BENNINGTON, Vt. — Two Southern Vermont College women’s basketball players have been named to the 2015 All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) teams as announced by the league on Monday.

Junior Amber Flagg (Windsor, Connecticut) was honored with an All-NECC First Team selection, her second in as many years, while classmate Sarah McDonald (Cohoes, New York) was tabbed with an All-NECC Honorable Mention.

This is the third time that Flagg has been named to an All-NECC team after she picked up a Second Team laurel her freshman season. She ranked second in the league in points per game (18.6) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (33.6). This season, she scored a program-high 521 points to become the third Mountaineer to surpass the 1,000 career-point milestone. Flagg also became the team’s all-time assists leader (262) with a season-best 122 helpers on the year, and she moved to within just one steal of tying the program’s career record (186). The captain was selected as the NECC Player of the Week twice during the year.

“Having a player named First Team All-Conference for two consecutive years is a major accomplishment,” commented a proud head coach Mike Quinn. “Amber has been a tremendous player for SVC women's basketball since she arrived on campus, and this award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication she has continuously shown. She is not only ranked in the top 10 in every conference offensive category, but she led our team to the best record ever in school history, as well as to the Conference finals. The best part is that our team has her for one more year!”

McDonald’s honor is the first in her career after a season that saw her provide valuable points and rebounds down low for the Mountaineers. She tied for the second-most points per game on the team (10.7) and ranked second for SVC in rebounds per game (6.5). The junior forward notched five double-doubles on the year, putting up season-highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds February 17 against Elms College. She moved in to third on Southern Vermont’s all-time rebound list (524) and jumped up to second on the career blocks list (61).

“Sarah is fully deserving of this honor,” Quinn noted. “She has consistently worked on her game since arriving at SVC. That hard work paid off this year when she became a force to be dealt with in the middle. Sarah’s accomplishments this year are one of the major reasons why we were a very successful team. I am so happy for her and that all her hard work has been rewarded.”

The NECC Special Awards and All-Conference Teams:

2015 Women's Player of the Year – Denisha Parks, Elms College

2015 Women's Rookie of the Year – Brittany Stone, Regis College

2015 Women's Coach of the Year – Angela Santa Fe, Regis College

2015 Women's Basketball Team Sportsmanship Award – Wheelock College

2015 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams:
First Team

• Ashley England, Jr., G, Daniel Webster College
• Amber Flagg, Jr., G, Windsor, Conn.,  Southern Vermont College
• Amanda Hawkesworth, So., F, Abington, Mass., Regis College
• Denisha Parks, Sr., F, Fall River, Mass., Elms College
• Michelle Woods, So., F, Wilmington, Mass., Wheelock College

Second Team

• Jayna Bradley, Sr., G, New Haven, Conn., Regis College
• Kayla Free, So., G, Quincy, Mass., Daniel Webster College
• Amanda Garcia,  Jr., F, New Britain, Conn., Mitchell College
• Emilee Marro, Sr., G, Bedford, N.H., Regis College
• Jc Pickett, Sr., F, Chicopee, Mass., Elms College

Honorable Mention

• Katie Alsip, So., G, Quincy, Mass., Wheelock College
• Janetis Cardona, So., G, Southbridge, Mass., Newbury College
• Brooke Martel, Sr., G, Griswold, Conn., Becker College
• Sarah McDonald, Jr., Cohoes, N.Y., Southern Vermont College
• Jessica Shepherd, So., G, West Hartford, Conn., Mitchell College