March 1, 2002

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - The Siena women's and men's basketball teams fared well Thursday as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced its season-ending award winners. Women's players Gunta Basko, Liene Jansone, Erica Anderson and coach Gina Castelli along with men's standout Dwayne Archbold were honored for their work during the season.

Basko (Olaine, Lativa/Riga Secondary #3) was named the MAAC Player of the Year for a second straight season. She becomes just the third player in the MAAC's 20-year history to win the award twice. In addition, the junior was the first winner of the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the All-MAAC First-Team.

Jansone (Riga, Latvia/Riga Secondary #45) was selected Sixth Player of the Year for her work off the bench throughout the season. She was also named to the All-MAAC Second-Team for a second straight season. Anderson (N. Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) was chosen for the All-MAAC Third-Team.

Rounding out the award winners on the women's side was head coach Gina Castelli, who was named MAAC Coach of the Year for a fifth time in her 12-year career. Castelli shared the award with Manhattan's Sal Buscaglia.

On the men's side, Archbold (Brooklyn, N.Y./Paul Robeson) wrapped up a stellar season by being chosen for the All-MAAC First-Team. Archbold also won the Long Distance Shooter Award for leading the conference in three-pointers made.

Several Saints were honored with a spot on the All-Academic Team. On the women's side, senior Chrissy Loeliger (Springfield, PA/Villa Maria) and Nathalie Marchino (Geneva, Switzerland/Dewitt Clinton) qualified by having a GPA of 3.2 or above. For the men, Andy Cavo (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford), Michael Buhrman (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) and Justin Miller (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern) were among the players chosen for their work in the classroom.