BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Glenville State’s Re’Shawna Stone has been selected as the Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, the league announced today as it released its top honors and all-conference teams. Other top honors went to West Liberty’s Bailee Smith (Freshman of the Year) and Glenville State’s Kim Stephens (Coach of the Year). 

Stone, a senior from Waynesville, Mo., helps power the nation’s No. 1 team averaging 17.0 points per game while averaging just 22 minutes per game in the Glenville State system. She leads the league in steals (62) and steals per game (2.3), ranks fifth in the league in scoring and field goal percentage (52.0), and sixth in assists (3.4). She scored in double figures in all but five games this year, including eight games of 20 points or more, and never played more than 30 minutes in a game. Stone is the first MEC player to earn Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year honors in a career.

Smith, a native of Roseville, Ohio, is the MEC Freshman of the Year after leading West Liberty in scoring at 15.4 points per game. Her scoring average ranks 10th overall in the league and second amongst freshmen. The guard is shooting 43.2 percent from the floor and also averaging 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. A starter in all 27 games for West Liberty, she’s reached double figures in 20 of those games and had a season-high 34 points in a win over Fairmont State. 

Stephens is the league’s Coach of the Year for the third time in her career after having collected the honors previously in 2018 and 2019. Stephens has guided Glenville State to a perfect 27-0 regular season record this season, including a 22-0 record in conference play. The Pioneers are the first program in league history to post an undefeated regular season. Stephens has also led Glenville State to the No. 1 ranking in the WBCA poll, becoming the first MEC program to accomplish the feat. In addition to leading the country in scoring, the Pioneers are also holding teams to just over 60 points per game, leading to a 34.8 scoring margin over opponents — the best margin in the country by more than 14 points.

Glenville State currently is the No. 1 team in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings which will be used to determine the NCAA Tournament field.

The league also announced the 2021-22 all-conference teams. In addition to Stone who earns first-team honors for the second time in her career, Fairmont State’s Sierra Kotchman collected a fourth first-team honor. Concord’s Riley Fitzwater added a second first-team honor in her career, along with Glenville State’s Zakiyah Winfield. Lauren Calhoun (Wheeling), Alyssa DeAngelo (Fairmont State), Markiya McCormick (Charleston) and Audrey Tingle (West Liberty) and Corinne Thomas (West Liberty) also earned spots on the first team.

West Virginia State’s Destiny Fields and Charity Shears earned second-team recognition, along with Dream Cherry (Davis & Elkins), Taychaun Hubbard (Glenville State), Dakota Reeves (Charleston), Tamia Ridley (Notre Dame), Nyshae’ Weaver (Alderson Broaddus) and the league’s Freshman of the Year in Smith.

Dazha Congleton (Glenville State), Alana Ellis (Notre Dame) and Maggie Guynn (Concord) earned honorable mention recognition.

The All-MEC teams are selected by a vote of the league’s coaches.