CENTER VALLEY – On Thursday, the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Organization announced that East Stroudsburg University's Lakeem McAliley was named the LVSCBOs' Pete Nevins Player of the Year while joining Emily Chmiel on the LVSCBO's Team of the Year.
The Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Organization is made up of the six schools in the Lehigh Valley including NCAA Division II schools ESU and Kutztown along with NCAA Division III members Cedar Crest, DeSales, Moravian University and Muhlenberg College. The awards were announced in the annual luncheon at DeSale's University Center.
McAliley becomes ESU men's basketball's second consecutive honoree to be named the Pete Nevins Player of the Year by the LVBSCO, joining former teammate Carlos Pepin in 2022-23. Overall, the Philadelphia native is the eighth ESU selection and fifth Warrior to earn the nod, joining Pepin, Rasheed Moore (2016-17), Matt Tobin (2014-15) and Rich Baker (2004).
This season, McAliley became just the fifth Warrior to reach 1,000 career points as a junior and the first ESU player to record 20-plus points in six consecutive games since at least 2002-03. The captain is averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, while shooting 54.4 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from 3-point range and 76.3 percent from the free throw line. He entered the week ranked seventh in the PSAC in field goal percentage, 10th in rebounding, and 11th in points per game. The redshirt sophomore has stuffed the stat sheet in less than 23 minutes per game on the court, not ranking in the top-25 in the PSAC in minutes played. He is a three-time PSAC East Athlete of the Week.
In her first season with the Warriors, Emily Chmiel is making an immediate impact as the junior transfer is averaging 8.5 points, a team-high 6.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 0.5 steals in 15.2 minutes per game. The Doylestown native has four double-doubles this season including a career-high 28 points and 13 rebound performances at Mansfield on January 31. She ranks sixth in the PSAC in blocks per game and since being inserted into the starting lineup on January 17, Chmiel is averaging 11.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 block and 0.8 steals in 20.6 minutes per game.
Back on January 22, senior Carley Adams and freshman Carson Howard were named to the LVSCBO 2024 Scholar-Athlete Teams for the first time in their careers.
Howard has appeared in all 23 games, making one start for ESU this season, averaging 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.3 steals in 13.4 minutes per contest. In his first campaign with the Warriors, the Warminster native recorded a pair of double-doubles which included career-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds against Shippensburg on January 20.
In the classroom, Howard recorded an unblemished 4.0 GPA while pursuing his bachelor's degree in computer science.
A senior from North Wales, Adams is in the middle of her best season with the Warriors as she is averaging 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 31.6 minutes per contest. Starting all 22 games, Adams is among the best free throw shooters in the PSAC as she ranks 10th with a 78.5 percent clip, which included going a perfect 10-for-10 against Mercyhurst back on December 1. Adams turned in her best performance at Shepherd (1/6) as she poured in a career-high 15 points to go along with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Adams, who is a three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete, currently holds a 3.95 GPA while pursuing her bachelor's degree in social work.
Pete Nevins was the long-time sports information director at East Stroudsburg, working in the profession for 38 years before retiring in 2002. Pete was instrumental in starting the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Organization back in 1995-96. Pete passed away in January 2007 after a brief battle with cancer, and the Player of the Year awards were named in his honor beginning that year.
ESU LVSCBO Men & Women Team of the Year Selections (as available)
2023: Lakeem McAliley (Player of the Year / Emily Chmiel
2022: Carlos Pepin (Player of the Year) / Ryan Weise (Player of the Year)
2021: Carlos Pepin / Ryan Weise
2020: Kitt Najee Walls / Tiffany Lapotsky
2019: Josh Williams / Jordan Hertz
2018: Steve Harris / Imani Brown
2017: Rasheed Moore (Player of the Year) / Allison Howard
2016: Rasheed Moore (Player of the Year) / Allison Howard
2015: Matt Tobin (Player of the Year) / Jessica Martin
2014: Matt Tobin (Player of the Year) / Jessica Martin
2013: Whis Grant (Player of the Year) / Jessica Martin
2012: Duane Johnson / Cyara Woodridge
2011: Duane Johnson / Andrea Veres
2010: Robby Pines / DeAnna Rayam
2009: Chris Bach / Jackie Yandrisevits
2008: Channon Easley / Jackie Yandrisevits
2007: Channon Easley / Alyssa Antolick (Player of the Year)
2004: Rich Baker (Player of the Year) / N/A
2002: Jon Kelley / Tiffany Barnes
2001: Juwan Justice / Kelly Hutchison
1999: Ro Trachtman / Shannon Schwilk
