March 4, 2010

HARTFORD, Conn. — Juniors Chelsea Cole and Jania Sims were both selected to the Big East Conference Honorable Mention team, as announced today by the league office.

“I’m really excited that Jania and Chelsea are represented on the All-Big East Conference Honorable Mention,” said head coach Agnus Berenato.

Cole ended the 2009-10 season as the Big East rebounding champion after averaging 11.6 rebounds per contest in Big East play. Cole tallied 15 double-digit rebounding performances, eight double-doubles and three games with at least 20 rebounds on the season. The Lumberton, N.J. enters the Big East Championship with the top two rebounding performances by any Big East player, notching 22 against Seton Hall and 21 at Marquette.

Sims, a former All-Big East Conference Freshman Team selection, enters the Big East Championship as the team’s leading scorer at 13.1 points per game. The Newark, N.J. native returned to action this season after missing all of last season due to injury. She averaged over 32 minutes of action per game, lead the team in assists with 113, hit over 41 percent of her three-pointers and converted over 80 percent of her free throws on the year.

“Jania has been a great leader for us and Chelsea has come on so strong lately, ending the season as the Big East rebounding champion,” said Berenato. “We didn’t have anyone on the preseason list and now we do. I hope that this acknowledgement will inspire them to carry our team so that we continue to play into the postseason.”

The Panthers will open the tournament Friday at Noon against the University of Louisville. The game will be broadcast on Big East TV as well as FOX Sports 970 AM live from the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.