Easton, Massachusetts, sophomore collects award for first time in her career
NE10 Women's Basketball Weekly Release
EASTON, Mass. (February 3, 2020) – A season removed from collecting a program-record nine Rookie of the Week awards, sophomore forward Kayla Raymond has earned Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career by the league office today.
Raymond averaged 29 points per game on 67.7-percent shooting from the field (21-for-31), including 6-of-9 (66.7%) from three-point distance in a 2-0 week as Stonehill moved to within a game of first place in the NE10's Northeast Division as the schedule returns to divisional play starting this week. She also converted all ten free throws and averaged 8.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game for the week, accounting for 38-percent of the Skyhawks scoring over the week and 47-percent of their baskets (FGs plus assists).
Raymond netted a season-high 29 points in back-to-back wins, starting with Tuesday's 65-36 win over American International College when she was the game's lone double-figure scorer, shooting 12-for-19 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 19 points in the first half alone. She also collected nine rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal in the win. Raymond capped the week by scoring 22 of her season-high matching 29 points in the first half of Saturday's 86-41 win at The College of Saint Rose, including 16 in the first quarter alone, finishing 9-of-12 from the floor, including 5-for-6 from three-point distance, and converting all six free-throws to go with eight rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.
Raymond, who missed Stonehill's first six games of the season and seven of the first eight overall to injury, has regained the form from her outstanding freshman season, averaging 22.3 points on 50.4-percent shooting, including 39.5% (17-for-43) from three-point distance, converting 89.3% (25-28) of her free-throws, with 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a blocked shot per game over the last seven games. She has scored 20-plus points in the Skyhawks last three games and four of five overall.
Raymond has taken over the team lead in scoring with 16.3 points per game (5th NE10), and rebounding with 7.7 rebounds per game (10th), while also contributing 1.7 assists, 0.9 blocked shots (11th) and 0.7 steals in 25.1 minutes per game. She is shooting 43.7-percent from the floor, including 36.7% (22-for-60) from three-point range, and connecting on 84.8% (28-33) of her free throws (6th). Raymond has led Stonehill in scoring in each of the last five games and six of seven overall, with four 20-point games this season (12th career), one double-double (three career) and scoring in double-figures in nine of her 12 games played (31 career). The Skyhawks are 5-1 this season when she is their top scorer (16-7 career) and 5-1 as their top rebounder (15-4 career).
Raymond earned Division II Bulletin All-Rookie Team and NE10 Rookie of the Year honors after her outstanding freshman season in leading Stonehill to the NCAA Tournament. She was named to the All-NE10 second team and NE10 All-Rookie Team as well as collecting her program record nine NE10 Rookie of the Week awards. Raymond, named to the NCAA Division II East Regional All-Tournament team, averaged 16.2 points on 49.3% shooting, with 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. She enters the week having totaled 616 points, 243 rebounds, 61 assists, 59 blocks and 31 steals in just 38 games over her first two collegiate seasons.
Stonehill (14-5, 10-3 NE10), ranked No. 6 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, is back in action on Wednesday night, when it hosts rival Bentley University, ranked No. 4 in the East Region poll and receiving votes in last week's national poll, at 5:30 p.m. Stonehill's Hope Happens Here chapter will be hosting a Mental Health Awareness event at the game. The Skyhawks close out a big week at Saint Anselm College, ranked No. 3 in the East Region poll, on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
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