Fans of MAAC conference women’s basketball have been treated to some truly noteworthy individual efforts this season.
Here is a glimpse at some of the top players currently making waves in the conference.
Anna Foley, Freshman Center, Quinnipiac
On one of the youngest teams in the country, freshman center Anna Foley has burst onto the scene. The 6-foot-3 rookie center from Andover, Massachusetts, epitomizes a modern, do-it-all center. Foley is averaging 12.1 points per game, 7.1 rebounds (second among MAAC rookies) and 3.1 assists (which leads all non-guards in the MAAC). To top it off, the ascendant big averages one block per game, good for sixth in the conference, and evidence of her ability to use her length to create problems defensively.
In addition to her size and ability to score inside, Foley has demonstrated an advanced ability to score from the elbow. She has capitalized on this part of her skillset, frequently creating opportunities for her teammates by drawing attention to herself and then making passes from the high post.
“I think we were falling for [Foley’s] fakes a little bit,” said Marist head coach Erin Doughty after her team’s recent loss to the Bobcats. “She shoots that 15-foot elbow jumper really well, so we wanted to stay up on her left shoulder and make her beat us going to the right.”
Foley adjusted in that game, instead attacking down in the block in the second half; that night, she finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds while powering Quinnipiac to a comeback win. With Quinnipiac right in the thick of things in the MAAC standings, Foley’s rise will be a key development to monitor over the final third of the season.
Meghan Andersen, Freshman Forward, Fairfield
On a MAAC-best Fairfield team currently sporting a 19-1 record, freshman forward Meghan Andersen has led the way with her incredibly efficient high-volume shooting. Andersen, who won Catholic League Player of the Year while playing high school hoops on Long Island, has had a seamless transition to Division I hoops. Andersen is averaging a conference-best 17.3 points per game, which is on track to be the highest scoring average in the MAAC since the 2021-22 season.
Andersen’s prominence as a scorer makes her efficiency that much more impressive, as she is on pace to join the 50-40-90 club; she is currently shooting 57% from the field, 41% from deep and over 91% from the charity stripe. She also averages 1.3 blocks per game (third-best in the MAAC) and nearly six rebounds per night.
The sharpshooting forward is the runaway favorite for MAAC Rookie of the Year and is also a frontrunner for MAAC Player of the Year. She demonstrated why against the Red Foxes, dropping an efficient 19 points on Marist to go along with six rebounds in a resounding Fairfield win.
“Andersen’s a tremendous player. I know she had 19, it was a quiet 19, but I think that’s what she does to everyone,” said Doughty after the game.
Zaria Shazer, Senior Foward, Marist
As those who follow Marist women’s hoops already know, senior forward Zaria Shazer is the lifeblood of the program. Shazer has been Marist’s leading rebounder for three years running; she has also emerged as the program’s top offensive option over the past two seasons with her silky smooth midrange game. The 6-foot-1 forward is also averaging nearly a block per game this season.
“[Shazer] expects herself to be perfect all the time, and sometimes that’s our fault because we rely on her to do everything,” said Doughty after the loss to St. John’s. “At this point, she leads us in points, rebounds, assists, minutes; she usually guards the other team’s best player.”
Each of those points still rings true over two months later. Shazer is third in the MAAC at 15.2 points per game and tied for second in the conference on the glass, grabbing 8.7 boards per contest. The most impressive feat for Shazer has been her availability; this season, she is averaging a staggering 37.6 minutes per game, far and away the highest total in the MAAC. This has been especially important given that her fellow Preseason All-MAAC selection, senior point guard Kiara Fisher, has been plagued with nagging injuries, resulting in absences and inconsistent performances.
Janelle Brown, Senior Guard, Fairfield
Leading the entire MAAC conference in FG% and 3PT% is senior guard Janelle Brown; she is the only MAAC player shooting greater than 60% from the field and has made a majority of her attempts from deep (27 of 50). Brown is a shifty guard who uses her speed to pose a threat on the interior with frequent attacks to the basket. Yet she also keeps defenses honest with her supremely efficient perimeter shooting, which, combined with the shooting of Meghan Andersen, has opened things up for Fairfield’s elite offense.
Brown is truly an all-around player on offense, securing 4.2 rebounds per contest despite being listed at just 5’6”, in addition to averaging three assists. Brown’s high motor has energized the Fairfield attack at numerous junctures this season; her best performance to date came in late November in an overtime win against Sacred Heart. Brown scored 35 on an outrageously efficient 15/17 shooting and made key plays that allowed her team to sneak out with a victory.
Brown had a quieter performance against Marist as she played second fiddle to Andersen, yet she still showcased her ability to do all the little things, as she nabbed four steals, six rebounds and made four of her seven shots in a Fairfield win against the Red Foxes.
Sisi Eleko, Sophomore Forward, Canisius
Yet another contender for MAAC Player of the Year is Sisi Eleko. Eleko has truly taken the next step this year; after showing flashes as a freshman, she is now the only MAAC player averaging a double-double. She ranks second in the MAAC in scoring (15.5 points per game) and leads the conference with 10.3 rebounds per game (currently 21st in the entire nation). For some perspective, Rider’s Taylor Langan and Shazer are tied for second in the conference with 8.7 rebounds per game, showing just how far ahead of the MAAC pack Eleko is.
One of the tools the sophomore post player uses to score inside is a spin move, which she has deployed on multiple occasions to shake free of defenders.
Aside from her advanced interior scoring and ability to crash the boards, Eleko has sizzled from downtown, albeit on a smaller volume – she is currently 14 of 29 from deep. Behind Eleko’s emergence, Canisius has risen to fifth in the conference standings, a surprise after the team placed ninth in the Coaches’ Preseason Poll.
Edited by Ben Leeds and Sam Murphy
Graphic by Ben Monrad; Photos from Jaylen Rizzo and Creative Commons
For more coverage of Marist athletics, follow @cfmarist on Instagram, X and TikTok, and sign up to receive daily alerts here.
