Saint Peter's Taiah Thornton Named to MBWA All-Met Second Team
NEW YORK – Taiah Thornton has capped off her fantastic career with yet another award, earning a spot on the 2020-21 Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) All-Met Second Team, as announced by the organization today. Thornton becomes the second Peacock to earn All-Met recognition this season, after freshman Ajia James earned MBWA Player of the Week honors on March 2. The Pennsauken native is also one of only three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) players to be named to an All-Met Team this year, joining Marist's Willow Duffel in the distinction.
Thornton enjoyed another strong season in her final year as a Peacock, earning a place on the Women's Basketball All-MAAC First Team; the first Saint Peter's player to do so since Tania Kennedy was voted to the squad at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. This season, the Pennsauken native led the Peacocks in scoring average with 14.4 points per game, total assists (125), and total steals (61). Additionally, Thornton ranked fourth in the MAAC in scoring average, third in assists per game (5.2), and fifth in steals per game (2.5).
Perhaps her most impressive performance of the year came in the team's season-opener, when Thornton finished with her first career triple-double, recording 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 11 steals in Saint Peter's 69-64 win over NJIT on Nov. 25. The redshirt-senior finishes the season as a two-time MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as voted on by the conference's sports information directors.
First Team
Leilani Correa, St. John's
Anna DeWolfe, Fordham
Willow Duffell, Marist
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Seton Hall
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Diamond Johnson, Rutgers
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall
Second Team
JaKayla Brown, Hofstra
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall
Makayla Firebaugh, Rider
Kendell Heremaia, Fordham
Emilija Krista Grava, Wagneer
India Pagan, Stony Brook
TAIAH THORNTON, SAINT PETER'S
Player of the Year: Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Rookie of the Year: Diamond Johnson, Rutgers
Coach of the Year: Caroline McCombs, Stony Brook