LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University women's basketball star Regan Atkins was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Freshman of the Year after her historic rookie campaign at The Rock.
 
Atkins is the first Slippery Rock player to earn PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors in 24 years when Becky Siembak's 1999-00 season was highlighted with the award. A local product hailing from New Castle, Pennsylvania, Atkins joins a prestigious group of only five other Rock athletes who have been named the conference's top rookie. 
 
Atkins wrapped up the 2023-24 season having started all 25 games and playing 917 minutes, the most of any freshman in Slippery Rock history.  
 
In that span, Atkins scored a team-high 381 points, which ranks her third all-time among SRU freshmen. She also wound up 10^th among freshmen at Slippery Rock in rebounds with 136 on the season, 5.4 per game.
 
Her 21 3-pointers and 12 blocks on the year land the rookie eighth and 10^th all-time, respectively, among freshman to have donned the Green and White.
 
Atkins averaged 15.2 points per game in her freshman year, ranking fourth nationally compared to all freshmen throughout Division II. Throughout the PSAC, regardless of class, Atkins ranked 10^th in scoring at the conclusion of the year.
 
Perhaps more impressive in speaking to her offensive ability, Atkins made 44.7 percent (134-of-300) of the shots she took from the floor, ranking fourth in the entire PSAC West. She is just one of nine freshmen throughout Divisions I and II combined to have shot at least 44 percent from the floor while totaling over 15 points per game.
 
Atkins shot 50 percent or greater in 12 games on the year, logging three double-doubles and reaching the 20-point plateau four times. She tallied a career-high 23 points along with 10 rebounds for her first career double-double in a thrilling 62-60 comeback win over Clarion Jan. 24.
 
She reached double-figures in scoring in 23 of the 25 games this season, ending the season on a 10-game streak of scoring at least 10 points. Two of her final four games were double-doubles. Atkins also concluded the year 31 assists and 20 steals.  
 
ALL-TIME SRU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS
2023-24 – Regan Atkins
1999-20 – Becky Siembak
1998-99 – Shelbey Wardman
1995-96 – Heather Kearney
1993-94 – Lori Robinson
1990-91 – Kory Fielitz
 
Atkins played under the direction of fellow New Castle native and first-year head coach Ryenn Micaletti. Seven of The Rock's 15 (46.7 percent) players on the 2023-24 roster were underclassmen, as SRU will now look to enjoy the upcoming off-season before kicking off the 2024-25 year in November.  




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