Mullen Named ODAC Player of Year; Morgan Tabbed to Third Team

FOREST, Va. – Senior guard Jessica Mullen was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Player of the Year and picked up first team All-ODAC honors to lead a pair of Bridgewater College players on the All-ODAC women's basketball team announced on Wednesday evening at the Salem Civic Center.

Mullen's first team selection paced the way for the Eagles while junior Holly Morgan was tabbed to the conference's third team after a solid season.

The honor for Mullen is the first of her career, while it also marks the third season in a row that the Purcellville, Va. native has earned first team All-ODAC honors. Mullen is the second Bridgewater player in the last three years to earn ODAC Player of the Year recognition after Jordan Burkholder was named the top player in the conference following the 2010-11 season.

Mullen is currently third in the conference in scoring at 16.2 points per game and fifth in the league in free throw percentage (79.6 % on 74-of-93 shooting).  She's scored in double figures in 21-of-24 games this year, including two 28-point outbursts.  She also leads the ODAC in steals with 79.

Entering the opening round of postseason play, Mullen ranks in the career top 10 at Bridgewater in seven separate categories including a pair of fifth place showings in free throw percentage (82.2%) and steals per game (2.4). On January 5 at Emory & Henry, Mullen became the 18^th player in program history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone. Currently, Mullen ranks seventh in career scoring with 1,248 career points.

Morgan's all-conference nod is the first of her career after the junior averaged 9.5 points per game and shot at a 41% clip on the year. In conference play, Morgan averages double figures with 11.2 points per game. During the last week and half of the regular season, Morgan became a consistent scoring threat for the Eagles. Morgan has averaged 18.3 points per game over the last three contests including a career-high 20 points in Saturday's victory over Roanoke in the regular season finale.

Eastern Mennonite University mentor Kevin Griffin was named the ODAC Coach of the Year, while Randolph-Macon College forward Katie Anderson earned ODAC Rookie of the Year accolades.  Washington and Lee University forward Katy Wilson earned recognition as the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year, in a vote of the conference's sports information directors.

Mullen, Morgan and the rest of the Eagles open the conference tournament on Thursday at the Salem Civic Center against fifth-seed Lynchburg. Tip-off against the Hornets is set for 3 p.m.