Aiken, Fowler-Reid named winners of Conference MVP awards

Aiken, Fowler-Reid named winners of Conference MVP awards

Jamaican duo Romelda Aiken (Mission Queensland Firebirds) and Jhaniele Fowler-Reid (Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel) have been named this season’s Most Valuable Players in the Australian and New Zealand Conferences.

Separate MVP awards were introduced to the competition this season to recognise the most outstanding player from both Conferences and ANZ Championship General Manager Andy Crook said both athletes are deserving winners.

“I am genuinely pleased for Romelda and Jhaniele as both are exciting players that contribute so much to why the ANZ Championship is one of the world’s great female sporting competitions,” Crook said.

It’s the third time that Aiken has won an MVP award and first since 2009. She was joint winner in the inaugural season in 2008. Fowler-Reid was the competition’s MVP winner in her debut season in 2013.

Aiken and Fowler-Reid have again been among the dominant goal shooters in the ANZ Championship this season, both scoring more than 500 goals for the third consecutive year along with West Coast Fever’s Caitlin Bassett.

Aiken said she was “genuinely shocked” when told of her success.

“Everyone in the competition has improved so much this year and I think anyone could have won this award,” Aiken said.

“I am very grateful for this honour and I want to show my appreciation to my teammates. The girls are always pushing me and they believe in me and it’s an amazing feeling to know that others have appreciated what I do out on court.”

Fowler-Reid said she was excited to receive the MVP award – adding to an impressive haul since her inaugural season which has included the 2013 Best New Talent award and selection in the Foxtel ANZ Championship-All Star team for consecutive years.

“I’m happy definitely – it’s an honour to be recognised as MVP over so many other talented players,” Fowler-Reid said.

“My teammates play a big role in this. I can’t do this without them and I wouldn’t be the player I am without them. The confidence that they have in me, just giving me some ridiculous balls and knowing I will haul it in, they push me to show my potential.”

Aiken and her Firebirds teammates await the winner of tonight’s Australian Conference Elimination Final between the NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever in Sunday’s Australian Conference Final in Brisbane.

Steel is making their first finals appearance since 2010 in Saturday’s New Zealand Conference Elimination Final against Kia Magic in Hamilton for the right to take on the SKYCITY Mystics in the New Zealand Conference Final on Monday night in Auckland.

The 2015 ANZ Championship Finals Series gets underway on Friday night with the NSW Swifts hosting West Coast Fever in the Australian Conference Elimination Final at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre at 7.18pm (AEST).

The New Zealand Conference Elimination Final between the Kia Magic and Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel will be played at 3.10pm (NZT) on Saturday, 6 June at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton.

The two Conference Elimination Final winners will progress onto the Conference Finals in Australia and New Zealand to face the Mission Queensland Firebirds and Mystics respectively.

Don’t miss a minute of action with the 2015 ANZ Championship Finals Series broadcast live on SKY Sport 1 in New Zealand and FOX SPORTS in Australia. ONE will show a replay of the Australian Conference Elimination Final from 8.30am on Saturday morning.

ENDS

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