By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Mia Nicastro was among the top scorers in NCAA Division I women’s basketball play all season, so it was no surprise the Western Illinois senior was named the Ohio Valley Conference’s player of the year on Tuesday.

The Leathernecks, who shared the conference’s regular-season title with Lindenwood, nearly swept the league’s top honors. JD Gravina was named coach of the year, and Addi Brownfield was named co-defensive player of the year.

Nicastro and Brownfield were first-team all-conference selections. Teammate Mallory Shetley was named to the conference’s all-newcomer team.

Nicastro is among some of the sport’s top names — she is fourth in the nation in scoring at 24.6 points per game, the highest among mid-major players. Only Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo rank ahead of her.

Nicastro also averages 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6%from the field, including 40% percent in 3-pointers. She is also an 89.1% free-throw shooter.

Brownfield averaged 2.2 steals and 1 block per game for a defense that led the OVC in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense and third in 3-point percentage defense. She averaged 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 45.3% from the field, 40.9% in 3-pointers.

Shetley, a transfer from Columbia College, moved into the starting lineup in late December after the season-ending elbow injury to forward Raegan McCowan. Shetley averaged 9.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, shooting 47.3% from the field.

Gravina, in his 15th season with the Leathernecks, led them to a 24-5 overall record, the program’s best season since 2016-17, when that team won the Summit League regular-season and tournament titles and reached the NCAA Tournament.

Brownfield shared her award with Morehead State’s Laura Toffali. SIUE guard Kyoko Proctor was named the conference’s freshman of the year.

Photo: Western Illinois’ Mia Nicastro was named the Ohio Valley Conference’s player of the year on Tuesday. (John Lovretta photo)