Naia Pulliam voted 2025 PSAC East Athlete of the Year, joins Leila Hurley on All-PSAC teams

Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) became the first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year for Kutztown University women's basketball in 26 years and just the third in program history, as she joined Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) being voted All-PSAC East by the league's head coaches.

Pulliam earned First Team recognition for the third straight season and Hurley was recognized on the Second Team, her first postseason accolade.

There have been just two other Athletes of the Year for the Golden Bears, Amy Wahl in 1998-99 and Patty Gruber in 1987-88.

Pulliam joins former teammate Rylee Derr as a three-time All-PSAC First Teamer. There are three other women's basketball student-athletes in program history that have been voted to the First Team three different times, including Melissa McQuade, Amy Wahl and Robin Avery.

The senior from Wilmington, Del., has had her best season in Maroon and Gold to date, starting 29 of the 31 games played. She currently is averaging a career-high 17.0 points per game, which ranks third in the PSAC, and is hauling in a career-best 5.7 rebounds per game. Pulliam also has highs in assists (59), blocks (23) and steals (32). Her 48.8 shooting percentage from the floor is fourth-best in the conference and she's also made a career-high 55 3-pointers.

Hurley is a lights-out shooter from long distance or short range. Opposing teams always have to account for her on the defensive end because of the amount of shots she has connected on this season. The junior from Jim Thorpe has taken on a much bigger role this season, starting in 26-of-28 games played. She played in 45 games over the course of her first two seasons, but did not make any starts.

Those extra minutes this season (29.4 per game) have been well-earned as she is averaging 11.3 ppg, second on KU, and has connected on 65 3-pointers at a 37.4% clip, second-best in the PSAC. Hurley is currently making 2.3 3s per game, tied for third-most in the conference. She is also averaging 2.5 rpg and has a career-best 28 steals.