SOMERSET, NJ – The Northeast Conference (NEC) has recognized freshman guard Nevena Dimitrijevic as the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year as announced by the league office this morning. The freshman was also tabbed a member of the All-NEC Second Team, and All-Rookie Team, while junior forward Ally Lassen was selected to the All-NEC Third Team.
The Kragujevic, Serbia native was named the Rookie of the Year, selected to the All-NEC Second Team, and All-Rookie Team after a stellar first year on Remsen Street. Dimitrijevic became the first Terrier to tally seven NEC Rookie of the Week honors. Additionally, she becomes just the program's second Rookie of the Year winner and first since Clare Guerriero, when she accomplished the illustrious feat in 1990-91.
"We're all thrilled for Nevena." Said head coach Linda Cimino. "She's very deserving of being named rookie of the year as well as to the all-conference, and all-rookie teams. Nevena is mature beyond her years and proved herself to be a top point guard and one of the leading scorers in our league. Her future is very bright, both in Brooklyn Heights and on the Serbian national team."
Dimitrijevic also becomes the first Terrier in program history to earn Rookie of the Year honors, along with an All-Rookie selection in the same season since the aforementioned Guerriero in 1990-91. She is the only Terrier to ever claim an NEC major award and be named to both an All-Conference Team and All-Rookie Team in the same season. The guard sank 46 three-pointers during her freshman season to join the single-season triples list, where she finished tied for 16th with Colleen Carbone (2001-02).
Accolades would build throughout the season for the first-year Terrier as Dimitrijevic put together a pair of double-digit assist outings this year. The first came against NJIT on November 26, where she tallied 12. Then, she would re-set a career-high against LIU with 15 assists in an 88-63 victory inside the Daniel Lynch Gymnasium. She was one of 30 student-athletes during the 2019-20 campaign in the Northeast Conference to post a double-double, and one of four Terriers to do so. Dimitrijevic also joined a list of six to tally 30-plus points on the season. She would accomplish the feat on February 10, against Bryant in Smithfield where she dropped a career-high 31 points.
She finished second on the team in points per game with 14.2, right behind Lassen (14.4 ppg). She ranked sixth within the NEC in scoring, eighth in field-goal percentage (37.4%), seventh in steals per game (1.79), second in assist/turnover ratio (1.74). Most notably, Dimitrijevic led the conference with 174 total assists and averaged 6.2 per game. The per game mark ranks tied for eighth-place in the nation (tied with Marist's Grace Vander Weide as of Mar. 8). She also sits tied for 12th in total assists with Maryland's Ashley Owusu.
Lassen was selected to the All-NEC Third Team, as the honor becomes the first of her three-year career thus far. Lassen tallied 418 total points on the year, which is tied for the 17th most in a single-season in program history. During Lassen's junior season, she would accomplish a plethora of career feats: tallied a then career-high of 24 points against Marquette on November 7. She would then surpass the aforementioned point mark on January 20, against Mount St. Mary's with 27, and then set a new career-high against Sacred Heart with 30, in a 71-70 victory inside the Daniel Lynch Gymnasium.
"Ally picked up right where she left off from a season ago." Commented Cimino. "She continued to be a strong presence inside for us throughout her junior campaign. We, as a staff, are proud of her efforts, and look forward to seeing where her leadership and growth on the court takes us next season."
The New Jersey native earned her first double-double of the season against Merrimack on March 2, in Brooklyn Heights. She would tally five 20-plus point performances this season (Sacred Heart, 30; Mount St. Mary's (MD), 27; Pacific, 21; Loyola (MD), 23; Marquette, 24). Lassen would also make the most free-throws in the conference with 126 on the season.
She ranks fifth in the NEC in scoring, first in made free-throws (126), first in free-throw attempts (181), tied for 14th in rebounding (6.0 rpg), ninth in field goal percentage (43.1%), 13th in free-throw percentage, sixth in offensive rebounds (2.9 per game), and 16th in minutes played per game (31.0). Lassen becomes the first Terrier to be named to the All-NEC Third Team since Alex Delaney took home the honor in 2017-18.
