To little surprise, Georgia Tech forward Lorela Cubaj was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, winning the award outright after sharing it last season.
Cubaj, who has combined size, a physical style and keen anticipation into becoming a defensive force, was also named to the All-ACC first team and the league’s all-defensive team, both for the second year in a row. She earned the all-conference recognition for the teams voted on by both coaches and media.
Cubaj has the highest rebounding average in the ACC for the second year in a row, at 11.5 rebounds per game, which was also 12th in Division I through Monday. Cubaj, a senior, also is first in the ACC and second nationally in defensive rebounds per game at 9.4. She ranks seventh in the conference in blocked shots at 1.3 per game. She has been the centerpiece of a Tech defense that leads the ACC in scoring defense (51.6 points per game) and is second in field-goal percentage defense (35.5%).
Cubaj is also averaging 10.7 points and is second in the ACC with 4.4 assists per game. She becomes just the second Tech player to twice earn first-team All-ACC in team history, following Tyaunna Marshall in 2013-14.
Guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen earned honorable mention on the media’s All-ACC team. Lahtinen leads Tech in scoring with 11.2 points per game and is second on the team with 4.2 assists per game.
Tech begins ACC Tournament play Thursday in Greensboro, N.C., against the winner of the Virginia-Wake Forest first-round game.
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