Wisconsin adds Patriot League Player of the Year

Avery LaBarbera joins Badger women’s basketball
2021-22 Patriot League Player of Year comes to Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – Head coach Marisa Moseley has announced that Avery LaBarbera, the 2021-22 Patriot League Player of the Year from Holy Cross, will join the Wisconsin women’s basketball team this fall.

“I am elated to have Avery join our Badger family,” said Moseley. “I had the pleasure of coaching against Avery for three years during my time at Boston University. She is a consummate competitor and a phenomenal leader.

“I was able to watch her growth and development throughout the course of her career and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to coach her. Badger fans are in for a treat and I can’t wait to welcome her to Madison.”

In 2021-22, the 5-foot-6 guard led the Crusaders to the Patriot League regular-season title with a 14-4 record as well as a spot in the WNIT post-season tournament, finishing the year 20-11.  LaBarbera finished third in the league with 16.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. She led the Patriot League with a free-throw percentage of 87.1 while ranking second with 2.0 3-pointers per game. LaBarbera also added 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals while playing 36.3 minutes per game. 

“After playing against Coach Moseley for three years in the Patriot League, we developed a bond that made me comfortable spending my last year of eligibility at Wisconsin. Coach Moseley’s knowledge of my game makes me eager to play at a higher level in the Big Ten and I’m excited to see how my game grows under her guidance. Madison is such a great college town and I can’t wait to start.”

For her career, LaBarbera averaged 13.8 points per game, scoring 1,478 points at Holy Cross. She also averaged 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, starting all four years with the Crusaders, playing in 106 games. LaBarbera has career highs of 30 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists and eight steals.

A four-time member of the All-Patriot League team, LaBarbera earned first-team honors in 2021-22, second-team honors in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and third-team awards in 2018-19. She was named the 2018-19 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and was a member of the 2020-21 All-Defensive Team.  LaBarbera earned four Patriot League Player of the Week honors and five Patriot League Rookie of the Week accolades.

A native of Harrison, New York, LaBarbera played five varsity seasons at Harrison High School under coach Louis Kail. She earned four all-league selections, three-time all-section honors, and second-team all-state honors as a junior. LaBarbera was a two-time team caption, aiding Harrison to its first league championship in 2017-18. She also played for Empire State Basketball Club for coach Nick Volchock, helping the team to a national title in 2013.

LaBarbera will graduate from Holy Cross in May with a degree in political science, being named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll twice.