After the 2014-15 season WVSU women's basketball coach David Smith knew that he needed to add a player capable of putting some points on the scoreboard if his squad was to be competitive this season.
He ended up looking all the way across the Atlantic to Europe and in particular Budapest, Hungary, where he found 5-foot-10 Laura Szorenyi.
Szorenyi ended up leading the Yellow Jackets in scoring and was a big reason they won five more games and moved up two spots in the Mountain East Conference standings.
That effort did not go unnoticed as Szorenyi has been named MEC Freshman of the Year as well as earning second team All-Conference recognition.
"She had an outstanding freshman year and made a big difference for us" Smith said. "This shows the respect she earned from the other coaches."
Szorenyi finished seventh in the conference with a 16.2 scoring average and fourth in free throw percentage sinking 82 percent from the line.
"She is on an amazing streak right now," Smith noted. "She has hit like 45 of her last 47 free throws."
Only one other WVSU player has received this particular award. Chelsey Davis was named Freshman of the Year in the old West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2011.
"It is a nice honor for our program," Smith said. "It is a bright spot for her and for our future."
Besides Szorenyi the Yellow Jackets also have second leading scorer Shea Hines and leading rebounder Shealynn Shafer returning next season.

Here is the entire listing of Mountain East women's basketball honorees for the 2015-16 season.
 

2016 All-MEC First Team
Name	School	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Hometown
Jaila Bryant	Wheeling Jesuit	Sr.	G	5-8	Pickerington, Ohio
Liz Flowers	West Liberty	Sr.	G	5-8	Williamstown, W.Va.
Kailee Howe	West Liberty	Sr.	G	5-10	Zanesville, Ohio
Chyress Lockhart	Charleston	Sr.	G	5-6	Euclid, Ohio
Martha Nagbe	Notre Dame	Sr.	G	5-7	Lakewood, Ohio
Danie Shafer	Urbana	So.	G	5-8	Huber Heights, Ohio
Kierra Simpson	West Liberty	Sr.	F	5-11	Columbus, Ohio
Mari Stewart	W.Va. Wesleyan	So.	F	6-0	Templeton, Calif.
2016 All-MEC Second Team
Name	School	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Hometown
Morgan Arden	Shepherd	So.	G	5-5	Hanover, Pa.
Kennedy Boggs	Urbana	So.	G	5-5	Delphos, Ohio
Brittany Jackson	Glenville State	Jr.	G	5-8	Montgomery Village, Md.
Lauren Langenderfer	Notre Dame	Sr.	G	5-8	Lyons, Ohio
Paris McLeod	Glenville State	So.	G	5-5	Belleville, Mich.
Amanda Ruffner	Fairmont State	Jr.	F	5-10	Procotorville, Ohio
Laura Szorenyi	W.Va. State	Fr.	G	5-10	Budapest, Hungary
Makenzie White	Fairmont State	Jr.	G	5-9	Madison, W.Va.
2016 All-MEC Honorable Mention
Name	School	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Hometown
Mariah Callen	Wheeling Jesuit	So.	G	5-4	Morgantown, W.Va.
Blair Harding	UVa-Wise	Sr.	G	5-8	Baltimore, Md.
Kiara Johnson	Charleston	Sr.	F/C	6-2	Jacksonville, Fla.
Liz Myers	Shepherd	Jr.	F	5-11	York, Pa.
Taylor Sandidge	UVa-Wise	Jr.	G	5-5	Waynesboro, Va.
Player of the Year: Kierra Simpson (West Liberty) Freshman of the Year: Laura Szorenyi (West Virginia State) Coach of the Year: Lynn Ullom (West Liberty)