Easton, Massachusetts, sophomore forward earns honor for first time
WBCA Announces 2019-20 Division II Coaches All-America Team
EASTON, Mass. (March 25, 2020) – Stonehill College sophomore forward Kayla Raymond has been named an honorable mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), the organization announced this week.
Raymond, who earns the honors for the first time in her career, is Stonehill's first honorable mention All-American since Samantha Hyslip, '18 earned the honors during the 2017-18 Elite Eight season, while classmate Kelly Martin, '18 was named to the Coaches' All-America Team. Raymond adds the honorable mention All-America honor to her list of plaudits from her superb sophomore season in which she earned D2CCA All-East Region second team and All-Northeast-10 Conference honors for the second-straight year with a spot on the first team for the first time.
The 2019 NE10 Rookie of the Year, when she also earned All-NE10 second team honors, was named Most Outstanding Player and received an All-Tournament Team spot for the 2020 NE10 Championship. Raymond led the Skyhawks to their sixth NE10 Tournament title by averaging 18 points on 46.7-percent shooting, including 7-for-19 (36.8%) from three-point distance, during the NE10 Tournament, converting 5-of-6 free-throws (83.3%) and adding 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocked shots in 25.3 minutes per game.
Raymond, who missed the first six games of the season and seven of the first nine games overall, started 18 of her 21 games played for Stonehill this season, leading the team with 16.6 points (5th NE10) and 7.9 rebounds (7th) per game, while adding 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocked shots (8th) and 0.7 steals in 25.4 minutes per game. She finished shooting 42.2-percent from the field, including 33.3% (38-for-114) from three-point distance, while converting 84.7% (50-for-59) of her free-throws (7th). Raymond led the Skyhawks in scoring in 12 of her 21 games played, scoring in double-figures 17 times, with 20-plus points in five games, including a season-high 30 points in a 66-63 February 8 win over Saint Anselm College. She posted four double-doubles and led the Skyhawks in rebounding 13 times.
Raymond was key in leading Stonehill to its season-ending 12-game winning streak, averaging 19.7 points on 46.3-percent shooting, including 37.3% (25-for-67) from beyond the arc, converting 88.1% (37-42) free-throws, with 8.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 0.8 steals in 26.5 minutes per game during that stretch. She earned NE10 Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career on February 3 after setting a program record with nine NE10 Rookie of the Week awards as a freshman. Raymond has started 42 of 47 games played over her career and has totaled 768 points, 317 rebounds, 73 assists, 76 blocked shots and 38 steals to this point in her career, shooting 46% from the field, including 35.9% from three-point distance, and 82.7% from the line. She was an All-Tournament Team selection at the 2019 NCAA II East Regional.
Stonehill wrapped up its 2019-20 season with a 23-5 record overall, including 16-3 in the NE10, winning the Northeast Division regular season title and NE10 Tournament Championship and earning the program's 26th NCAA Tournament bid. The program's NE10 division title is the program's tenth regular season championship, before winning its sixth tournament championship with an 80-61 win over Saint Anselm. The Skyhawks are also ranked No. 16 in the most recent D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll and No. 23 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll.
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