Marisa Vespa

Erin Cunningham

January 22, 2007

GENEVA, N.Y.—Two William Smith College basketball players were among the student-athletes honored by the Liberty League today. Junior guard Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) was tabbed the Co-Guard of the Week, while first-year forward Erin Cunningham (Morris Knoll/Rockaway, N.J.) earned her third Rookie of the Week award this season.

In a 1-1 weekend for the Herons, Vespa averaged a league-high 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.5 steals, while shooting 70.6 percent from the floor, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. In Friday’s 73-61 win at Skidmore, she scored 14 points, pulled down four boards, handed out three assists, and made three steals without a single turnover. The following afternoon at Union, Vespa scored a game-high 21 points, on 8-of-10 shooting (4-of-5 from long range), grabbed five boards, handed out six assists, and made four steals. For the weekend, she boasted a 4.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

One of the top players in the conference, Vespa leads the Liberty League in assists (5.85 apg), steals (2.77 spg), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52-to-1). She also ranks among the leaders in field goal percentage (.500, 3rd), scoring (12.2 ppg, 4th), three-point shooting (.351, 7th), and three-pointers made (1.0/gm, 10th).

Cunningham averaged 16.5 points, a team-high 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 blocked shots, while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor and 100 percent from the free throw line. Against the Thoroughbreds, she posted game-highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds, while dishing out a team-high four assists. Cunningham was 6-of-10 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the line against Skidmore. The following afternoon against the Dutchwomen, she scored 13 points, grabbed three boards, blocked three shots, and handed out two assists.

A leading candidate for conference Rookie of the Year, Cunningham is the only first-year to win the Rookie of the Week award three times this season. She ranks among the conference leaders in free throw percentage (.805, 4th), field goal percentage (.496, 6th), blocked shots (0.79 bpg, 6th), rebounding (6.2 rpg, 10th), and scoring (10.6 ppg, 14th). Cunningham’s scoring average is second among members of the Class of 2010.

William Smith (8-6, 2-2) is back in action on Jan. 23, when the Herons host Hamilton (8-4, 2-2). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Bristol Gym. Fans unable to make it to the game, can follow the action live on the Internet.

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