17 NEWMAC Women's Basketball All-Sportsmanship Team