Gannon University's Sam Pirosko was voted Player of the Year, and Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) was named Freshman of the Year on Thursday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference released its 2022-23 PSAC West Women's Basketball All-Star Team.

Pirosko also landed a spot on the All-PSAC First Team, while senior guard Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda) was honored on the Second Team.

Pirosko, Wright, and Claxon were key contributors who helped the Golden Knights win the PSAC West regular-season title and claim the No. 1 seed for the PSAC Tournament. Gannon won its PSAC quarterfinal game against Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday evening to move to 28-3 after finishing 19-3 in the PSAC West and winning the title by five games.

The Golden Knights will meet Shippensburg in the PSAC Tournament semifinals on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Highmark Events Center.

Pirosko has been a force all season for Gannon. She leads the PSAC West – and ranks second in the PSAC overall – with a scoring average of 20.1 points per game. She also ranks second in the conference in field-goal shooting at 54.9 percent.

The 5-foot-10 Pirosko has scored 20 points in a game 17 times and has three games with 30 or more points, including a career-high 33 on Feb. 18 in a road win over Seton Hill. She has had nine double-doubles with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in a game. After scoring six points in the season opener, Pirosko has hit double figures in scoring in the past 30 games.

Pirosko turned in one of her finest performances of the season on Wednesday night when Gannon rallied for a 71-67 win over UPJ. She scored 15 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter. She also had five rebounds or four assists in the game.

In addition to leading Gannon in scoring, Pirosko paces the Golden Knights with 7.4 rebounds per game. She also averages two assists and one steal per game.

Also a fine student, Pirosko was recently named to the CSC Academic All-District Team. Although she is a senior, Pirosko has one year of eligibility remaining and plans to return to the team in 2023-24.

FABULOUS FRESHMAN

Claxon, meanwhile, has made a big impact as a freshman. She ranks third on the team in scoring with 7.9 points per game. The 5-foot-7 shooting guard has consistently given Gannon a spark while coming off the bench in all 31 games.

Despite playing 18 minutes per game, she has had 10 double-digit scoring games this season. Claxon also has proven to be a strong defensive player, often hounding opposing guards on the perimeter.

She struck for a season-high 30 points in one of Gannon's biggest games of the year, a win over IUP on Jan. 11. Claxon made 11-of-13 field-goal attempts, 4-of-4 3-point attempts and 4-of-4 free throws in that game and earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week.

WRIGHT STUFF

Wright made the All-PSAC Second Team by virtue of her all-around play. She is second on the team with a scoring average of 13.9 points per game and leads the Golden Knights with 62 3-point field goals.

She is among the Gannon leaders in rebounding (5.1 per game), assists (73), steals (38), and blocked shots (20).

Wright also has established herself as a premier student. She was recently named to the CSC Academic All-District Team, and she was the 2022 Champion Scholar for PSAC women's basketball.



OTHER AWARDS

The PSAC West Coach of the Year award went to Callie Wheeler of Edinboro, which was eliminated from the PSAC playoffs on Wednesday to finish at 17-12.

California's Allycia Harris was selected as the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year.

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PSAC ALL-STAR TEAMS

WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM

Pos.	Player	University	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
G	Kiera Baughman	IUP	So.	Mount Joy, Pa. / Donegal
G	Rana Elhusseini*	Edinboro	Jr.	Dearborn, Mich. / Fordson
G/F	Rajah Fink^	California (Pa.)	Sr.	Dover, Pa. / Dover
G	Christiane Frye^	Seton Hill	Jr.	Monaca, Pa. / Central Valley
G	Ciaira Loyd*	California (Pa.)	Sr.	Scranton, Pa. / Scranton
F	Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North)*	Gannon	Sr.	Eastlake, Ohio / Eastlake North
G	Hayley Sims	Edinboro	So.	Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Cleveland Heights

 
WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM

Pos.	Player	University	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
G	Peyton Alazaus	Pitt-Johnstown	Jr.	Alliance, Ohio / West Branch
G	Sierra Bermudez^	Clarion	So.	Philadelphia, Pa. / Neumann Goretti
G	Jayde Boyd^	Mercyhurst	Sr.	Pittsburgh, Pa. / Oakland Catholic
G	Olivia Fasick	Pitt-Johnstown	Jr.	Harrisburg, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt
G	Deleah Gibson	Slippery Rock	R-Sr.	Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw
G	Isabellah Middleton	Slippery Rock	R-So.	Leesburg, Pa. / Tuscarora
G	Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda)	Gannon	Gr.	Fairview, Pa. / Talawanda

 
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection
 
Athlete of the Year: Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North), Gannon
Defensive Player of the Year: Allycia Harris, California (Pa.)
Freshman of the Year: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), Gannon
Coach of the Year: Callie Wheeler, Edinboro
 
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EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM

Pos.	Player	University	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
F	Jasmine Hilton^	Mansfield	Jr.	Upper Marlboro, Md. / Charles Herbert Flowers
G	Leah Johnson*^	West Chester	Jr.	Columbus, N.J. / Notre Dame
G	Ariel Jones***	Shippensburg	Sr.	Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest
G	Taylor Langan	Millersville	Gr.	Lake Hopatcong, N.J. / Jefferson Township
F/C	Emily McAteer	West Chester	Jr.	Thornton, Pa. / Garnet Valley
G/F	Naia Pulliam	Kutztown	So.	Wilmington, Del. / St. Elizabeth
G	Ryan Weise	E. Stroudsburg	Gr.	Allentown, N.J. / Allentown

 
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM

Pos.	Player	University	Cl.	Hometown / Previous School
F	Abbey Hearn	Kutztown	Jr.	Lewes, Del. / Cape Henlopen
F	Michelle Kozicki	West Chester	So.	Wilmington, Del. / Padua Academy
G	Anna McTamney	West Chester	So.	Plymouth Meeting, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
G	Marin Miller	Millersville	Fr.	Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg
F	Lauren Pettis^	Shippensburg	Gr.	Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township
G/F	Casey Remolde^^	Kutztown	Sr.	Philadelphia, Pa. / Saint Basil Academy
F	Alana Robinson	Lock Haven	Fr.	Rockaway, N.J. / Pope John Paul II

 
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection
 
Athlete of the Year: Ariel Jones, Shippensburg
Defensive Player of the Year: Michelle Kozicki, West Chester
Freshman of the Year: Alana Robinson, Lock Haven
Coach of the Year: Kiera Wooden, West Chester