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Posting Up - Scoreboard - Top 25 - Features - Notables - Team of the Week - Live Audio |
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A look at the upcoming season 2000-01 season |
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Alvernia A quick scan of that roster and you will note that only one of those nine first-year players tops 5-7 and of the upperclassmen, only one player betters 5-8. Fans of Alvernia women's basketball often ask head coach Kevin Calabria why he doesn't recruit more height, to which he responds, "I would rather coach girls with great athletic ability that are good basketball players. Height, by itself, means very little in this game. Good foot speed and a basketball instinct are the keys to this game." And with that you have the ingredients of this season's Lady Cruaders. Led by junior All-American candidate Tanisha Giddens (Reading, Pa./Reading) and the only senior on the squad, a lighting quick point guard Caroline Wabby (Pottsville, Pa./Blue Mountain), the team has the characteristics that Calabria loves, speed and basketball savvy. Calabria is excited about this season's prospects. "We will be young, but I like the spirit of this squad," says Calabria, "The freshman class is terrific. They have added a friskiness that wasn't present on last year's team. They all want to play and are very coachable. I like the fact that they are not afraid to compete for playing time. They make everyone work harder." The incoming class includes a number of players that could see significant minutes for the Crusaders this season. Sarra Hager (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) already has a season's worth of collegiate athletic experience under her belt. She was a starting forward on the soccer team, and she showed no ill effects of adjusting to the college atmosphere. All she did was go out and establish a new career record for scoring while leading the conference in goals and points. Jahshuna Govens (Chester, Pa./Chester) has tremendous athletic ability and could prove to be a headache for teams that choose to focus on stopping Giddens. Jen Sawyer (Taneytown, Md./Francis Scott Key) has had a very impressive preseason and could see a number of quality minutes in the Alvernia lineup this winter. To match the incoming freshmen, Calabria has a core of returning sophomores that will solidify the Maroon and Gold. Emily Zuber (Frackville, Pa./North Schuylkill) will start at forward after averaging almost 3.5 points per game a season ago. She was named to the All-Tournament team at the Naismith Classic in Springfield, Mass., last Christmas. Debbie Hillman (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) and Kathy Lauritsen (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) are outstanding shooters and will be counted on to help break down zone defenses. According to Calabria, "The three sophomores have worked hard during the offseason. They are great young leaders." As is often said, offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships, and at Alvernia it is expected that the key to the season will lie in the defensive effort. To compliment their proven offensive ability, Calabria expects big things from co-captains Wabby and Giddens on the defensive side of the ball. The returners must play solid basketball until the freshmen can adjust to Calabria's system here at Alvernia. According to Calabria, the freshman class is as good as any class Alvernia has ever had. He wants them to "first adjust to college life, and basketball will eventually be the easy part." They are very athletic and have the potential to do great things this season. "If things come together for us, we could be very good into the month of March," says Calabria, "and that is the thing that drives me and my coaching staff. The NCAA Tournament, that's the goal." Bethany The Bison return four starters from a team that went 22-5, won its second consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship and made its second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, losing its first round game 71-66 in overtime at Messiah. With that season in the past, Bethany Head Coach Jina Skinner DeRubbo, who has a 53-25 record in three years, says her team has had a solid preseason. "I think preseason has gone well overall," said Skinner DeRubbo. "With five freshmen on the roster, things have gone up and down because we are trying to put so much in such a short time that it has become frustrating at times to everyone. But the work ethic has been outstanding and there are signs that this it's going to be a better and more balanced team than what we had last year." While Bethany returns six letterwinners from last year, Skinner DeRubbo scored a stellar recruiting class. Five freshmen come in, including three players over 6-0. All are expected to contribute right away. "We are expecting the freshmen to contribute right away," said Skinner DeRubbo. "They have to get the jitters out of their system by Christmas because I won't treat them like freshmen at that point. But they have great examples in front of them to see how we want things done, so I see all five getting comfortable quickly and helping us immediately." The position