BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo women's basketball head coach Cheryl Dozier announced the Bulls' 2003-04 team award winners at UB's annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held at the Four Points Sheraton on Tuesday, April 27. Senior Jessica Kochendorfer (Allen, MI/Quincy) was named Most Valuable Player, junior Talia Merlino (Newtown, PA/Notre Dame (NJ) HS) was named Most Improved, junior Allison Bennett (Springfield, OH/Kenton Ridge) received the Coaches' Award and freshman Belinda Gibb (Denmark, Western Australia/Willetton) was chosen as Top Newcomer.

Jessica Kochendorfer

Kochendorfer was an All-Mid-American Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2003-04 after leading the Bulls in both scoring (13.8 points per game, sixth in the MAC) and rebounding (8.5 rebounds per game, fourth in the MAC). She also finished second in the league with 2.24 blocks per game, and her 56 blocks on the year are the second most in a single season in UB women's basketball history. Kochendorfer finished her career fourth all-time in both scoring and rebounding at UB with 1,275 career points and 767 career boards. She is also the Bulls' all-time career blocks leader with 163, a total that ranks her second in the MAC. Kochendorfer set a UB single-game record and tied the MAC record with nine blocked shots at Cornell on January 12, 2004.

Talia Merlino

Merlino started 21 games and averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in 2003-04 after starting just one game and averaging 0.6 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game in her first two years at UB. She set career highs in seven statistical categories during the season, including points (12 on two occasions), three-point field goals (four versus Kent State on February 11), rebounds (five versus Marshall on January 17) and assists (five on two occasions).

Allison Bennett

Bennett is a three-year starter for the Bulls, and she was the only player to start all 27 games during the 2003-04 season. Bennett averaged 6.6 points (fourth on the team), 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She scored in double figures in eight games, including with a career-high 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor against Marshall on January 17.

Belinda Gibb

Gibb appeared in the final 19 games of the year after having to sit out the first eight due to NCAA regulations regarding international student-athletes, and she immediately made an impact on the Bulls' lineup, recording 10 points, four assists and four steals in her first collegiate action in the MAC opener against Miami on January 7. Gibb finished the season averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She scored a season-high 12 points against Northern Illinois on January 26 and grabbed a season-high seven rebounds against Bowling Green on January 31.