GORHAM, Maine  –  More awards are rolling in for University of Southern Maine Huskies' guards senior Jaycie Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) and sophomore Lucy Wiles (Glenburn, Maine/Hampden Academy).  Christopher earned her third major of the season with her selection as the New England Women's Basketball Coaches Association (NEWBA) Player of the Year award while both she and Wiles earned NEWBA All-Region honors. Christopher earned first team All-Region, and Wiles picked up third team All-Region. 
 
Recently earning d3hoops.com All-Region (second team) accolades, Wiles put together an impressive sophomore campaign and is one of just five underclassmen on the four-team NEWBA All-Region list. Setting career-bests in nearly every statistical category this season, Wiles averaged 16.7 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.8 rebounds per game, and shot an outstanding 44.5 percent (188-for-422) from the field, and 42.4 percent (59-for-139) from three-point range. Scoring in double-figures in 25 games, Wiles reached at least 20 points in nine games and scored a career-high 32 points in a 75-50 LEC win at UMass Dartmouth. A first team all-conference selection, Wiles led Southern Maine to its first Little East Conference title in nearly 15 years, Wiles averaged 21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 56.7 percent (17-for-30) from the field in wins over UMass Dartmouth and Rhode Island College. Through 58 career games, Wiles has 867 points, 162 rebounds, 170 assists, and 98 steals.
 
The reigning Little East Conference, D3hoops.com Region 2 Player of the Year, Christopher is adding NEWBA Player of the Year and first team All-Region honors to a long-list of post-season awards including first team all-Little East, LEC All-Defensive Team, and D3hoops.com First Team All-Region. Christopher is the first LEC Player of the Year for the Huskies since the 2011-12 season, and just the just the second USM player to earn D3hoops.com Regional Player of the Year honors joining Husky Hall of Famer and two-time WBCA All-American Ashley Marble '07 who earned the award in back-to-back seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
Christopher's NEWBA Player of the Year award marks just the third individual in program history to achieve the accolade joining USM Hall of Famers and All-Americans Joanna Brown '98 (1994-1998) and Laura Pate '91 (1989-1991).
 
Averaging a team-leading 18.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, Christoper is among the nations' leaders in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball. Shooting a remarkable 45.2 percent from three-point range this season (57-for-126), and 55.2 percent overall (196-for-355) the Huskies' 6-0 guard racked up 12 double-doubles this season.Scoring in double-figures in all but one of the Huskies' games this season, and has reached the 20-point mark in 12 games. Hitting 30 points twice, Christopher scored a season-high 32 points in a 70-32 win over VTSU-Castleton to close out the Huskies' regular season. Snagging at least 10 rebounds in 13 games, Christopher has a season-high of 16. In 30 games, Christopher compiled 568 points, 270 rebounds, 106 assists, and 30 steals with a remarkable 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
Southern Maine finished the 2025-2026 with a record of 27-3 (15-1 Little East Conference).  The Huskies claimed both the program's 22^nd regular season title and 21^st tournament championship, marking the first time the Huskies have finished atop the conference since the 2012-2013 season.
 
Earning the LEC's bid to the NCAA tourney and its 27th overall appearance in the championship field, Southern Maine claimed victories over Johnson and Wales (62-46) in the first round, and then upset No. 7 Bowdoin College on the road 67-59 to earn a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2007.
 
2025-2026 New England Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (NEWBA) Post Season Awards
Player of the Year: Jaycie Christopher, G, Southern Maine
Coach of the Year: Alison Montgomery, Bates
Rookie of the Year: Aleah Bracey, Endicott

First team
Pos.	Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
G	Jaycie Christopher	Southern Maine	Sr.	Skowhegan, Maine
F	Elsa Daulerio	Bates	Sr.	Harpswell, Maine
G	Grace Jaffray	Johnson and Wales	So.	Blue Hill, Maine
G	Hannah Martin	Smith	Jr.	North Andover, Mass.
G	Bri Fongillo	Emerson	Sr.	Hopedale, Mass.
Second team
G/F	Virginia Johnson	Smith	Jr.	Minneapolis, Minn.
F	Abbie Quinn	Bowdoin	Jr.	Bangor, Maine
G	Grace Kinum	Bowdoin	So.	New Providence, N.J.
G	Sarah Hughes	Bates	Jr.	Rumson, N.J.
G	Emma Shinney	Endicott	Jr.	Wakefield, Mass.
Third Team
F	Madi Zancan	Regis	Sr.	Cumberland, R.I.
F	Emily Flynn	Babson	Gr.	Hanover, Mass.
F	Sofia Neary	Salve Regina	Sr.	Wayne, N.J.
G	Abby Wager	Rhode Island College	Jr.	Mansfield, Mass.
G	Lucy Wiles	Southern Maine	So.	Glenburn, Maine
Fourth Team
G	Kate Olenik	Colby	Jr.	Medfield, Mass.
C	Marlo Simms	Trinity	Jr.	Decatur, Ga.
G	Micah Walton	Williams	So.	Austin, Texas
F	Brianne Foley	Johnson & Wales	So.	New Rochelle, NY
G	Laura Johnson	Lasell	Sr.	Groton, Conn.

 
 
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