Top award for Rachel Huijsdens

Dunshaughlin woman Rachel Huijsdens scooped the Basketball Ireland young player of the year award following the 
announcement of the annual awards and president’s awards for 2019/20 yesterday.

Huijsdens was the Meath Chronicle young sportsperson of the year for 2017, an award she collected at the 11th annual Meath Sports Awards in the Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim i January 2018.

Rachel is highly regarded as one of the country’s leading young basketball players and in 2017 was a member of the Ireland team that gained promotion to the European Div A grade for the first time. 

She plays for DCU Mercy in the Super League (senior women).

For the Women’s Super League, champions DCU Mercy picked up the two awards, with Rachel Huijsdens named as the Young Player of the Year and coach Mark Ingle awarded the Coach of the Year while  guard Shrita Parker of Ambassador UCC Glanmire was named Player of the Year.

In the Men’s Super League, Belfast Star has been awarded all of the top honours, with Delaney Blaylock scooping the Player of the Year award, CJ Fulton winning the Young Player of the Year - for the second year in a row - and head coach, Adrian Fulton announced as Coach of the Year. 

CJ Fulton was also voted the Schools u-19 Boys Player of the Year (also for the second year in a row) and the Area Boards u-18 Boys Player of the Year.

The President’s Lifetime Achievement Awards were also revealed with Pat Critchley, Frank Cashman and Ann Diffney announced as this year’s recipients.

POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS:

Girls School Coach of the Year: Niamh Ni Chearra, Virginia College (Cavan)

The awards will be presented at the Hall of Fame and Annual Awards ceremony, which is currently due to be held on Saturday, 30th May at Croke Park but this date is subject to change depending on Covid-19.