Breen Garners Program's First A-10 Player of the Year Award To Highlight Postseason Accolades

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Graduate student Sam Breen was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year to headline a total of six postseason awards for the University of Massachusetts women's basketball team, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon. Breen becomes the first Minutewomen in program history to collect the accolade.

In addition, Breen also tabbed to the league's All-Conference First Team and the All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year and second time in her career. Destiney Philoxy received All-Conference Second Team honors for the second-straight year and second time in her career, as well, while also placing her name on the All-Defensive Team list. Philoxy is only the third Minutewomen to garner the All-Defensive Team award, joining Jennifer Butler (2001-02; 2002-03) and Brooke Campbell (2004-05). Sydney Taylor also earned A-10 All-Conference Second Team honors for the first time in her collegiate career.

A two-time A-10 Player of the Week, Breen started every regular season game going on to rank as the fourth-leading scorer in the conference (16.4 ppg) and second in rebounding (10.5 rpg). She leads the league in double-doubles with 17, being the only A-10 player to have 10-plus performances this season. Breen is currently tied for 12th in the nation in the category. The graduate student has also been named a 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist.

The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, native, is pursuing a graduate degree in Learning, Media and Technology and previously completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology.

Philoxy has averaged 5.7 assists per game this year to lead the A-10 and tie for 14th across Division I with 166 total, 16 more dimes than the next closest player. The Queens, New York, native, contributes 11.6 points per game to go with a 4.0 rebounding average. The senior has had 17 double figure contests on the year and three games with 10-plus assists. Philoxy tallied two double-double games this season, beginning the season with 13 points and 10 assists against Central Connecticut State on Nov. 9 and putting up 12 points, while coming down with 10 boards vs. Fordham on Feb. 16.

Taylor was selected as the A-10 Player of the Week twice this season, as she averages 15.9 points per game to sit in sixth in the league and has a 4.1 average in rebounds. She ranks third in the conference in three-point field goals per game with 2.5, making 38 total on the year. The junior has reach double figures in 22 of the 29 regular season games, scoring 20-plus points in seven contests, while reaching a career-high 32 points at VCU (Jan. 12).

Massachusetts is seeded No. 3 in the 2022 Atlantic 10 Championship. UMass received a double-bye to the Quarterfinals Round on Friday, March 4, and will meet the winner from the game six on Thursday, March 3. The contest on Friday will be aired on ESPN+ at the CHASE Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware, at 7:30 p.m.

2021-22 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Awards
Players of the Year: Sam Breen, Massachusetts
Defensive Player of the Year: Brooke Flowers, Saint Louis
Rookie of the Year: Talya Brugler, Saint Joseph's
Most Improved Player: Makira Cook, Dayton
Sixth Woman of the Year: Emma Squires, Richmond
Coach of the Year: Shauna Green, Dayton

All-Conference First Team
Jenna Giacone, Dayton
Anna DeWolfe, Fordham
Kayla Spruill, La Salle
Sam Breen, Massachusetts
Emmanuelle Tahane, Rhode Island
Taya Robinson, VCU

All-Conference Second Team
Makira Cook, Dayton
Destiney Philoxy, Massachusetts
Sydney Taylor, Massachusetts
Addie Budnik, Richmond
Asianae Johnson, St. Bonaventure
Ciaja Harbison, Saint Louis

All-Conference Third Team
Erin Whalen, Dayton
Asiah Dingle, Fordham
Dez Elmore, Rhode Island
Marie-Paule Foppossi, Rhode Island
Brooke Flowers, Saint Louis
Sarah Te-Biasu, VCU

All-Defensive Team
Ararion Bradshaw, Dayton
Kyla Whitehead, Dayton
Destiney Philoxy, Massachusetts
Brooke Flowers, Saint Louis
Taya Robinson, VCU

All-Rookie Team
Issy Morgan, Davidson
Talya Brugler, Saint Joseph's
Laila Fair, Saint Joseph's
Julia Nyström, Saint Joseph's
Mackenzie Smith, Saint Joseph's

All-Academic Team
Araion Bradshaw, Dayton
Erin Whalen, Dayton
Kaitlyn Downey, Fordham
Sam Breen, Massachusetts
Taya Robinson, VCU

Scoreboard

Breen Garners Program's First A-10 Player of the Year Award To Highlight Postseason Accolades

Players Mentioned

Sam Breen

Destiney Philoxy

Sydney Taylor

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics