Top 10 Stories of 2014-15 - #5 Wright Becomes 2nd to Milestone & Landmark Defensive Player of the Year
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at the 2014-15 athletic campaign with Top 10 Stories from the past year including the No. 5 story – senior forward Alexis Wright becoming the second player in school history to reach both the 1,000-point and 900-rebound milestones and being named the Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at the 2014-15 athletic campaign with Top 10 Stories from the past year including the No. 5 story – senior forward Alexis Wright becoming the second player in school history to reach both the 1,000-point and 900-rebound milestones and being named the Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Wright returned to the Greyhounds lineup this past winter and missing the final 20 games of the 2013-14 campaign due to an injury. She helped the Greyhounds to a 15-12 record this year with a trip to the ECAC Division III South Semifinals as the program made its 14th straight postseason appearance.
Wright averaged a double-double for the season with 15.6 points per game and a school record 12.1 rebounds per contest. Wright also led the Hounds with 65 blocked shots and 59 steals this past season as she was named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for the second time in her career as well as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
"It was great to be named the Landmark Defensive Player of the Year," stated Wright. "At the point in which I was injured, it was extremely disappointing because it just felt like the worst timing ever especially since the team was in such a good position and everyone was playing so well together. However, after my injury I was determined to come back even better and stronger than I was before. I knew coming back I wouldn't be the same player I was before. I had to learn to trust my capabilities again and adapt to new movements on the court but after some time I just wanted to be that force on the court that no one could score on. Whenever things weren't going my way offensively, I wanted to figure out how I can contribute in other areas of the game and defense is where I succeeded. Whether it meant grabbing a rebound, blocking a shot or getting a steal, I just wanted to contribute in some way. But being named the Defensive Player of the Year did mean a lot because I know so many people had underestimated my capabilities of coming back as the same dominant force after my knee injury."
Her outstanding senior campaign pushed Wright to second in school history with 948 career rebounds, and she also moved to eighth all-time in scoring with 1,341 points in just 93 career games. Her career rebounds per game average of 10.2 is a school record by nearly a full rebound per game, and Wright finished her time in Bethlehem fifth all-time in points per game with an average of 14.4 points per contest. She is also second in the Moravian record books with 204 career blocked shots. In 2014-15, Wright recorded 17 double-doubles in 27 games, and she had 51 double-doubles in her career.
"Alexis has had a great career here at Moravian, but to be only the second player in school history to accomplish this feat is incredible. To even be mentioned along with Kathy Beck DeKorte is an achievement in itself," commented Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "The Defensive player of the Year award was well deserved. She was as good a defender that I have ever coached. Her timing with blocked shots and rebounding was tremendous. The team could be aggressive on the perimeter, because we knew that Alexis was protecting the basket. She was an intimidating player on the defensive side in the region, let alone in our conference.
"Scoring over 1,000 points and securing over 900 rebounds is a difficult accomplishment for anyone, but in Alexis' case, she was often double and triple teamed, yet still found a way to score. She was relentless on both ends of the court when it came to rebounding. And the most amazing thing about Alexis' accomplishments on the court was that she did it with an ease about her that kept her steady, focused and calm. Alexis was as consistent a player that I have ever coached. Her ability to 'just play' made her special," finished Spirk.
Wright relishes what she accomplished in her career with the Greyhounds.
"It is honestly amazing to be the second player at Moravian with those stats," explained Wright. "To see my name in the record book amongst another great Moravian basketball player feels great. Especially knowing that I have come so far within the past four years as an athlete knowing all the obstacles I've had to endure along the way is just bittersweet. All the hard work has paid off and it was definitely worth it. It is just such a huge accomplishment to me knowing that I have made history along the way. Although I may not be at Moravian in the future there will always be my accomplishments to look back on and that's the best feeling in the world."
Number four on our Top 10 Stories will be announced on Monday, August 10.
