St. John's University Athletics
Unique Drake Named BIG EAST Sixth-Woman of the Year; Everett, Bailey Garner All-BIG EAST Honors
3/2/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Everett unanimously selected to conference’s first team
NEW YORK— Three St. John's women's basketball players captured conference awards, the league office announced on Thursday. Unique Drake was named the BIG EAST Sixth-Woman of the Year, Jayla Everett earned a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection and Kadaja Bailey landed honorable mention recognition by the league.
All three players played an integral role in a stellar season for St. John's that included its best start in program history, spending multiple weeks ranked in both national polls and its highest ranked win in over a decade at No. 4/5 UConn on Feb. 21.
Drake becomes just the second player in program history to earn the sixth-woman of the year award. After starting 39 of 54 possible contests the previous two seasons, the senior thrived in a new role coming off the bench for the Red Storm. The speedy guard led the conference in scoring among bench players, averaging 8.5 points per game during the 2022-23 regular season.
The Columbia, S.C., native proved clutch, finding the bottom of the basket as the shot clock or game clock dwindled down on many occasions throughout the year. In the regular season finale at Providence, Drake came up huge recording a tough basket to end a scoring drought, came up with a steal and a finish at the other end to put the Red Storm ahead, 47-44.
A capable shooter from downtown, Drake ranks second on the team with 33 made 3-pointers on the year, trailing only Everett, who ranks atop the league with 2.5 made triples per outing.
Over a crucial three-game stretch in late January, Drake averaged 15.7 points per game and shot 65.5 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the charity stripe during that span. She scored a season-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in a 81-72 win over DePaul on Jan. 21. The road victory snapped a 13-game losing streak against the Blue Demons.
After arriving over the summer from Pittsburgh, Everett wasted no time making an impact for St. John's. The prolific scorer concluded the regular season averaging 16.1 points per game, the highest mark by a Red Storm player in their first year with the program since the 1994-95 season when Tawana Jackson averaged 21.4 points per game.
Everett stamped her position among the conference's best in many statistical categories. The shooting guard ranks inside the top 10 in the BIG EAST in points per game (16.1), 3-pointers made per game (2.5), 3-point shooting percentage (42.5%), field goal percentage (41.7%)and blocks (0.9).
The St. Louis native scored double figures in 26 of 28 games and exceeded the 20-point mark in eight contests. Everett tallied the highest point total by a Red Storm player this season, scoring 26 points on two occasions in home conference contests against Xavier on Jan. 8 and DePaul and Feb. 11.
A knockdown shooter from long-range, Everett cashed in on 71 3-point attempts, the most by a Red Storm player in nearly 15 years and currently sits third all-time for the most triples in a single season. She shot an impressive 42.5 percent from beyond-the-arc, which ranks 15th in the country and sits atop the league with 2.5 made 3-pointers per game.
Everett's tenacious play style was infectious and boosted the play of her teammates, ranking second on the team with 2.8 assists per game and led the team with 1.2 steals per game.
Throughout the season, Everett landed on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll seven times, the most by a Red Storm player since Qadashah Hoppie tallied eight during the 2019-20 campaign.
Bailey, in her fifth-year with the program, was a reliable force for the Johnnies during the 2022-23 campaign. A Preseason All-BIG EAST selection, the guard ranked 13th in the conference and second on the team averaging 13.4 points per game.
The redshirt senior was stellar from the charity stripe, shooting 81.9 percent from the free throw line, which ranks fifth-best in the league. In the upset win at No. 4/5 UConn, Bailey sunk four free throws in the final 30 seconds to secure a Red Storm victory. Over her career, Bailey has shot 79.1 percent from the free throw line, which ranks seventh all-time in program history.
On Jan. 25 against Butler, Bailey smashed the all-time record for games played, making her 135th appearance, the most of any St. John's men's or women's basketball player. The guard has played in 144 games and counting for the Red Storm.
On Monday night, the Long Island native entered the top-10 all-time in scoring after a crucial late game free throw moved her past Sabrina Johnson. Bailey has tallied 1,433 career points during her time in Queens.
Fourth-seeded St. John's will meet fifth-seeded Marquette on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the BIG EAST Quarterfinal on FS2.
2022-23 BIG EAST Awards
Player of the Year
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
Coach of the Year
Joe Tartamella, St. John's
Freshman of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Defensive Player of the Year
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Most Improved Player
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F
Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Sr., F
Sixth-Woman of the Year
Unique Drake, St. John's, Sr., G
All-BIG EAST First Team
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F*
Lou Lopez Senechal, Connecticut, Grad., G/F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Jr., G
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Jr., G/F
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, So., F*
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G*
Chloe Marotta, Marquette, Sr., F
Jayla Everett, St. John's, R-Sr., G*
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall, Sr., G*
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Dorka Juhasz, Connecticut, Grad., F
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Darrione Rogers, DePaul, Jr., G
Sidney Cooks, Seton Hall, Grad., F/C
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Aubrey Griffin, Connecticut, R-Jr., F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Jr. F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Jr., G
Kadaja Bailey, St. John's, R-Sr., G
All-Freshman
Jessica Carrothers, Butler, Fr., G
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, Fr., G
Emily La Chapell, Marquette, Fr., G*
Fernanda Ovalle, Xavier, Fr., G
All three players played an integral role in a stellar season for St. John's that included its best start in program history, spending multiple weeks ranked in both national polls and its highest ranked win in over a decade at No. 4/5 UConn on Feb. 21.