where the youth will have the biggest impact will be in the post. Senior Jill Kamerer (19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds) and junior Raquel Burns (10.4 points, 9.1 rebounds) return but newcomers Shannon Boyle, Miki Murad and Kelly Richardson will give the Bison much needed depth in post. "We are deeper in the post with more quality players than we've ever had here," said Skinner DeRubbo. "What I like about the post is that we have players with different style. We can put in a line-up with power players who can just pound the ball down low or finesse players who can step out and hit the 15-footer. No matter who we have in there, we will definitely be a better rebounding team." Kamerer's return means the Bison will have their go-to person. She has 1,363 career points, 273 away from the Bethany all-time scoring record set last year by Rose Scott. "Obviously, Jill brings a lot to the team statistically," said Skinner DeRubbo. "But she is also a great leader on this team. Everybody gets better around her in practice because she works so hard and never has a bad day. She is an excellent example for the younger players." At the point guard spot, Bethany has two upperclassmen returning to spearhead the attack. Junior Nicole Naccarato (4.4 points, 2.9 assists, 2.6 steals), returns as the starter, with sophomore Kiki Cohen (3.9 points, 1.5 assists) ready to slide over from the shooting guard spot to provide depth. "I feel very comfortable at point guard because Nicole proved herself last year," said Skinner DeRubbo. "She is a very consistent player who sets up everybody on offense and applies a lot of pressure on defense. "And whenever Nicole may need a break, Kiki has been playing as well as she ever has at both guard positions, and we would not miss a beat with her running the show." On the wing, Skinner DeRubbo has five players that can provide quality minutes. Along with Cohen, senior Natalie Nickerson (4.1 points, 3.3 rebounds) and sophomore Kristy Baker (2.5 points) return. Added to the mix will be freshmen Katie Hardie and Katie Tetzlaw to give Bethany many options at shooting guard and small forward. "We have five people who can play those two spots and do very well," said Skinner DeRubbo. "Just like in the post, we have a lot of versatility. We have people who are excellent three-point shooters, good ball handlers and even post up and get us points in the low blocks. We can show a lot of different looks from the wing positions." When asked to handicap the PAC race, Skinner DeRubbo said all five teams can make a run at the Bison if her team isn't ready for the challenge. "With winning the Conference two years in a row, everybody is going to be gunning for us," said Skinner DeRubbo. "We have to bring the same intensity to the floor every night against each team because all of the PAC teams are capable of knocking us off if we aren't completely ready." As for goals for the season, Bethany hasn't changed them from last season. "Our goals are the same as they were last year," said Skinner DeRubbo. "We want to win 20 games, win the PAC championship and go to the NCAA Tournament. We set a goal to advance in the tournament but we can't worry about that until we're there. "We also have to be ready to play every game," said Skinner DeRubbo. "We should be a better all-around team this year because we have more depth and balance than we've had in past years. But, we have to be ready to play every game this year because we don't have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. We need 20 wins to have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, so we have to stay focused on every game." Delaware
Valley The Aggies reached the MAC postseason in 1998-99 as they notched an 18-9 record. The team dropped to 8-16 last year but hung in playoff contention until the last week of the season. Topping the list of returnees is senior point guard Alisa DiBonaventura. The two-time MAC Freedom second-team All-Star led all of NCAA women's basketball with an average of 8.5 assists per game (205 in 24 games). DiBonaventura also averaged 10.2 points per game. Junior forward/guards Kristen Henry and Lauren Snyder are also back. Henry finished second on the team last year in both scoring (13.1 avg) and rebounding (5.2 avg). Snyder led the team and placed third in the conference with 8.5 rebounds per game. She also added 9.6 points an outing. Senior Alexis Metzger started 18 games at center a year ago. She averaged 3.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Sophomore Lorie Khalil backed up Metzger and averaged 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 18 games. Guards Becky Oakley and Ambler Smolinsky will look to replace four-time MAC Freedom All-Star and DVC all-time leading scorer Jeanne Waznak (1,865 points) in the starting rotation. Oakley, a junior, averaged 3.8 points per game last year while Smolinsky, a sophomore, notched 8.4 points and 2.9 rebounds a contest. Delaware Valley addressed its biggest need by recruiting three players that are 5-11 or taller, including 6-3 Sarah Tuffner. Elizabethtown Among the top point scorers returning for the Blue Jays is the senior tandem of Abbie Fabian and Carmen Chiles. Fabian led the team with 17.3 points per game and 37 blocked shots and reaching the 1,000-point mark as a junior. Chiles was second on the team with 13.6 points per game and 64 assists en route to being named a Commonwealth All-Star. She enters the season only 107 points away from reaching 1,000 for her career. The other player returning with a points per game average in double digits is center Whitney Bull, who averaged 11.0 points and led the team with 8.