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Villanova’s Collin Gillespie and Maddy Siegrist named Big 5 players of the year

They were joined by their coaches, Jay Wright and Denise Dillon, as other top winners for Big 5 postseason awards.

Coach Jay Wright (left) and player Collin Gillespie of Villanova, shown on Senior Day before the March 3 game against Creighton, were named the Big 5 men's basketball coach and player of the year, respectively, in a vote of coaches and media.
Coach Jay Wright (left) and player Collin Gillespie of Villanova, shown on Senior Day before the March 3 game against Creighton, were named the Big 5 men's basketball coach and player of the year, respectively, in a vote of coaches and media.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

A pair of Villanova stars, senior guard Collin Gillespie and sophomore forward Maddy Siegrist, were named the Big 5′s men’s and women’s players of the year in a vote of coaches and selected members of the media.

Wildcats head coaches Jay Wright and Denise Dillon captured Big 5 coach of the year honors.

Guards Jordan Hall of St. Joseph’s and Damian Dunn of Temple were elected the men’s co-rookies of the year. Hawks redshirt junior forward Taylor Funk was chosen as most improved player, and sophomore guard Christian Ray of La Salle was named scholar-athlete of the year.

Temple freshman guard Jasha Clinton was named Big 5 women’s rookie of the year. Senior forward Brianna Herlihy of Villanova took most improved player honors, and St. Joseph’s junior forward Katie Mayock won the scholar-athlete of the year award.

The men’s All-Big 5 first team included three Villanova players – Gillespie, sophomore forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and senior Jermaine Samuels, along with St. Joseph’s teammates Funk and Ryan Daly, a senior guard. Hall and Dunn were joined on the second team by guards Justin Moore and Caleb Daniels of Villanova, Khalif Battle of Temple, and Sherif Kenney of La Salle.

» READ MORE: Jay Wright’s first coaching stop on his way to the Hall of Fame | Mike Jensen

Siegrist, Clinton and Herlihy earned first-team honors in the women’s Big 5, along with by senior forward Mia Davis of Temple, and sophomore guard Claire Jacobs of La Salle. Three St. Joseph’s players – guards Katie Jekot and Kaliah Henderson and forward Gabby Smalls – made the second team, joined by forward Sarah Mortensen of Villanova, guard/forward Kayla Spruill of La Salle, and forward Alexa Williamson of Temple.

Siegrist (22.8 points per game) and Daly (18.5) were recognized as the Big 5′s top scorers. Funk (83.8%) and Jacobs (80.7%) won honors as the Big 5′s best free-throw shooters.