Fauntleroy Named American Conference Co-Defensive Player, Newcomer of the Year
March 09, 2026 | Women's Basketball
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Fauntleroy, a senior native of Upper Marlboro, Md., becomes the fifth Defensive Player of the Year in seven seasons of the Kim McNeill era for the Pirates—the program had no such honorees prior. She is the program's second American Newcomer of the Year (I'Tiana Taylor, 2015) and earns the seventh First-Team nod for ECU since joining the American. She joins Danae McNeal as the only players in program history to win two major postseason awards in the same year (McNeal earned Defensive and Most Improved Player honors in 2022-23).
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To say these honors are well deserved would be an understatement. In the regular season, Fauntleroy compiled a stat sheet of 427 points, 152 assists, 106 rebounds, 84 steals and 24 blocks. Her point, assist, steal and block totals are all team highs.
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In the final regular season game at Tulsa, she became just the third individual in program history to record 400 points and 150 assists in a single season, joining Sam Jones (1981-82) and Jasmine Young (2006-07 and 2007-08). Her 84 steals rank ninth in a single season in program history. She is the first player in ECU history with 400 points, 150 assists and 80 steals in a single season. She is the first guard to lead ECU in blocks in a season since Khadidja Toure led the 2016-17 squad with 20.
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Fauntleroy has been a leader for a team which has had uncommon offensive depth. She leads the team with 24 games in double figures scoring (scoring 15+ 13 times), but she's also helped the Pirates to having four players averaging double-figure points for just the seventh time ever. She's helped six players (herself included) to making 15-or-more three-point shots for the first time ever. And she's done so tangibly, she's got 13 games of five-or-more assists and has six games with eight-or-more.
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In conference play, she's elevated herself to a different plane, averaging 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game while nabbing 48 of her 84 steals against league foes. In conference games, Fauntleroy ranks fourth in the American in scoring, first in assists and third in steals. But for Rice's historic season, led by American Player of the Year Victoria Flores, the Pirates may have had their third league Player of the Year in program history.
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Then again, Fauntleroy, as mentioned previously, didn't do it above, and that was borne out by the rest of the awards with Rembert taking home her well-deserved Third Team All-Conference nod.
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Rembert, a senior from Raleigh, has averaged 10.3 points and 4.4 rebounds this season, and like Fauntleroy has expanded her efforts in league play. Against American Conference opponents, her averages swell to 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds to go with 34 assists, 18 steals and 12 blocks.
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Rembert's docket of performances includes some to remember, including a 10-10 effort from the foul line in a win over Memphis, or moments of defensive brilliants taking two critical charges in the final minutes of a road win at Charlotte—her former school. But what will be remembered for the longest was her 27-point, 11-rebounds outing against UAB in which the senior knocked down the game-winning three-point shot with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime. It was ECU's first game-winning bucket with under five seconds left since the fall of 2022.
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Additionally, Rembert has proven herself a presence, particularly defensively, that doesn't always show up on stat sheets. A long and agile defender, she is able to trouble her opponents as a key cog in what is another stellar ECU defense which ranks in the top 25 in the NCAA in turnovers forced and turnover margin.
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With some accolades in hand, the Pirates will turn their attention to the American Conference Tournament where they have earned a double bye and await their opponent for a 9 p.m. ET semifinal contest on Friday, March 13 at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Ala.
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Full Conference Honors
Player of the Year
Victoria Flores, Jr., G, Rice
Defensive Player of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Sr., G, East Carolina
Megan Nestor, Sr., F, North Texas
Freshman of the Year
Mecailin Marshall, Fr., G, Tulane
Most Improved Player
Shelby Hayes, Sr., C, Rice
Sixth Player of the Year
Louann Battiston, Jr., G, Rice
Newcomer of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Sr., G, East Carolina
Ambassador Award
Hailey Adams, R-Jr., G, Rice
Coach of the Year
Lindsay Edmonds, Rice*
First Team All-Conference
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Sr., G, East Carolina
Megan Nestor, Sr., F, North Texas
Victoria Flores, Jr., G, Rice
Dominique Ennis, Sr., G, Rice
Hannah Riddick, R-Sr., F, Tulsa
Second Team All-Conference
Aysia Proctor, Jr., G, North Texas
Carla Brito, Sr., F, South Florida
Kaylah Turner, Jr., G, Temple
Cheyenne Rowe, Sr., F, UTSA
Mady Cartwright, Jr., G, Tulsa
Third Team All-Conference
Princess Anderson, Sr., G, Charlotte
Keanna Rembert, East Carolina
Shelby Hayes, Sr., C, Rice
Edyn Battle, Gr., G, South Florida
Stefanie Ingram, R-Jr., G, South Florida
All-Newcomer Team
Tanajah Hayes, Gr., G, Charlotte
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Sr., G, East Carolina*
Daejah Richmond, Jr., G, Memphis
Megan Nestor, Sr., F, North Texas*
Louann Battiston, Jr., G, Rice
Edyn Battle, Gr., G, South Florida
Katie Davidson, Gr., G, South Florida
Saniyah Craig, Jr., F, Temple
Kanija Daniel, Jr., G, Tulane
Mecailin Marshall, G, Tulane
Dora Toman, Fr., G, Tulsa
All-Defensive Team
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Sr., G, East Carolina
Daejah Richmond, Jr., G, Memphis
Megan Nestor, Sr., F, North Texas
Hailey Adams, R-Jr., G, Rice
Cheyenne Rowe, Sr., F, UTSA
* denotes unanimous selection
