NEW YORK – The Big East Conference today announced the 2018-19 women's basketball All-Conference and major award winners. Junior forward
Mary Gedaka (Mullica Hill, N.J.) garnered second team All-Big East honors, redshirt freshman guard
Emily Esposito (Gorham, Maine) earned a spot on the All-Freshman team, and senior forward
Jannah Tucker (Baltimore, Md.) was the Co-Sportsmanship Award winner.
Gedaka currently leads the Wildcats in scoring (14.4 ppg.), rebounding (6.9 rpg.) and field goal percentage (.677). The .677 field goal percentage leads the Big East Conference and ranks third nationally. Gedaka has scored double figures in 24 of 29 games this season, including six games of 20 points or more. She also has four double-doubles to her credit this year. In addition to leading the Big East in field goal percentage, Gedaka ranks seventh in the league in scoring and 10
th in rebounding.
Esposito has come off the bench in all 29 games this year and is averaging 4.3 points per game and 1.9 rebounds per contest. She has also tallied 27 assists, 17 three-point field goals, five blocks and five steals. She was named the Big East Rookie of the Week on Jan. 28 after scoring 13 points in back-to-back games at Seton Hall and St. John's.
Tucker becomes the fifth Wildcat in program history to win the Sportsmanship Award. Past Villanova players to win the award include Katherine Coyer (2015-16), Maria Getty (2009-10), Jennifer Hilgenberg (2004-05) and
Mimi Riley (2001-02). Tucker has started all 28 games she played in this year and is averaging 9.7 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per contest to go with 48 assists and 30 steals. She also ranks second on the team in three-point field goals made with 73.
Villanova finished the regular season with an 18-11 overall record and a 9-9 Big East Conference mark which was good enough for a fourth place tie in the final league standings. The Wildcats will open play in the Big East Tournament on Sunday, March 10, against Georgetown in the quarterfinal round. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., central time at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
