Now that the 2021-22 regular season has wrapped up, three Penn State women’s basketball standouts have earned Big Ten honors.
Makenna Marisa was named first-team All-Big Ten by both the conference’s coaches and media after finishing the regular season ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring (630 points) and averaging 22.5 points per game — the third highest average by a Lady Lion in a single season.
The nation’s eighth-leading scorer, Marisa also tallied 18 20-point games, 13 25-point games, and five 30-point games.
Marisa is the program’s 34th first-team All-Big Ten selection and first since Kamaria McDaniel in 2020.
Leilani Kapinus, after suffering a season-ending injury prior to last season, earned a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman team. She is the 13th Lady Lion to ever receive such a selection.
Kapinus dominated on defense and finished second in the Big Ten in both blocks and steals, totaling 32 and 56, respectively. She became the only Big Ten player with 30-plus blocks and 55-plus steals this season.
She was the Lady Lions’ second-highest scorer with 9.4 points per contest. Her offense continued to grow throughout the season, and she recorded her first career double-double against Rutgers then notched another against Ohio State.
Senior guard Kelly Jekot won Penn State’s Big Ten sportsmanship award for the second straight season. During her final campaign in Happy Valley, Jekot averaged started in 20 games and averaged 3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. Her best game of the season came in late January when she sank four three-pointers against Maryland.
The Lady Lions (11-17, 5-13 Big Ten) face Rutgers (10-19, 3-14) at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Big Ten Network will broadcast the game.
