Poitras, Purcell named NH Players of the Year by NH D3 Coaches
(Nashua, New Hampshire) The New Hampshire NCAA Division III Coaches Association has announced their 2013-2014 All-State Teams earlier this month. The NHD3CA is comprised of the Granite State's six NCAA Division III Schools – Colby-Sawyer College (North Atlantic Conference), Daniel Webster College (New England Collegiate Conference), Keene State University (Little East Conference), New England College (NAC), Plymouth State University (LEC) and Rivier University (Great Northeast Athletic Conference).
The Raiders are well represented on both the Men's and Women's All-State teams, including earning the Granite State's Player of the Year in each sport.
Men's Basketball
Senior Tom Poitras (Bow, NH) was selected to the All-State First team for the third consecutive season. The 6-6 forward was absolutely dominate for the 11-15 Raiders. He averaged 19.9 points per game and pulled down 7.4 rebounds per game while recording a .522 shooting percentage. He played in all 26 games for Rivier, amassing a total of 888 minutes (34.2 per game) and scoring 518 points. Poitras also blocked 37 shots and added 48 assists on the year.
For his efforts, Poitras joins his older brother and former Raider – Dom Poirtas as the NH Division III Basketball Coaches Association Men's Player of the Year. Dom was chosen as the Player of the Year in the 2010-11 season when Tom was named the Co-Rookie of the Year.
Senior Nick Walch (Dedham, Mass.) was tabbed to the All-State Second team after another standout season in the Raider system. Standing just above 6-0, Walch was the team leader with 231 rebounds – 8.9 per game – as he also played in all 26 games. He recorded 14.8 points per game (385 total) while averaging 32.1 minutes per game. This is the second consecutive season that Walch has been named to the All-State Second Team.
Women's Basketball
Junior Deanna Purcell (Hudson, NH) was selected as the NH NCAA Division III Basketball Coaches Association Women's Player of the Year and to her second consecutive First Team after a stellar 2013-14 season. Purcell led the Raiders to a 20-8 overall record as she scored 504 points (18.0 per game) and collected 168 rebounds – second most on the team. The 5-10 guard averaged 30.9 minutes of action per game as she shot .467 from the field. Purcell also blocked 34 shots and 73 steals to go along with her 72 assists. This is the third consecutive time that she has been named to the All-State team as she garnered Rookie of the Year and Second team honors in 2011-12.
Senior AJ Guidi (Derry, NH) was named to her second straight All-State Second Team after becoming the best sixth man in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. The sharp-shooting Guidi made just five starts in 2013-14 but appeared in 26 games as she connected for 55 three pointers (.362 shooting percentage from beyond the arc) and helped ignite the Raider offense. Guidi averaged 23.1 minutes per game and totaled 246 points (9.5 per game).
Freshman Savannah Butterfield (Londonderry, NH) was named the Rookie of the Year in 2013-14 as she exploded on to the scene. Butterfield was a force to be reckoned with in the paint as she swatted away 42 shots and collected a team high 169 rebounds. Offensively, she recorded 10.4 points per game (291 total points) and shot .467 from the field. The rookie averaged 24.5 minutes per game and added 48 assists. This is the second time in three seasons that a Raider Women's Basketball Student-Athlete has been named Rookie of the Year (D. Purcell in 2011-12).
