Gray Named MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year
Melissa Gray receives the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year to go along with an All-Conference First-Team nomination.
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior guard Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.) was named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year as part of her All-Conference First-Team nomination as voted on by the seven coaches around the league.
Gray earned the first ever conference Defensive Player of the Year accolade after leading the conference in points (20.0), steals (3.6), three-pointers made per game (3.5), and three-point percentage (38.3%). She was also top ten in the conference in rebounds per game, securing 7.3 per contest. Gray completes her four-year Westfield State basketball career by etching herself in multiple career records, most importantly becoming the Owls all-time leading scorer in a victory over SUNY Poly early in the season. She finished her career with a total of 1757 points, which is 231 points ahead of previous scoring leader Amanda Braden (1994-98).
On top of setting the career scoring record, Gray also passed current head coach Andrea Bertini on the all-time made three pointers list, drilling 319 career triples. On the defensive end of the floor, Gray amounted a total of 320 steals, which ranks second in school history. Her two-way scoring and defensive abilities were on full display in an effort against Bridgewater State where she piled up a season-high 33 points while burying seven of thirteen trifectas. She also racked up a game-high six steals in the contest. On the season, Gray collected five or more steals in seven different games, and over her last three seasons, Gray has recorded at least one steal in 76 of 77 games played.
Westfield State's season came to a conclusion last Thursday as the Owls fell on the road to Bridgewater State in a MASCAC semifinal match-up.