by Jim Fenton, The Enterprise
For only the fifth time in program history, the Massasoit Community College women's basketball team has an All-America player.
Sophomore guard Ty Hawkins was selected to the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division 3 first team on Tuesday after breaking the Warriors' single-season scoring record and registering the most points in the nation.
Hawkins led Massasoit to a 24-1 record with the Warriors earning the No. 1 seed in the NJCAA tournament last month, losing in the opening round to Cedar Valley College of Texas in Illinois.
It is believed that Hawkins is the first Massasoit women's basketball player to make the All-America first team.
Ky'Jae Hargrove made the third team last season after averaging 22.7 points on 53 percent shooting when the Warriors went 20-3 and were ranked No. 1 for a part of the year. Fredi Lawson was chosen to the second team in the 2013-14 season when Massasoit reached the NJCAA tourney for the first time.
Two other players, Kim Kelsey of Rockland (1995-96) and Mary Carr (2001-02), also received All-America recognition during their careers with the Warriors.
Hawkins is one of four sophomores on the All-America first team, joining Kayla Carter of North Country, Carly Mekagh of Northland and Moreina Moore of Hostos. The lone freshman chosen was Hannah Malcomson of Rock Valley.
All five players took part in the eight-team NJCAA tournament, which was won by sixth-seeded Western Tech.
In addition to Hawkins, only one other New England player was chosen to an All-America squad in Division 3. University of Connecticut Avery Point sophomore forward Rebekah Sanders made the third team after helping the Pointers reach in the Region 21 final where they lost to Massasoit.
Hawkins, a native of Brentwood, New York, was at a Division 1 junior college, Jones College in Mississippi, in the 2018-19 season before transferring to Massasoit.
She broke the school record by scoring 777 points, eclipsing the mark established by Alison Hardiman of Whitman, who had 667 points in the 2010-11 season.
Hawkins was first nationally in all three divisions in total points, averaging 31.1 per game. She shot 51 percent from the floor and added 5.8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
Hawkins began her Massasoit career by averaging 41.3 points in the opening six games, getting 45 against Holyoke, 43 each against Bunker Hill and Bristol and 42 against Roxbury.
She becomes the 20th female athlete at Massasoit to receive All-America honors. In addition to the five basketball players, there have been nine soccer players, five softball players and one in volleyball.
Hawkins joins soccer players Sue Kelly (twice), Noreen Herlihy and Madalyn Callahan plus softball player Kristen Alcorn as the only first-team selections from Massasoit.
