NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College women’s basketball senior guard Damika Martinez and junior forward Joy Adams were named Preseason All-Americans by Sporting News. Martinez, a First Team honoree, and Adams, a Third Team selection, were the only players of the 30 selected from a mid-major institution.
Martinez, the nation’s leading returning scorer, averaged 24.9 points per game for the Gaels a season ago, eighth overall in the country. Martinez’s efforts earned her the 2014 MAAC Player of the Year award, along with AP All-American Honorable Mention and All-Met Player of the Year recognitions. She was also named to the All-MAAC and All-Met First Teams and All-ECAC Second Team. Martinez was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the nation’s top backcourt player.
Her 771 points scored were an Iona record and ninth best in the country. Her season was highlighted by a pair of 40-point scoring efforts, including an Iona and MAAC single game record 46 points against Rider.
Martinez connected on an Iona single season record 107 three point field goals, and finished third in the country with an average of 3.45 3FGs per game. She was one of 11 players in the country to knock down 100 three pointers, and her 44.2% three point field goal percentage was eighth best nationally.
Martinez connected on 88.1% of her free throw attempts, tops in the MAAC and 12th overall in the country. Martinez also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game during the 13-14 campaign.
Adams was the nation’s third leading rebounder a year ago, averaging 13.8 boards per game, and claimed her second consecutive MAAC rebounding title in the process. Adams also averaged a career high 16.8 points per contest, and shot 48.5% from the field. Joy had 11 20-point efforts to her credit and 13 games with 15 or more rebounds.
Adams set a single season record with 442 rebounds, and finished fifth nationally with 26 double-doubles, another Iona single season record. Adams collected 17 consecutive double-doubles during the season, the second longest streak in the country, and sixth longest in NCAA history.
The Gaels begin the 2014-15 campaign on Nov. 14 at Fordham (11:30 am).
