Bitinaitis, Njie Selected as GNAC All-Sportsmanship Honorees

WINTHROP, Mass. – The announcement of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) postseason awards for basketball includes the All-Sportsmanship Teams, with senior Gibou Njie (Miramar, Fla.) and junior Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, Conn.) representing their respective squads as announced by the league office Monday.

Njie appeared in 25 games during the 2019-20 season, including two starts, as he averaged 2.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He scored seven points in a game three times: against NCAA Tournament participant Babson Dec. 31, at Norwich Feb. 8, and at Suffolk Feb. 22. In the Norwich game, he also pulled down eight rebounds as the Pride defeated the Cadets by 22 points.

"Gibou does the little things, including taking charges and grabbing offensive rebounds, but most importantly he supports his teammates. He sacrificed personal success for overall team success, and that's the sign of true sportsmanship, doing it the right way. He's a great representation of what the award means," head men's basketball coach Nate Hager said.

Bitinaitis, one of the team captains this past season, started all 26 games she appeared in for the second consecutive season, averaging 6.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for the Pride. She scored a season-high 13 points in Regis' 54-51 victory over Colby-Sawyer Feb. 4, but she contributed to the team's success in other ways numerous times, including a seven-rebound, seven-assist effort in the Pride's first win of the season against Clark Nov. 17.

"Nikki is one of the most high character teammates and competitors on any given night. She sets the example of energy when things are going right and of composure when adversity hits. As our point guard, she holds herself to the standard of creating our tempo, and she does so in a way that is of class and respect," head women's basketball coach Angela Santa Fe said.

The All-GNAC Sportsmanship Team in each sport is comprised of one student-athlete from each team who displays outstanding sportsmanship.