Notre Dame women’s basketball: Sonia Citron named ACC Freshman of the Year

For the second time in as many years, the ACC Freshman of the Year belongs to Notre Dame.

The league office awarded the Blue Ribbon Panel honor to Sonia Citron on Tuesday. Maddy Westbeld won it last year. Overall, Notre Dame has claimed this particular prize three times since joining the ACC in 2013-14. Brianna Turner took it home in 2015.

Citron, who came off the bench early in the season but has started 11 of 28 games, led the conference and tied a program record with six ACC Freshman of the Week titles. She averaged 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game during the regular season. No other freshman in the ACC had a higher total (20.8) when adding those key three statistics together.

Well, no other freshman except for Citron’s own teammate — Olivia Miles.

Miles averaged 13.8 points, 7.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per contest. Those numbers earned her a consensus first-team All-ACC honors from the Blue Ribbon Panel and the conference’s coaches. She would have easily won the Freshman of the Year award, but was not eligible for it. The league did not allow her to win any first-year player awards because she enrolled early and played in six games last season. Like Citron, Miles still has three years of eligibility beyond this season.

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Still, Citron’s coronation means Notre Dame essentially has the two best freshmen in the league. The duo of Miles and Citron is going to be on the court together for many more Fighting Irish triumphs. The chemistry already established will only continue to grow.

“I love to run in transition, and Olivia does great with getting it down the court really fast and finding me,” Citron said after scoring 21 points in a win over Clemson last week.

Maya Dodson lands on first, second teams

If Notre Dame’s team MVP wasn’t Miles, it was graduate student forward Maya Dodson. The transfer from Stanford averaged 12.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She also blocked 78 shots, the most in the conference. Her presence in the post earned a first-team All-ACC nod from the coaches and a second-team selection from the Blue Ribbon Panel. She was also one of five players to land on the coaches’ All-ACC Defensive Team.

She credited her success this season to her teammates.

“They gave me the confidence to be like, ‘You have experience. We know how well you can be as a player and a teammate,’” Dodson said. “Working through that, now I’m comfortable trying to lead but also learn from them still. It’s been a great experience so far.”

2021-22 Blue Ribbon Panel Awards

ACC Player of the Year voting

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C — 948 points

Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C — 861 points

Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F — 720 points

ACC Rookie of the Year voting

Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, Fr., G — 505 points

Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, Fr., G — 476 points

Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, Fr., C — 425 points

ACC Coach of the Year voting

Wes Moore, NC State — 150 points

Kenny Brooks, Virginia Tech — 73 points

Niele Ivey, Notre Dame — 70 points

All-ACC First Team

Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G

Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G

Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th-Sr., F

Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F

Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G

Deja Kelly, North Carolina, So., G

Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C

Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G

All-ACC Second Team

Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F

Morgan Jones, Florida State, Sr., G

Alyssa Ustby, North Carolina, So., F

Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F

Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G

Honorable Mention

Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech, Sr., G

Kelsey Marshall, Miami, Gr., G

Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G

Kayla Jones, NC State, Gr., F

Teisha Hyman, Syracuse, R-So., G

Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech, So., G

2021-22 Head Coaches Awards

Player of the Year: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

Freshman of the Year: Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, Fr., G

Coach of the Year: Wes Moore, NC State

Defensive Player of the Year: Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th-Sr., F

Sixth Player of the Year: Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G

Most Improved Player: Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G

All-ACC First Team

Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G

Morgan Jones, Florida State, Sr., G

Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th-Sr., F

Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F

Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G

Deja Kelly, North Carolina, So., G

Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C

Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F

Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

All-ACC Second Team

Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F

Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G

Kayla Jones, NC State, Gr., F

Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G

Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G

Honorable Mention

Kelsey Marshall, Miami, Gr., G

Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech, So., G

All-Defensive Team

Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th-Sr., F

Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F

Mykasa Robinson, Louisville, Sr., G

Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

All-Freshman Team (Blue Ribbon & Head Coaches)

Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C

Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G

O’Mariah Gordon, Florida State, G

Makayla Timpson, Florida State, F

Payton Verhulst, Louisville, G

Ja’Leah Williams, Miami, G

Aziaha James, NC State, F

Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G