La Plata, MD – The news just keeps getting better for the 2018-19 College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) Women’s Basketball team. Coming off the heels of finishing runner-up in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XX Tournament, the Hawks learned yesterday that CSM Point Guard Freshman Amaya Yancey finished the season first in the nation in assists per game with 8.0 and she was named to the 2018-2019 NJCAA Division II Third Team All American Team.
“Amaya has a demonstrated what consistency and dedication means as a student athlete,” said CSM Women’s Basketball Head Coach Ardell Jackson. “As a freshman, she has led our team, and nation, in a lot of major athletic categories.
“For instance,” Jackson continued, “as a freshman, she averaged 16 points per game and shot 42.8 percent from the court as well as 50.6 percent from the 3-point range, while averaging nearly 10 rebounds, and eight assists, per game. She also recorded a career-high seven triple doubles this season and was named NJCAA Player of the Week.”
The list goes on. Yancey also topped the national leader board in 3-point field goal percentages and was named 2nd team All-MDJUCO (Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference) and All-Region.
“Our coaches pushed us hard,” Yancey shared, passing kudos on to her team and coaches for her success. “They pushed us all to stay determined and keep focused on our goals. I couldn’t have gotten here without my Hawk’s coaches, my Hawk’s team or my high school basketball team at Parkdale High School.”
A Chemical Engineering major at CSM, Amaya Yancey shared that her first season with the Hawks was a tough one – and a rewarding one.
“Starting as a new student at CSM and joining the basketball team, I was little iffy about what I could handle at first,” she explained. “Because it was college, I knew it would be harder, and it was. So I got in the gym three times-a-day to make sure I was in shape. I worked hard. We all did.”
Yancey pointed to the team’s “newness” as leading to everyone’s overall success this year. “We had six new players,” she explained. “We were building a new team and our energy was good and fresh. We gelled as a team and I think that played a part in our success.”
She said that she and her teammates also made a habit out of pushing and challenging each other in practice and on the court. “When I first joined the team, the coaches laid out the expectations. I knew I would play a huge role as a point guard and that I would have to bond the team. The coaches told us what they wanted,” Yancey added, “And I think we delivered.”
When asked how she felt hearing the news that her daughter joined the elite 10 players from across the nation named to the NJCAA Division II Third Team All American team, Amaya’s mom Joy shared that she is swelling with both pride and humility.
“Amaya has always been very determined, very focused and has always been athletic,” her mom shared. “She is not going to stop until she becomes number one – though Amaya will never say that because she is too humble.”
Joy Yancey also showered the Hawks’ coaches with credit.
“Coach Jackson and Coach B (Assistant Coach Kim Barnes) have been excellent in helping Amaya see her potential and to see how far she can go,” she said. “And we are grateful. I am just so happy for her and so proud of her. I know she will do great things in life.”