LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball team had three All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West selections, while senior Rahmena Henderson was also named the division's Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced Thursday.
 
Henderson earned the major award in addition to All-PSAC First Team honors for the Crimson Hawks. Senior guard Maria Cerro and sophomore forward Nyshae' Weaver landed on the All-PSAC West Second Team.
 
Sam Pirokso (Gannon), Henderson and Regan Atkins (Slippery Rock) were named Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the PSAC West. Gannon head coach Cleve Wright was named the division's Coach of the Year.
 
In the PSAC East, Leah Johnson (West Chester) earned Player of the Year laurels. A resurgent Lock Haven program claimed the remainder of the division's major awards with Alana Robinson (Defensive), Rhyln Rouse (Freshman) and Jennifer Smith (Coach) all earning recognition.
 
All three Crimson Hawks receive their first all-conference honors from the PSAC. The three all-league selections for IUP are the most in the PSAC West this season. 

Henderson becomes the second IUP player (Lexi Griggs) to earn top defensive honors since the award began in 2013. The Neptune, N.J. native quickly emerged as a top-caliber player in the region for the Crimson Hawks, ranking eighth in the conference ins coring (15.5), third in minutes (36.3), first in steals (76) and first in steals/game (2.7).
 
Her 76 steals rank 14th at IUP for a single season, emerging as a complete player on both ends of the floor. A two-time PSAC West Athlete of the Week on November 20 and February 26, Henderson has played 40 minutes in 13 contests this season. She fired in 21 points on January 6 against Daemen and boasts three double-doubles in 2023-24.
 
Cerro is the most experienced player on the IUP roster and has steadily seen her impact increase since returning to the lineup in the new year. Seeing action in 26 games this season, Cerro has played in 111 contests at IUP since 2019-20.
 
Cerro ranks ninth in the PSAC at 3.0 assists/game, while her 107 combined steals since last season rank near the top of the conference. She has recorded double figures in six consecutive games, dropping in a season-high 20 points in 20 minutes against Seton Hill on February 21.
 
Weaver is the only player in the league to average a double-double at the time of release, posting 11.3 points/game and a whopping 10.0 rebounds/game. Her 269 rebounds rank ninth in program history for a single season, while her 58.5% mark from the floor is third in program history.
 
The Baltimore, Md. native ranks third in the conference with 10 double-doubles this season. In conference play, Weaver averaged 11.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in 21 PSAC regular season games this season, pulling down 10 or more boards 15 times overall.
 
She has an active streak of three consecutive double-doubles, including a big day in the regular season finale with 14 points and 17 rebounds against Clarion on March 2.
 
Following a 57-54 loss to California (Pa.) in the PSAC Quarterfinals, IUP awaits a potential at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA DII Women's Basketball Tournament. The Selection Show is set for Sunday, March 10 at 10:30 p.m.
 

2023-24 PSAC Women's Basketball Eastern Division All-Conference and Major Awards
Athlete of the Year: Leah Johnson, West Chester
Defensive Player of the Year: Alana Robinson, Lock Haven
Freshman of the Year: Rhyln Rouse, Lock Haven
Coach of the Year: Jennifer Smith, Lock Haven

EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM

Player	Institution	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
Jasmine Hilton^*	Mansfield	Sr.	Upper Marlboro, Md. / Charles Herbert Flowers
Leah Johnson*^*	West Chester	Sr.	Columbus, N.J. / Notre Dame
Jenadia Jordan	Lock Haven	So.	York, Pa. / Linden Hall
Emily McAteer*	West Chester	Sr.	Thornton, Pa. / Garnet Valley
Naia Pulliam*	Kutztown	Jr.	Wilmington, Del. / St. Elizabeth
Alana Robinson^	Lock Haven	So.	Rockaway, N.J. / Pope John Paul II
Katie Starr	Bloomsburg	Jr.	Berwick, Pa. / Berwick

 
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM

Player	Institution	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
Treasure George	Shippensburg	Gr.	Harrisburg, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt
Jabria Ingram	Millersville	Gr.	Philadelphia, Pa. / Neumann-Goretti
Michelle Kozicki^	West Chester	Jr.	Wilmington, Del. / Padua Academy
Anna McTamney^	West Chester	Jr.	Plymouth Meeting, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
Rhyln Rouse	Lock Haven	Fr.	York, Pa. / York Tech
Makiah Shaw	Millersville	Jr.	Red Lion, Pa. / Red Lion
Olivia Smelas	Kutztown	So.	Jim Thorpe, Pa. / Jim Thorpe

 
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection  

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2023-24 PSAC Women's Basketball Western Division All-Conference and Major Awards
Athlete of the Year: Samantha Pirosko, Gannon
Defensive Player of the Year: Rahmena Henderson, IUP
Freshman of the Year: Regan Atkins, Slippery Rock
Coach of the Year: Cleve Wright, Gannon

WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM

Player	Institution	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
Bri Claxon	Gannon	So.	South Webster, Ohio / South Webster
Christiane Frye^*	Seton Hill	Sr.	Monaca, Pa. / Central Valley
Danielle Grim	Mercyhurst	Jr.	Columbus, Ohio / Bishop Watterson
Rahmena Henderson	IUP	Sr.	Neptune, N.J. / St. John Vianney
Samantha Pirosko**	Gannon	Gr.	Eastlake, Ohio / Eastlake North
Hayley Sims*	Edinboro	Jr.	Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Cleveland Heights
Dejah Terrell*	California	R-Sr.	Reading, Pa. / Berks Catholic

 
WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM

Player	Institution	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
Peyton Alazaus^	Pitt-Johnstown	Sr.	Alliance, Ohio / West Branch
Maria Cerro	IUP	Sr.	Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park
Cassidy Crawford	Pitt-Johnstown	Sr.	Willard, Ohio / Willard
Morgan Gentile	Edinboro	Sr.	Athens, Pa. / Elmira
Allycia Harris	California	Jr.	Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Elmer L. Meyers
Bailey Kuhns	Mercyhurst	So.	Mount Pleasant, Pa. / Greenburg Central Catholic
Nyshae' Weaver	IUP	So.	Baltimore, Md. / Coppin Academy

 
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection 

Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
 

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