ECU’s Monk repeats as AAC Defensive Player of the Year

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - For the second consecutive season, ECU women’s basketball senior guard Lashonda Monk has been named AAC Defensive Player of the Year, the league office announced Sunday.

Full ECU Story: https://ecupirates.com/news/2021/3/7/womens-basketball-monk-repeats-as-aac-defensive-player-of-the-year.aspx

“This is a great honor for Lashonda and I’m so happy for her,” said head coach Kim McNeill. “It’s hard to earn Defensive Player of the Year once, to get it back to back years is remarkable. A combination of her natural instincts and our defensive system has helped her excel as the best defender in the conference. Monk has always had a passion to compete and she takes prde in wanting to guard the opposing team’s best player. Defense is a mentality and Lashonda Monk exemplifies that approach everyday.”

According to ECU athletics, “Monk becomes the first player in AAC history to not only repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, but the only one to ever even win it a second time. She is the first Pirate to multiple Individual Awards in her career as well. Monk came into the season already holding the ECU and AAC career record for steals and she pushed those marks even higher this season. The guard led the American in steals per game, averaging 2.8 steals and finishing the regular-season with 53 takeaways. Monk currently ranks 24th in the country in steals per game and 32nd in total steals. Her defensive impact was not limited to just takeaways. She also averaged 3.8 defensive rebounds per game.”

No. 6 ECU opens the AAC Championship Tournament against No. 3 Houston Tuesday at 10 p.m. inside Dickies Arena. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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