Ali, Mazzulla Win Leland Byrd Award
April 18, 2011 12:36 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Women’s basketball senior Madina Ali and men’s basketball senior Joe Mazzulla have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Leland Byrd Basketball Leadership Award.
The winners, a student-athlete from the men’s and women’s basketball teams, must display outstanding team leadership on and off the court.
Ali, a Williamsport, Pa., native, earns the leadership honor for the second consecutive season. As co-captain of the women’s basketball team for two straight seasons, Ali earned second team all-BIG EAST honors and was a four-time BIG EAST honor roll recipient.
As a senior leader, Ali was one of only 10 total BIG EAST players to record 30 points in a game and led the team’s rebounding efforts, averaging 7.1 rebounds a game to rank 10th in the BIG EAST. At forward, Ali totaled 241 boards, including a team-leading 98 offensive rebounds. As an offensive threat, she recorded a 53.4 field goal percentage on 159-of-298 shooting, which ranked as the seventh highest in the league. Ali also held the teams’ second-highest scoring average of 12.4 points per game, recorded the second-most points for the season with 421 and led the team with nine double-doubles.
Mazzulla, a co-captain from Johnston, R.I., finished his Mountaineer career by playing in 145 games, the second most in school history. He was a part of 105 WVU victories, also the second most in school history. A member of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll and BIG EAST Academic All-Star, Mazzulla finished his career with 370 assists.
In his final game in a WVU uniform, Mazzulla scored a career-high 20 points against Kentucky in the 2011 NCAA Third Round. During his career, he was a part of WVU teams that went to the 2011 NCAA Third Round, 2010 NCAA Final Four, 2009 NCAA First Round and 2008 NCAA Sweet 16. Mazzulla also was a part of the 2010 BIG EAST championship team and the 2007 NIT championship team.
The award was started in 2010 to honor Dr. Leland Byrd, who served as Director of Athletics at West Virginia University from 1972-78. Dr. Byrd was an outstanding basketball player at WVU from 1945-48, earning All-America honors in 1947. Women’s basketball became an intercollegiate sport at WVU during his tenure as athletic director in 1973-74. Byrd was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Past winners of the Leland Byrd Award: Da’Sean Butler (2010), Madina Ali (2010).
The winners, a student-athlete from the men’s and women’s basketball teams, must display outstanding team leadership on and off the court.
Ali, a Williamsport, Pa., native, earns the leadership honor for the second consecutive season. As co-captain of the women’s basketball team for two straight seasons, Ali earned second team all-BIG EAST honors and was a four-time BIG EAST honor roll recipient.
As a senior leader, Ali was one of only 10 total BIG EAST players to record 30 points in a game and led the team’s rebounding efforts, averaging 7.1 rebounds a game to rank 10th in the BIG EAST. At forward, Ali totaled 241 boards, including a team-leading 98 offensive rebounds. As an offensive threat, she recorded a 53.4 field goal percentage on 159-of-298 shooting, which ranked as the seventh highest in the league. Ali also held the teams’ second-highest scoring average of 12.4 points per game, recorded the second-most points for the season with 421 and led the team with nine double-doubles.
Mazzulla, a co-captain from Johnston, R.I., finished his Mountaineer career by playing in 145 games, the second most in school history. He was a part of 105 WVU victories, also the second most in school history. A member of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll and BIG EAST Academic All-Star, Mazzulla finished his career with 370 assists.
In his final game in a WVU uniform, Mazzulla scored a career-high 20 points against Kentucky in the 2011 NCAA Third Round. During his career, he was a part of WVU teams that went to the 2011 NCAA Third Round, 2010 NCAA Final Four, 2009 NCAA First Round and 2008 NCAA Sweet 16. Mazzulla also was a part of the 2010 BIG EAST championship team and the 2007 NIT championship team.
The award was started in 2010 to honor Dr. Leland Byrd, who served as Director of Athletics at West Virginia University from 1972-78. Dr. Byrd was an outstanding basketball player at WVU from 1945-48, earning All-America honors in 1947. Women’s basketball became an intercollegiate sport at WVU during his tenure as athletic director in 1973-74. Byrd was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Past winners of the Leland Byrd Award: Da’Sean Butler (2010), Madina Ali (2010).
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