Northwestern University Athletics
Burton Headlines Big Ten Honors With Third Defensive Player of the Year Award
2/28/2022 11:14:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Veronica Burton earned her third-straight Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award while also being named to the All-Big Ten First Team by both the coaches and media, the conference announced Monday. Courtney Shaw achieved All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors, and Jess Sancataldo was recognized with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Burton is the second player ever to win three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Penn State's Tanisha Wright, now the head coach of the Atlanta Dream, also accomplished the feat between 2003-05. One of Northwestern's three captains, Burton was also a unanimous inclusion on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. This year marked her second-straight All-Big Ten First Team honors, making her the sixth Wildcat in program history with multiple appearances on the conference First Team. She joins the elite company of Anucha Browne, Michele Savage, Amy Jaeschke, Nia Coffey and Lindsey Pulliam in that distinction.
The Newton, Massachusetts native posted another world-beating season, finishing the regular season with 4.11 steals per game, the most in the nation for the second-straight season. Her 6.5 assists per game rank sixth in the country, and her 2.97 assist-turnover ratio ranks fifth best nationally. No other player in the NCAA ranks in the top 10 of each of those categories.
She has also posted her best ever scoring season, recording a team-high 17.5 points per game. She is the first player in the nation since at least the 2001-02 season to post 17.5 or more points, 6.5 or more assists and four or more steals per game in a single season.
The All-Big Ten Honorable Mention marked the first conference honors for Shaw, who has emerged as a dominant force in the paint for Northwestern this season. After securing her first career double-double in the season opener, she has gone on to post eight double-doubles this season while starting all 27 games. Shaw is averaging career bests in points (8.2) and rebounds (9.9), and has broken double-digit rebounds in 18 games, including two career-best performances with 14 boards.
Sancataldo made her first-ever start on Senior Night and immediately drained a 3-pointer against Purdue. The senior from Sydney, Australia has long been heralded for her shooting abilities, both with the basketball and the camera.
Northwestern's decorated roster heads to the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis this week where the seven-seed Wildcats will take on the 10-seed Minnesota Golden Gophers in their first game. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on Thursday.
Burton is the second player ever to win three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Penn State's Tanisha Wright, now the head coach of the Atlanta Dream, also accomplished the feat between 2003-05. One of Northwestern's three captains, Burton was also a unanimous inclusion on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. This year marked her second-straight All-Big Ten First Team honors, making her the sixth Wildcat in program history with multiple appearances on the conference First Team. She joins the elite company of Anucha Browne, Michele Savage, Amy Jaeschke, Nia Coffey and Lindsey Pulliam in that distinction.
The Newton, Massachusetts native posted another world-beating season, finishing the regular season with 4.11 steals per game, the most in the nation for the second-straight season. Her 6.5 assists per game rank sixth in the country, and her 2.97 assist-turnover ratio ranks fifth best nationally. No other player in the NCAA ranks in the top 10 of each of those categories.
She has also posted her best ever scoring season, recording a team-high 17.5 points per game. She is the first player in the nation since at least the 2001-02 season to post 17.5 or more points, 6.5 or more assists and four or more steals per game in a single season.
The All-Big Ten Honorable Mention marked the first conference honors for Shaw, who has emerged as a dominant force in the paint for Northwestern this season. After securing her first career double-double in the season opener, she has gone on to post eight double-doubles this season while starting all 27 games. Shaw is averaging career bests in points (8.2) and rebounds (9.9), and has broken double-digit rebounds in 18 games, including two career-best performances with 14 boards.
Sancataldo made her first-ever start on Senior Night and immediately drained a 3-pointer against Purdue. The senior from Sydney, Australia has long been heralded for her shooting abilities, both with the basketball and the camera.
Northwestern's decorated roster heads to the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis this week where the seven-seed Wildcats will take on the 10-seed Minnesota Golden Gophers in their first game. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on Thursday.
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