College notes: More NECC honors for Mitchell’s Amina Wiley

Mariners riding a wave

• Mitchell College forward Amina Wiley received her second straight New England Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Week award in women's basketball. Wiley helped the league-leading Mariners go 3-0 last week, averaging 19.7 points and 11.7 rebound. She recorded three double-doubles and shot 62 percent from the field. Wiley leads the team in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (10.2). The Mariners (8-5, 7-0), off to their best league start in program history, have a big week ahead. They play the two teams right behind them in the standings in Eastern Nazarene (11-3, 6-1) and Becker College (9-5, 6-1), hosting the former on Tuesday and visiting the latter on Thursday.

• With standout senior Domenico Santiago back in the lineup, the men's basketball team is poised for a strong finish. The Mariners (8-6, 3-3) enter the week in fifth place in the NECC. They have a chance to move up with league games against third-place Southern Vermont (10-4, 4-2) and second-place Dean College (9-4. 4-1). After missing four games with an injury, Santiago returned on Saturday against Lesley, contributing 30 points and 17 rebounds in a 93-70 league win. The Mariners went 2-2 without Santiago, who ranks in the top four in the NECC in points (20.2, third), rebounds (13.8, first) and field goal percentage (62.1, fourth).

Camel highlights

• Not much separates the pack in the New England Small College Athletic Conference women's hockey race. Connecticut College (7-4-1, 3-3-2) is tied for sixth but has the same amount of conference losses as second-place residents Colby (7-3-3, 5-3) and Williams (9-3-1, 5-3). The Camels have won three straight behind the scoring of sophomore Erin Dillon who had a goal in each game, including the game-winner against Salem State. Dillon is tied for the team lead in goals (five) with senior Jordan Cross. The Camels host an important two-game series with Williams this weekend.

Tracking the Bears

• The Coast Guard Academy wrestling team has climbed a spot in the recent National Wrestling Coaches Association top 25 poll, checking in at No. 23. Last week, three wrestlers were ranked seventh in their respective weight classes — senior Nick Remke

(165), junior AJ Aeberli (174) and freshman Paul Detwiler (184).

Around the region

• Add Charee Osborne to the list of former New London girls' basketball players competing on the Division I level. Osborne is in her first season at Fairleigh Dickinson after attending Roxbury (Mass.) Community College. She's appeared in 13 games as a reserve, averaging two points and 2.6 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game.

• Central Connecticut State University junior Megan

Brawner, an all-state runner during her Ledyard High School days, placed first in the one-mile race at the Ramapo College Indoor Track and Field meet on Friday. Brawner crossed the finish line in five minutes, 10.60 seconds. Junior David Chen of Niantic was part of the WPI quartet that was selected as the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference's relay team of the week. He also won the 50 and 100 yard breaststrokes in a swim meet against Stevens and took first in the 200 breaststroke at Franklin & Marshall.

• Also at WPI, Stonington graduate Gabi Hoops earned All-New England honors from the New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association. A standout goalie, Hoops finished her career with 24 shutouts and a 0.63 goals against average in 60 starts.

• New London graduate Cora Sawyer is a regular contributor off the bench for the Utica women's basketball team. In 13 appearances, she's averaging 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game. She also has 17 assists and nine steals overall.

• Last month at the Elm City Classic, Southern Connecticut senior Kiah Strickland of Montville finished first in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Another former Montville graduate, Natalie

Bowens, also competes for the Owls.

• Eastern Connecticut's Seth Thomas, who's from Norwich and attended Putnam Science Academy, was named Little East Conference men's basketball rookie of the week for the second time this season after averaging 14 points and seven rebounds in three conference wins. A 6-foot-4 forward, Thomas has started all 15 games, averaging 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds and converting 54.3 percent from the field for the Warriors (12-3, 6-1), who share first place in the LEC with UMass Dartmouth.

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