Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hof, Mompremier garner 1st-team All-ACC honors
CORAL GABLES — Miami’s veteran post players Emese Hof and Beatrice Mompremier have been two of the biggest contributors as the 16th-ranked Hurricanes have notched wins over some of the biggest names in women’s college basketball this season.
On Tuesday, each earned significant recognition, with both Hof and Mompremier earning first-team All-ACC honors after balloting of the league’s 15 coaches and media.
In addition, Hof, a senior, was named to the ACC’s All-Defensive team, as voted on by the league’s coaches.
“I am so thrilled for both Emese and Beatrice. They have been a dominant duo in the ACC and it’s just wonderful that people who really matter have noticed their hard work,” Hurricanes coach Katie Meier said in a statement. “They both, ultimately, are team players and have been tremendous leaders throughout this ACC season. I love that they both have been recognized because their chemistry and unselfishness have really carried our team.”
In her final season in Coral Gables, Hof has put up some impressive numbers, averaging 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. Her 65 blocks leads the Hurricanes and ranks second in the ACC behind only Brianna Turner of defending national champion Notre Dame, a team Miami upset earlier this season.
Hof put together some of her biggest performances against some of the toughest teams in the conference. In a road win against No. 2 Louisville, Hof had 25 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals to earn both ACC Player of the Week and ESPNW National Player of the Week honors. She had a game-high 21 points in the win over Notre Dame and 21 points in a road win over then 13th-ranked Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.
After that win over the Orange, the Hurricanes won seven of their next 10 games and began slowly climbing up the national rankings.
Mompremier, too, has been invaluable for the Hurricanes.
The former Baylor transfer and Miami High standout who sat out last season, is the Hurricanes’ leading scorer and rebounder. Her 16.5 points per game ranks eighth in the ACC, while her 12 rebounds a game ranks second in the conference behind only Regan Magarity of Virginia Tech.
Mompremier, who has three times earned ACC Player of the Week honors, finished the regular season posting double-doubles in 23 of the Hurricanes’ 31 games. Her 23 doubledoubles led the ACC and were the fifth-most in the nation.
The recognition for Hof and Mompremier marked the first time since 2013 that Miami has placed two players on the All-ACC first team. That season, both Morgan Stroman and Stefanie Yderstrom earned first-team honors.
The Hurricanes (24-7, 12-4) are the No. 4 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament and will open play in Greensboro on Friday against either fifth-seeded Syracuse, 12th-seeded Virginia or 13th-seeded Boston College.