Drake becomes just the second player in program history to earn the sixth-woman of the year award. After starting 39 of 54 possible contests the previous two seasons, the senior thrived in a new role coming off the bench for the Red Storm. The speedy guard led the conference in scoring among bench players, averaging 8.5 points per game during the 2022-23 regular season.
The Columbia, S.C., native proved clutch, finding the bottom of the basket as the shot clock or game clock dwindled down on many occasions throughout the year. In the regular season finale at Providence, Drake came up huge recording a tough basket to end a scoring drought, came up with a steal and a finish at the other end to put the Red Storm ahead, 47-44.
A capable shooter from downtown, Drake ranks second on the team with 33 made 3-pointers on the year, trailing only Everett, who ranks atop the league with 2.5 made triples per outing.
Over a crucial three-game stretch in late January, Drake averaged 15.7 points per game and shot 65.5 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the charity stripe during that span. She scored a season-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in a 81-72 win over DePaul on Jan. 21. The road victory snapped a 13-game losing streak against the Blue Demons.
After arriving over the summer from Pittsburgh, Everett wasted no time making an impact for St. John's. The prolific scorer concluded the regular season averaging 16.1 points per game, the highest mark by a Red Storm player in their first year with the program since the 1994-95 season when Tawana Jackson averaged 21.4 points per game.
Everett stamped her position among the conference's best in many statistical categories. The shooting guard ranks inside the top 10 in the BIG EAST in points per game (16.1), 3-pointers made per game (2.5), 3-point shooting percentage (42.5%), field goal percentage (41.7%)and blocks (0.9).
The St. Louis native scored double figures in 26 of 28 games and exceeded the 20-point mark in eight contests. Everett tallied the highest point total by a Red Storm player this season, scoring 26 points on two occasions in home conference contests against Xavier on Jan. 8 and DePaul and Feb. 11.
A knockdown shooter from long-range, Everett cashed in on 71 3-point attempts, the most by a Red Storm player in nearly 15 years and currently sits third all-time for the most triples in a single season. She shot an impressive 42.5 percent from beyond-the-arc, which ranks 15th in the country and sits atop the league with 2.5 made 3-pointers per game.
Everett's tenacious play style was infectious and boosted the play of her teammates, ranking second on the team with 2.8 assists per game and led the team with 1.2 steals per game.
Throughout the season, Everett landed on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll seven times, the most by a Red Storm player since Qadashah Hoppie tallied eight during the 2019-20 campaign.
Bailey, in her fifth-year with the program, was a reliable force for the Johnnies during the 2022-23 campaign. A Preseason All-BIG EAST selection, the guard ranked 13th in the conference and second on the team averaging 13.4 points per game.
The redshirt senior was stellar from the charity stripe, shooting 81.9 percent from the free throw line, which ranks fifth-best in the league. In the upset win at No. 4/5 UConn, Bailey sunk four free throws in the final 30 seconds to secure a Red Storm victory. Over her career, Bailey has shot 79.1 percent from the free throw line, which ranks seventh all-time in program history.
On Jan. 25 against Butler, Bailey smashed the all-time record for games played, making her 135th appearance, the most of any St. John's men's or women's basketball player. The guard has played in 144 games and counting for the Red Storm.
On Monday night, the Long Island native entered the top-10 all-time in scoring after a crucial late game free throw moved her past Sabrina Johnson. Bailey has tallied 1,433 career points during her time in Queens.
Fourth-seeded St. John's will meet fifth-seeded Marquette on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the BIG EAST Quarterfinal on FS2.
2022-23 BIG EAST Awards
Player of the Year
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
Coach of the Year
Joe Tartamella, St. John's
Freshman of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Defensive Player of the Year
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Most Improved Player
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F
Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Sr., F
Sixth-Woman of the Year
Unique Drake, St. John's, Sr., G
All-BIG EAST First Team
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F*
Lou Lopez Senechal, Connecticut, Grad., G/F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Jr., G
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Jr., G/F
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, So., F*
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G*
Chloe Marotta, Marquette, Sr., F
Jayla Everett, St. John's, R-Sr., G*
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall, Sr., G*
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Dorka Juhasz, Connecticut, Grad., F
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Darrione Rogers, DePaul, Jr., G
Sidney Cooks, Seton Hall, Grad., F/C
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Aubrey Griffin, Connecticut, R-Jr., F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Jr. F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Jr., G
Kadaja Bailey, St. John's, R-Sr., G
All-Freshman
Jessica Carrothers, Butler, Fr., G
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, Fr., G
Emily La Chapell, Marquette, Fr., G*
Fernanda Ovalle, Xavier, Fr., G
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's BasketballSt. John's WBB Game 1 Postgame Press Conference 3.7.25
Friday, March 07
Postgame Press Conference St. John's WBB vs Georgetown 2.26.2025
Wednesday, February 26
Post Game Press Conference St. John's WBB vs Butler 2.16.2024
Sunday, February 16
Postgame Press Conference St. John's WBB vs Xavier 2.2.25
Sunday, February 02