GORHAM – Senior Ashley Marble of the University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team has been named the 2007 D3hoops.com National Player of the Year.

A 5-foot-9 forward, Topsfield’s Marble is repeating as a first-team D3hoops.com All-American, earning the honor as a junior. Marble was a third-team selection following her sophomore year in 2005.

Joining Marble on the first team are seniors Taryn Mellody of Scranton, Kelsey Duoss of Wisconsin-Stout and juniors Crystal Hoewisch of Carroll and Lindsay Ippell of Milliken.

“Ashley Marble represented the heart and soul of a Division III basketball player,” said D3hoops.com publisher Pat Coleman.

“Not only was she a phenomenal player from a statistical perspective this season, but she played with the highest levels of energy and emotion in willing her team to a conference championship and NCAA appearance. She is a very worthy selection for the player of the year honors.”

Recently named a Kodak/WBCA Division III All-American, Marble played in all 30 games this season and averaged 23.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.6 percent from the floor, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range.

“I am very happy for Ashley,” USM coach Gary Fifield said. “She has had a tremendous career capped by one of the best single-season efforts ever by a Southern Maine women’s basketball player. She has been a great leader by example on and off of the court and is very deserving of this honor.”

Among the numerous awards received this season for her play, Marble was named the Little East Conference Player of the Year for the third consecutive season and the Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year and the D3hoops.com Northeast Region Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Marble was also named the New England Women’s Basketball Association Player of the Year and was selected to the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic. In addition, she was named a first team all-star by all four organizations.

Excelling in the classroom, Marble was named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year for the College Division and a first-team Academic All-America. Marble completed her four-year career with 1,981 points and 1,157 rebounds. She is ranked second all-time in career points at USM and holds the school record for rebounds.