The men's and women's basketball teams were well represented on this year's Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association All-Conference teams. Junior guard Katie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem) was voted to the women's first-team while junior forward C.J. Rodgers (Chicago, IL/St. Rita's) was a First-Team selection for the men.
Junior forward Heather Bennett (Westwood, MA/Westwood) was selected to the All-Conference Second Team while junior forward Aaron Galletta (Hyde Park, NY/F.D. Roosevelt) and junior guard Dave Musella (Loudonville, NY/Bishop Maginn) were both Honorable Mention selections.
Rodgers had the Dutchmen's best all-around season as he finished second on the team in scoring (379 points, 15.2) and led the squad with his 228 rebounds (9.1). He also contributed 55 assists, 41 steals and a team-high 19 blocked shots. Rodgers will enter his senior year with 942 career points and 545 career rebounds. He was a member of the UCAA's All-Conference Second Team last year.
Smith, meanwhile, led the Dutchwomen in scoring (15.1) and assists (3.1), was also the Dutchwomen's third-leading rebounder with her 5.0 average Her three years in a Garnet uniform have produced 1,073 points, fifth on the all-time list.
Bennett, who was voted to the UCAA All-Conference First Team after the 1999-2000 campaign, led the Dutchwomen in rebounding (10.5) and was second in scoring at 12.1 She scored 21 and 20 points in her last two outings, respectively, and had 13 double-doubles this year. Bennett currently has 826 career points (10th all-time) and 655 rebounds (fourth all-time) in 76 career games. She goes into this this weekend with 272 rebounds this season, leaving her one short of Amy Hitz (Class of '97) single-season Union record of 273, set in 1994-95.
Galletta, who became the 14th member of the Dutchmen's 1,000-Point Club earlier this year, led the team in scoring with his 16.9 average and will enter his senior season with 1,286 career points, fifth on the all-time list. While Galletta would need a career year in 2001-02 to catch all-time leading scorer Joe Cardany's (Class of '85) standard of 1,790, the 6'7, 170-pound he needs only 347 points to pass Jim Tedisco (Class of '72) for second place. Galletta scored 465 points as a sophomore and 423 this year after knocking down 398 markers as a freshman. The Dutchmen's leading three-point shooter (61 of 156, .391) and their top free throw shooter (72 of 81, .889), Galletta once again showed himself to be a complete player by pulling down 128 rebounds (a 5.1 average) and handing out 41 assists. He was named to the UCAA All-Conference Honorable Mention team for the second consecutive year.
Musella heads into his senior year with 994 career points and looks to join Galletta as the only teammates on the Dutchmen's all-time list. He came back to score 336 points (14.6) after missing the last 12 games of last season with a knee injury that held him to just 229 markers. Musella was the Dutchmen's leading scorer as a freshman with 429 points, including 54 three-point baskets. Union's third-leading scorer, Musella finished second on the team in rebounds with a career-high 144 (6.3) and led the Dutchmen with his 77 assists (3.3). Musella, who was the UCAA “Rookie of the Year” as well as an All-Conference Second Team selection following the 1998-99 campaign.