Mann Repeats as WBCA Honorable Mention All-American Selection

Bridgette Mann

ATLANTA, Ga. – Senior guard Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) of The University of Scranton women's basketball team returned to the Lady Royals lineup late in the regular season to lead the team to within two wins of a national championship.  On Thursday night, her efforts were recognized as she was selected to the WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-America Team for the second straight year.

Mann, who is one of 21 Lady Royals in program history to earn All-American honors, was tabbed as an Honorable Mention selection on Thursday to become just the 10th Scranton player to achieve the accolade multiple times.

While any All-American award is an incredible achievement, this year's award for Mann is particularly remarkable for the adversity she overcame, missing 10 games with an injury, to be recognized by the WBCA coaches as one of the nation's top players.

A First Team All-Landmark Conference selection this winter, Mann was also recently selected to play in the inaugural Beyond Sports Women's Collegiate All-Star Game to be held on Saturday prior to the national championship game.  Mann will not play in the game however, as she has spearheaded Scranton's ninth trip to the Final Four and the program's first appearance in the semifinal round since 2006.

Mann, a team captain this season, was averaging 13.6 points per game through Scranton's first five games this season before missing a pair of games.  She returned for the Lady Royals' next six games and had a pair of 25-plus performances before the injury bug returned, sidelining her for Scranton's next eight contests.

With Mann sidelined, the Lady Royals suffered their only two losses of the season, both against Landmark Conference opponents.

With three games left in the regular season, Mann returns to the floor for Scranton, playing sparingly in her first two games back before playing 24 minutes in the Lady Royals' season finale to set her up for the team's postseason run.

That run now stands at six straight victories with Mann and the Lady Royals' winning their fourth straight Landmark Conference title and advancing to this weekend's Final Four.

Mann is averaging 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game during Scranton's postseason run. She has also made 15 three-points while going 14-of-16 from the free throw line. 

For the season, Mann is averaging 11.7 points and 4.6 assists per game. She has also dished out 48 assists, collected 12 steals, and blocked five shots in 21 games on the year.

Mann, now a two-time All-American, is a three-time All-Landmark Conference honoree including two First Team nods.  She was the 2018 Landmark Conference Player of the Year, the 2018 Landmark Conference Championship MVP, and was the Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year in 2016.

The 2018 D3hoops.com Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Year, she earned Third Team All-American honors from the site during her junior campaign as well as First Team All-Region accolades.  Mann was also the D3hoops.com Mid-Atlantic Rookie of the Year in 2016.

A standout in the classroom as well, Mann was honored as the Landmark Conference Senior Scholar-Athlete earlier this month.

Mann and the No. 9 Lady Royals face No. 1 Thomas More in the national semifinals on Friday at Roanoke College's Cregger Center. Opening tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Salem, Va.

2019 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-Americans

2019 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches' All-America Honorable Mention

--LADY ROYALS--