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. Also returning for the Blue Jays is fellow center Jamie Porter, whose .778 career free throw percentage through her first two seasons is the fourth-best in the history of the program. Sophomore Tameka Jackson is the final returning member of the Blue Jay frontcourt, who will return to the team at midseason after struggling with injuries toward the end of last season. In the first two-thirds of the year, she shot 53.8% from the field and was one of Etown's most physical players. Controlling the pace of things will be returning point guards Stephanie Scinto and Sandra Lopez, both of whom are also threats from the three point line in addition to being playmakers. Among the incoming freshmen, one can count two league All-Stars and one player who set a school record for most three-pointers in a season. Gettysburg With three starters lost to graduation and four juniors abroad until early December, 12th-year head coach Mike Kirkpatrick will be without seven players from his 1999-2000 rotation when the Bullets tip off at the Frostburg St. Invitational on Nov. 17. "I'm cautiously optimistic, but I don't know what we're capable of yet," said Kirkpatrick of the 2000-01 campaign. "We obviously graduated three seniors who had tremendous experience and we have some people that aren't with us at this point who played a lot last year. I don't think we're going to go 24-0 in the regular season, but that's our goal. We want to win the first one, then do the same thing for the second game and so on. It's going to be a little tougher, because we don't have the depth at this point." Gone from last year's 13-10 squad that finished third in the Centennial Conference West division are forwards Carrie Kulp and Megan McDonald, and center Jamie Dawson, a trio that combined for 30.6 points and 19.1 rebounds per game last season. Studying abroad in Australia during the fall semester are two-year starting point guard Mandy Wilson (McClure, Pa./Indian Valley), back-up point guard Jen Nolan (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley), shooting guard Kelsey Williams (Wanamie, Pa./Greater Nanticoke) and forward Katie Havens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Wissahickon [Pa.]). Thanks to a one-month delay in their studies caused by the 2000 Summer Olympics, the quartet will miss the team's first seven games before returning to practice around the second week of December. "It's going to have a tremendous effect, because we're talking about four players who at some point in time started," said Kirkpatrick. "They'll miss four conference games, all of which are big games. I'm hoping when they come back, it will be a thunderbolt that takes us to another level, because of the depth and skill it will add to our team." Front and center among the Bullets who will be present from Day One is junior Steph Drevna (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic), the squad's top shooting guard who is poised for a breakout season in 2000-01. An all-conference honorable mention last season, she scored in double figures 11 times in 20 games last season and finished second on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game. Drevna, who could also see time at small forward, led the squad with 12.4 field goal attempts per game last year, a trend that should continue this season. "We're expecting her to have a gigantic year," said Kirkpatrick. "She has gradually come into her own and now she is ready to take over. She's someone we're looking to, to handle it as much as she can, to score as much as she can and to shoot as much as she can. She is (also) capable of making things happen for others." Joining Drevna in the shooter's role will be senior Sarah Payne (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) and freshman Dana Bear (Lansdale, Pa./Lansdale). Payne, one of the team's co-captains this season, averaged 2.7 points per game in 17 appearances last season and is a career 42.5% shooter from 3-point range. Bear also has the potential to fill the nets, after graduating from Lansdale Catholic High School as that program's second all-time leading scorer. "Sarah is capable of scoring 10 points in a three- to five-minute span, because she can really knock down the three," said Kirkpatrick. "If you make a mistake and leave her alone, you're in trouble. I think that's what she does well. Dana is a mobile shooter, she gets down the floor pretty well, and she can do a little bit of everything. I think she will be a nice player." Williams should also reprise her role as a spot starter or one of the first Bullets off the bench when she returns this season. The junior made five starts among her 23 appearances in 1999-2000, averaging 7.