The calendar turned to March on Tuesday, which meant end of the season awards for ACC women’s basketball. The league office presented Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron with its Blue-Ribbon Panel (BRP) Freshman of the Year Award.
It marked the second consecutive year, and third time overall, Notre Dame had a student-athlete receive the prestigious award, as Citron joined Maddy Westbeld (2021) and Brianna Turner (2015).
However, the Irish accolades didn’t stop there. Point guard Olivia Miles was tabbed First Team All-ACC on both the Blue-Ribbon and Head Coaches Panel. She was the only freshman to make First Team.
Forward Maya Dodson earned Second Team honors with the BRP while landing on the First Team with the head coaches. Furthermore, Dodson was 1-of-5 players to make the All-ACC Defensive Team.
Citron tied the program record with her six ACC Freshman of the Week award selections – the six were also the most of any freshman in the league this season.
Citron was also the most complete freshman, for she boasted the highest points+rebounds+assists/game of any of her competitors with a 20.8. In addition, Citron recorded five double-doubles on the year, while the next highest ACC freshman achieved just one.
And just to reiterate how special Citron was this past season, she is one of three freshmen nationally averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game.
Then there’s her fellow freshman Miles, who leads the Irish in scoring (13.8 ppg) and steals (1.9), and just so happens to rank fourth in the nation in assists per game (7.0). Miles has been clutch down the stretch, recording double-digit points in 11 of her past 12 games
Miles ranks in the top-15 in the ACC in six different categories – the best of any Irish player. She boasts seven double-doubles on the year, which includes a triple-double.
All-in-all, Miles and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark are the only players in the country averaging at least 13p/5r/7a.
Next, Dodson ranks eighth in the nation and leads all ACC players in blocks per game, averaging 2.8. Dodson also ranks second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg), fifth in the ACC in rebounds (7.9) and top-25 in the nation in offensive boards (3.8).
Dodson proved her defensive prowess in back-to-back wins against two of the best centers in the league. Dodson got Elissa Cunane into early foul trouble and kept her at bay with 13 points, then kept Elizabeth Kitley 10 points under her season average with eight.
She too has come on strong down the stretch, registering 14 double-digit scoring performances over the last 16 games.
NEXT: 2021-22 Blue Ribbon Panel Awards