SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (March 12) – Wheeling University women's basketball sophomore forward
Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) has been selected as a Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) First-Team All-Region honoree announced the organization Thursday.
Ritz is now eligible for D2CCA All-America consideration with her selection to the first team.
Ritz, who was named a First-Team All-MEC and MEC All-Tournament Team selection this past week, led Wheeling in nearly every statistical category this season and established multiple school records. She ranks 15th in Division II and third in the MEC with 21.0 points and leads the nation with 16.0 rebounds per game as teams enter NCAA Tournament play. An all-around player, Ritz also ranks 21st in Division II and second in the league with 2.20 blocked shots per game, as well as 45th nationally and fourth in the MEC with 2.47 steals per game.
The Cambridge, Ohio native posted 25 double doubles, the third most in Division II, and made 59.3 percent of her field goal attempts to slot 10th nationally and fourth in the MEC.
Ritz established school records this season in points (630), rebounds (480), rebounds per game, blocked shots (66), blocked shots per game, field goals made (264), double-doubles (25), defensive rebounds per game (10.4), and offensive rebounds per game (5.6).
Ritz caught the attention of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) earlier this season when she tied the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball single-game record with 36 rebounds to help the Cardinals pull out a 75-72 win over West Virginia State. That performance garnered her the organization's Division II Player of the Week honors.
During that week, Ritz averaged 28.0 points, 28.5 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 2.0 assists per game, while shooting 61 percent from the field.
Joining Ritz on the 2019-20 All-Atlantic Region First Team were Michaela Barnes (Edinboro), Ariel Jones (Shippensburg), Kwanza Murray (Lincoln) and Tyra James (Urbana). James was named the 2020 D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year.
Sports information directors from NCAA Division II Atlantic Region schools and conferences selected the two all-region teams. The process concludes with All-American selections announced later in the month. The Atlantic Region consists of schools from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the MEC and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), along with independents Bluefield State and Salem.
The 2019-20 D2CCA All-Atlantic Region Women's Basketball Team featured six players from the MEC, three players from the PSAC, two players from the CIAA and zero players from independents.
The team is sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, which encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