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while scoring in double figures five times. Although the Gettysburg offense won't feature a traditional point guard in the early going, newcomer Adrienne Simmons (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) could hold down the ball-handling chores until Wilson and Nolan return. The freshman was a second-team all-county player and the Female Athlete of the Year at Daniel Boone High School in her senior year. Wilson made 22 starts last season, averaging 5.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and a team-high 2.4 assists per game. She also showed her rebounding prowess with a career-best 10 boards against Frostburg State. Nolan -- called "the team's best ball-handler" by Kirkpatrick -- averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game last season while dishing out 41 assists in 22 games. Freshman guards Amanda Cecil (New York, N.Y./Marymount School) and Jenna McRee (Norwich, Vt./Hanover [N.H.]) will also compete for minutes in the Bullet backcourt. Cecil was an all-conference player at the Marymount School while McRee led her high school squad in scoring during her senior season. For all the scoring potential among the
Bullet guards, it's the frontcourt Hewes, who herself studied abroad in the first semester of her junior year, tallied seven points and four rebounds in seven games last season. The senior will have an expanded role in 2000-01. "I see Katie getting more time because she is going to play at least three positions for us," explained Kirkpatrick. "She may guard the opponent's center and I think she is capable of doing that, because she does the little things. She is the person on our team, whether she's starting or coming off the bench, that can add a lot of intangibles." Dallas averaged 0.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 14 appearances last season, slowed by injuries most of the year. Hodge showed flashes of her ability to dominate a game, averaging 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in all 23 games a year ago. Both worked extensively on their shooting skills in the offseason. "They're the key. I really feel that how they go, so we go because of the rebounding aspect," said Kirkpatrick of his frontcourt trio. "Cory put a lot of time in during the offseason and it's really showing. She got our hustle award for the first week of practice and I don't know that anyone is going to take it from her. Jay is an exciting player. When she is really focused, she can dominate a game." Havens, who played both guard and forward
during her first two seasons, averaged 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per
game in 22 outings last year. Sophomore Colleen Bruce (Fridley,
Minn./Fridley) also brings experience to the Freshman Karyn Waszmer (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) will bolster the forward spot following an all-county career at Mt. Sinai High School. Although Kirkpatrick is adjusting the Bullets' offense to his shifting personnel, the team's run-and-gun style will remain in effect for 2000-01. "We're really trying to pick up the pace," said Kirkpatrick of the team's offensive strategy. "Because we have enough players who can shoot medium range shots, we are trying to push it up. Our philosophy is 'don't be shy, let it fly.' We have a couple of new offensive sets we're running to take advantage of some of our scorers." The coach is also hopeful that adding Drevna, Hodge and Dallas to the defensive side of the equation will add a new dimension to the team's full-court press. "Defensively, Steph is capable of stealing the ball in the corner and shooting a three right where she steals it," said Kirkpatrick. "And having Cory out there is going to be a big change. There is a big difference when you can press and have a 6-1 player in the back who can reject it." Once again, the Bullets' stiffest competition in the Centennial Conference West Division will be three-time conference champions Johns Hopkins University and Franklin & Marshall College, last year's second-place squad. Gettysburg is seeking its third playoff berth in the Centennial's eight years and its first since the 1996-97 season. King's A year ago, coach Bryan Whitten's Lady Monarchs concluded their most successful season ever with a 24-6 record, a runner-up finish in the MAC tourney, and a berth in the Sweet 16. King's returns 12 players who will attempt to make up for the graduation of 2000 D3hoops.com Team of the Year member and two-time MAC Freedom most valuable player Joanne Polakoski, as well as starting small forward Stephanie Schneider. Senior 5'9" guard/forward Denise Igo (Wilmington, Del./Padua Academy) leads the way after netting 11.7 ppg, 5.6 rebs, and 3.1 assists and is expected to return to her natural small forward position after playing point-guard last season after an injury to a teammate. Junior forward Fran Monte (Highland lakes, N.J./Vernon Twp.) also returns after coming of the bench to average 11.0 points to rank third on the team with 3.8 boards. Sophomore guard Nikki Kingston (Spring City, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) is also a returning starter who averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds while proving to be a big-game performer with clutch, late-game three-point shooting in a trio of postseason games as a precocious rookie last season. Also back in the lineup as a returning starting center is senior Maggie Widdoes (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) who added 4.