GORHAM, Maine  –  Three members of the 2026 Little East Conference Champion University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's basketball team and its coach earned post-season honors from the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (MWBCA). Senior Jaycie Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) was selected at the 2026 MWBCA Player of the Year, while Coach David Chadbourne was named the Coach of the Year. 
 
Christopher and sophomore guard Lucy Wiles (Glenburn, Maine/Hampden Academy) each earned All-State honors. Christopher was named first team All-State while Wiles was named to the second team. Freshman forward Izzy Morelli (New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) was named the 2026 MWBCA All-Rookie Team.
 
Christopher's MWBCA Player of the Year honors adds to a lengthy list of post-season awards for the Huskies' 6-0 guard. Recently named an Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) All-American (first team) and a D3hoops.com All-American (second team), Christopher has also previously been named the 2006 D3hoops.com Region 2 Player of the Year, the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Player of the Year, and the Little East Conference Player of the Year, and has earned first team honors from each governing body.
 
Averaging a team-leading 18.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, Christoper finished 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. Her 568 points are sixth in single-season records, while her 18.9 point per game are tied for fifth with Joanna Brown (1995-96). Christopher's 55.2 field goal percentage is ranks ninth, and her 45.2 three-point percentage is third.
 
Completing an outstanding sophomore season, Wiles can add second team All-State to her resume.  Previously earning D3hoops.com All-Region (second team), New England Women's Basketball All-Region (third team) and first team All-Little East Conference honors, Wiles averaged 16.7 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.8 rebounds per game and led the team in steals with 55.  Shooting 44.5 percent (188-for-422) from the field and 42.4 percent (59-for-139) from three-point range, Wiles scored in double-digits in 25 games and scored 20 or more points in nine contests, setting a career-high with 32 points in a win against UMass Dartmouth (2/14/26).
 
Claiming nearly every Rookie of the Year honor (LEC, MWBCA, NEWBA, D3hoops.com) in her first season (2024-25), Wiles set career-bests in nearly every statistical category in her sophomore campaign. With just 58 career games to her credit, Wiles has 867 points, 162 rebounds, 170 assists, and 98 steals.
 
Playing in 29 of the Huskies' 30 games as a rookie, Morelli made the most of her minutes off of the bench, recording 103 points, 45 rebounds, nine steals and seven assists.  Shooting 48.1 percent (37-for-77) from the field, Morelli's impact on the Huskies' success grew throughout the season.  Morelli recorded her first double-digit scoring game with 10 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes off of the bench on 5-for-8 shooting in Southern Maine's 62-46 win over Johnson & Wales in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.  Morelli set her now career-high the next game, scoring 11 points in 17 minutes in the Huskies' 67-59 win at Bowdoin College in the NCAA's second round, helping USM to its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2007. 
 
Third-year head coach David Chadbourne led Southern Maine to both the 2025-2026 Little East Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championship.  Earning both the program's 22^nd regular season title and 21^st tournament championship, it marked the first time the Huskies have finished atop the conference since the 2012-2013 season. Earning the LEC's bid to the NCAA tourney, Chadbourne led USM to the program's 27^th overall appearance in the championship field, and the first since 2013.  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.  The Huskies finished their 2025-26 season with a record of 27-3, earning the most wins for the program in 13 seasons.  Named the Little East Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season, Chadbourne was also named the D3hoops.com Region 2 Coach of the Year. He is 58-27 in three seasons with the Huskies, and 37-11 against LEC competitors.
 
2025-2026 Maine Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (MWBCA) All-State
Player of the Year: Jaycie Christopher, G, Southern Maine
Coach of the Year: David Chadbourne, Southern Maine
Rookie of the Year: Layla Facchiano, Saint Joseph's College
 

First team
Pos.	Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
G	Jaycie Christopher	Southern Maine	Sr.	Skowhegan, Maine
F	Elsa Daulerio	Bates	Sr.	Harpswell, Maine
F	Abby Quinn	Bowdoin	Jr.	Bangor, Maine
G	Katie Olenik	Colby	Jr.	Medfield, Mass.
G	Grace Kinum	Bowdoin	So.	New Providence, NJ
Second team
G	Lucy Wiles	Southern Maine	So.	Glenburn, Maine
G	Sarah Hughes	Bates	Jr.	Rumson, NJ
F	Saige Evans	Husson	So.	Greenbush, Maine
G	Elisabeth Staplefeld	Saint Joseph's	Sr.	Brookline, NH
F	Jessica Dow	UMaine Farmington	So.	Saco, Maine
G	Addison Forry	Maine Maritime	So.	Laramie, Wyo.
All-Rookie
G	Layla Facchiano	Saint Joseph's	Fr.	Auburn, Maine
G	Sophia Carnes	Husson	Fr.	Gilbert, Ariz.
G	Payton Collins	Bowdoin	Fr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.
G	Claire Gaetani	Bates	Fr.	Old Town, Maine
F	Izzy Morelli	Southern Maine	Fr.	New Gloucester, Maine
F	Lilly Gray	UMaine Farmington	Fr.	Benton, Maine

 
 
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