BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team announced its 2000-01 team awards at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held at Samuel's Grande Manor on Tuesday, May 1. Senior Mari McClure (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester Adams) was named Most Valuable Player, and freshman Jessica Kochendorfer (Allen, MI/Quincy) was named Top Newcomer. Sophomore Rachel Martin (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore West) was named Most Improved Player, while senior Sonia Ortega (Chihuahua, Mexico/Cobach) received the team's Coach's Award.

Mari McClure

McClure was named team MVP after enjoying the best season of her career, averaging 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. She started all 28 games and earned All-Mid American Conference second-team honors at the conclusion of the season. McClure was named MAC East Player of the Week on November 20 after scoring a career-high 35 points in UB's season-opening win over No. 22/25 North Carolina, and she ended her career ranking fifth all-time in career scoring at UB with 1,156 points. In addition, McClure holds the best career free throw percentage (81.9) at UB, and her 452 points this past season are tied for the fourth- highest single-season total in school history.

Jessica Kochendorfer

Kochendorfer appeared in all 28 games, starting 19, during her freshman campaign. She finished the year averaging 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds while also recording a team-high 29 blocks. Her 1.04 blocks per game ranked fourth in the MAC. Kochendorfer had two double-doubles on the season, against Kent State (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Northern Illinois (21 points, 11 rebounds). In MAC games only, she averaged 9.3 points, third-highest on the team, 6.4 rebounds and 1.06 blocks per game.

Rachel Martin

Martin appeared in 23 games this past season, averaging almost five more minutes per contest than she did in 1999-2000. She finished the year averaging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, compared to 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game as a freshman. Martin scored a career-high 13 points against St. Bonaventure while also grabbing seven boards in 18 minutes of play. She also finished the season with seven assists, five blocks and 10 steals.

Sonia Ortega

Ortega became the first player in UB women's basketball history to earn one of the MAC's specialty awards when she was named Defensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of the season. She led the Bulls with 79 steals (2.93 per game), and her 251 career steals are tied for the second-highest total in school history. Ortega averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while also leading the Bulls in assists with 137 (5.07 per game). She posted three double-doubles during the year and ended the season with a triple-double (10 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) against Akron.

Deb Sellan

In addition to the team awards, sophomore Deb Sellan (Corfu, NY/Pembroke) received the Athletic Department's prestigious Skerker Scholar-Athlete Award, given to "an individual who possesses the highest degree of character as an ambassador of the Division of Athletics, is an active member in community service projects and is respected by his or her teammates as an unselfish contributor and leader for his or her team." Sellan, a two-year member of the women's basketball team, was nominated by her teammates to receive this prestigious honor.

The Bulls finished the 2000-01 season with a 19-9 overall record and a 10-6 record in the MAC.