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Whitten will also return another key bench player in sophomore guard Katie Bowes (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) who averaged 4.0 points and 2.1 assists while providing outstanding defense. King's will greatly benefit form the return of 5-5 point guard Tiffini Varrasse (Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy) who tore her anterior cruciate ligament in game-four as a rookie but has been granted freshman eligibility by the NCAA as a medical redshirt. Varrasse, who was named to the all-tournament team in helping King's win the prestigious Marymount Tip-Off Classic, averaged 8.8 points and 3.8 assists, and 3.8 steals at the time of her injury. A host of young sophomore players who saw part-time action as reserves will now get their chance to contribute. With the loss of Polakoski, the Lady Monarchs will obviously lose one their all-time great players in the paint. Post players looking to step in and contribute include physical 6-0 center April Tanner (Danville, Pa./Danville), a 1,000-point scorer in high school who has greatly improved her game in the offseason. Whitten will also look to 6-4 center Katie Harrison (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) for inside relief. In the backcourt, 5-4 guard Janae DiPippa (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) will also add depth at guard will providing an additional three-point threat. Top freshmen include Maryland first-team all-state choice Jennie Orelli (Mt. Airy, Md./Urbana), a 5-10 guard-forward who averaged 15.3 points per game as a senior while draining 61 three-point field goals. Promising 5-11 power forward Heather Roback (Wanamie, Pa./Nanticoke Area) is a former Wyoming Valley Conference divisional most valuable player selection who averaged 15.8 points per game. Hilary Hayes (Mays Landing, N.J./St. Joseph), an athletic 5-8 off guard, as well as 6-0 forward-center Katie Linkchorst (Barnesville, Pa./Marian Catholic) are rookies also looking to contribute. Misericordia The most obvious change is on the sidelines where Christine Lardon takes over has head coach. However, one thing that hasn't changed is the team's expectations. "Our goal is to contine the winning tradition that Misericordia has developed in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference," said Lardon. "I'm excited to take over a program with such an outstanding history of success." The Cougars enjoyed their eighth consecutive winning season a year ago (12-11) and made their seventh straight PAC playoff appearance. Misericordia returns seven letter winners, including two starters, from last season. Kristy Boyd returns at shooting guard while and Leslie Livingstone returns at point guard. Boyd, one of two seniors on the team, averaged 9.7 points a game last year and will be counted on for increased offensive production this season. "Kristy is our most experienced scorer," said Lardon. "We'll look to her for offense this season." Livingstone led the PAC in assists with 6.1 per game as a freshman and set school records for assists in a game (10) and in a season (141). Livingstone was fifth in Division III in assists and 24th in steals. "Leslie is a proven leader," said Lardon. "She runs the show for us on offense and is our catalyst on defense She will be even better with a year of experience." Other returning letterwinners include Kelly Burns, Tiffany Dickinson, Monica Krenzer, Sandy Olm and Lori Weller. Sophomore Jane Berlinger returns at forward after missing the second semester last year. Weller and Krenzer are both two-year letter winners who should have expanded roles this season. Weller is a guard while Krenzer is a forward. Olm, a sophomore, also returns at forward after splitting time between guard and forward last season. She and Berlinger are expected to start at forward. Burns and Dickinson provide depth at the guard positions. The Cougars will benefit from a talented recruiting class featuring seven freshmen and one junior college transfer. Meghan Evans will help at forward after two
seasons at the junior college level. Corrigan will likely join Livingstone and Boyd in the three-guard lineup. "We have some very talented newcomers who will make an immediate impact for us," said Lardon. "We should have much more depth than last season." Lardon hopes that depth will enable the Cougars to advance past the first round of the PAC playoffs. "We want to improve on last year's record and get past the first round of the PAC playoffs," said Lardon. "We hope to use our depth to our advantage." Moravian The Greyhounds suffered through a 4-20 campaign a year ago with three freshmen and a sophomore as the main contributors after 19 consecutive winning seasons. Spirk begins her 14th season at the helm of the Greyhounds with those four players back as well as three other players and a strong recruiting class. "We're excited about this season with the return of seven players and the addition of Kristie Sarnocinski and our freshmen class," coach Spirk said. "We should be even more competitive