INDIANAPOLIS – Detroit Mercy women's basketball senior forward Irene Murua and freshman guard Paris Gilmore earned #HLWBB honors. Murua was named All-League Third Team while Gilmore was named to the All-Freshman Team as voted on the by league's 11 head coaches and announced by the league office on Monday. This marks the second consecutive season the Titans had a player garner All-Freshman Team honors as Amaya Burch earned this distinction during the 2022-23 season.
 
Murua
2023-24 Highlights:
• Started in all 31 games
• Named to the Valeo Horizon League Women's Basketball All-Academic Team for the second consecutive season
• Leads the team in scoring (11.2 ppg – 18th HL), and offensive rebounds per game (2.6 – 4th HL).
• Tied for team lead in double-doubles (5).
• Ranks second on the team in rebounds per game (7.4 – 3rd HL), and defensive rebounds per game (4.8 – 7th HL).
• Scored in double figures 19 times.
• Also tied for second on the team in steals (26) and steals per game (0.9).
• Scored in double figures for the second consecutive game with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 5-of-6 from the free throw line while grabbing 13 rebounds to secure her fifth double-double of the season vs WSU (3/2).
• Broke out of her three-game scoring slump in a major way matching a season-best 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 4-of-5 from the free throw line with six rebounds and a block in win over IUPUI (2/29).
• Shot over 60% from the field in seven games, over 70% twice at Butler (71.4%) and vs Florida A&M (71.4%), 80% twice vs Green Bay (83.3%) with a season-high 87.5% (7-for-8) at Georgia Southern.
• Recorded fourth double-double of the season scoring a season-high 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting while going 2-for-2 for her first career 3-pointers in a Titan uniform along with 12 rebounds in an overtime setback at IUPUI (1/4).
• Scored 15 points in back-to-back games vs Florida A&M (12/21) and NKU (1/1).
• Posted her second consecutive double-double and third of the season with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing 11 rebounds and matching a career-high two blocks to lead the Titans to their first #MetroSeries win over Oakland since 2017 which snapped a 12-game skid against the Golden Grizzlies.
• Averaged a double-double with 13.0 ppg and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 10-for-18 from the field (55.6%) with three blocks, four steals and three assists to lead Detroit Mercy to a 2-0 season-opening #HLWBB record with wins at YSU and vs Oakland for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
• Posted a game-high 21 points (just missing her career-high of 23 by two points) going 8-for-13 from the field and perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line while just missing a double-double grabbing nine rebounds to lead the Titans over Dayton for their second road win of the season.
• Recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points on 4-for-9 shooting and 6-for-10 from the free throw line while grabbing 10 rebounds with two assists helping UDM to a #HLWBB road win at YSU which snapped a 10-game skid against the Penguins (11/30).
• Scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with 10 boards at EMU for her first double-double of the season.
• Named to the 2023-24 #HLWBB Preseason All-League Second Team.


 
Gilmore
2023-24 Highlights:
• Saw action in all 31 games with 13 starts.
• Reached double figures for the second time in three games with 10 points vs IUPUI (2/29).
• Was the last player in double figures with 10 points and four assists at Milwaukee (2/22) and added 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting at WSU (2/2).
• Got the nod in the starting lineup and stepped up with nine points while dishing out a career-best five assists helping Detroit Mercy to a stunning win over #HLWBB leader Cleveland State snapping a six-game skid to the Vikings (1/27).
• Posted 12 points while going 5-for-8 from the floor helping UDM to a win against Milwaukee snapping an 11-game skid against the Panthers (1/20).
• Picked the perfect time to have her second breakout game coming off the bench to post a career-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 2-for-5 from long-range while adding her first career block helping UDM snap a five-game skid against PFW (1/7).
• Posted nine points against NKU (1/1) and nine points going 3-for-4 from the charity stripe with two assists at Butler (11/12).
• Named Armour® #HLWBB Freshman of the Week (11/13).
• Averaged 10.0 ppg, 1.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals per game to lead Detroit Mercy to a 2-1 opening week record.
• Had quite the collegiate debut scoring a team-best 13 points on 3-of-7 from 3-point range with two boards, a steal, and an assist in the season-opening win at EMU (11/6) which marked the Titans' first season-opening win since the 2018-19 season and first season-opening road win since the 2016-17 season. It also was the Titans' first win over a Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent since the Titans defeated the Eagles, 77-64, on Dec. 6, 2016.
• Added eight points with two steals and an assist in home opening win vs Chicago State (11/10) that moved the Titans to 2-0 to start the season for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
 
2023-24 #HLWBB All-League Awards
Player of the Year: Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Coach of the Year: Chris Kielsmeier, Cleveland State
Newcomer of the Year: Mickayla Perdue, Cleveland State
Freshman of the Year: Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Carmen Villalobos, Cleveland State
Sixth Players of the Year: Callie Genke, Green Bay & Grace Crowley, Milwaukee
Sportsmanship Awards: Kendall Nead, Milwaukee & Mady Aulbach, Youngstown State
 
All-League First Team
Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Mickayla Perdue, Cleveland State
Natalie McNeal, Green Bay
Amellia Bromenschenkel, Purdue Fort Wayne
Alexis Hutchison, Wright State
 
All-League Second Team
Maddy Schreiber, Green Bay
Katie Davidson, IUPUI
Kendall Nead, Milwaukee
Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Brooke Quarles-Daniels, Oakland
 
All-League Third Team
Irene Murua, Detroit Mercy
Bailey Butler, Green Bay
Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Northern Kentucky
Shayla Sellers, Purdue Fort Wayne
Emily Saunders, Youngstown State
 
All-Freshman Team
Paris Gilmore, Detroit Mercy
Jorey Buwalda, Milwaukee
Carter McCray, Northern Kentucky
Renna Schwieterman, Purdue Fort Wayne
Erin Woodson, Purdue Fort Wayne
 
All-Defensive Team
Colbi Maples, Cleveland State
Carmen Villalobos, Cleveland State
Bailey Butler, Green Bay
Brooke Quarles-Daniels, Oakland
Emily Saunders, Youngstown State