than last year and we may surprise some people." Sophomore forward Kelly McLean (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury HS) led the Greyhounds in most everything last season including points per game at 13.0 and rebounds per contest at 7.5. McLean also led the squad in field goals (108), field goals attempted (230), field goal percentage (.470), free throws (95), free throws attempted (146) and blocked shots (28). Sophomore guard Tara Wozniak (Roseland, N.J./West Essex Regional HS) led the Greyhounds in three-pointers (45), three-pointers attempted (132) and three-point field goal percentage (.341) while scoring 10.2 points per game. Wozniak added 101 rebounds, 32 steals and 14 blocked shots. Sophomore guard Jennifer Tannous (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty HS) came off the bench last season to score 5.6 points per game and she was third to Wozniak with 18 three-pointers. Tannous also added 48 rebounds, 16 assists and 15 steals. Also back for the Greyhounds this season is senior point guard Jill Kenny (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick HS). Kenny, who made a three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat arch-rival Muhlenberg College last year, made 53 assists last winter and also added 50 points and 32 rebounds. Junior forward Mary Morgans (Center Valley, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic HS) is the only junior on the squad that has two seniors, five sophomores and seven freshmen. Morgans, who was second on the team last season with 7.1 rebounds a game and contributed 5.4 points per night, will be out until at least late January after surgery. Morgans added 31 assists and 43 steals. "Mary's injury will hamper us some because we lose her leadership and hustle but again our freshmen group is ready to step up and fill Mary's shoes until she is ready to come back," Spirk stated. Senior guard Jan Golden (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore HS) is back for her final season. Golden had 46 points last winter. Sophomore Kristen Sarnocinski (Harleysville, Pa./Germantown Academy) should also make an immediate impact after missing last season with a knee injury. The Greyhounds will be an improved team with the addition of freshmen guards Kim Hughes (Manasquan, N.J./St. Rose HS), Kim Smith (Gilbert/Pleasant Valley HS), Sarah Onkotz (Catasauqua/Catasauqua HS), Jackie Buschta (Whitehall/Allentown Central Catholic HS) and center/forward Tracie Shipman (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan HS). Hughes was a New Jersey All-State player as a senior and All-Conference for three seasons while Smith and Onkotz each scored over 1,000 points in high school and were three-time All-League players. Moravian hopes to challenge for a berth in the MAC Commonwealth playoffs this season and have a chance for the automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Greyhounds open against Freedom Conference power Allentown before traveling to Muskingum College with Methodist and Denison in Ohio for a tournament the weekend after Thanksgiving. Pitt-Greensburg The Bobcats must combat the loss of guard Jamie Sweeney to graduation. Sweeney led the team in points with an average of 11.3 and steals with 39 and was named to the AMCC Second Team last season. Helping to offset the loss will be last season’s Newcomer of the Year in the AMCC, 6-0 sophomore forward Erin Arnold (Leechburg/Kiski Area). Along with garnering Newcomer of the Year Arnold was also named to the AMCC second team while supplying the Bobcats with 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds a contest. As Coach Gelet looks toward the season she feels, "Erin will have to be a consistent force on the interior for us to have success." Two other returnees will be relied upon. Sophomore forward Kim Versosko (Pittsburgh/Keystone Oaks) and junior guard Daphne DiGuardi (Johnstown/Johnstown) will add much-needed experience to the young team. Verosko averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 reounfs and lea the team with 21 three-pointers. DiGuardi was the defensive stopper last season and while she will need to continue that role, she must also pick up her scoring and be the leader of the Bobcats. The intriguing part of the 2000-01 team lies in the newcomers. Sophomore guard Jordan Fox (Greensburg/Hempfield) looks to add depth to the team after a one-year absence from organized basketball. The real excitement however lies in the group of five freshmen, Gelet’s first true recruiting class as a head coach. Freshman guard Ann Sral (Altoona/Bishop Guilfoyle) is a potential headliner. Sral garnered All-State honors twice during her high school career. Adding inside presence will be a pair of 6-0 forwards, Cassie Ross (Masontown/Albert Gallatin) and Nicole Kushner (Cannonsburg/Canon-McMillian). Guards Krystal Shirk (Jefferson Hills/Thomas Jefferson) and Torey Auld (Zelienople/Seneca Valley) will be needed to contribute immediately for the Bobcats to have success. "These freshmen are very exciting and potentially form a powerful lineup. We could have as many as four in the starting lineup at some point this season, " commented Gelet. The schedule won’t be kind to the Bobcats as they open with regional power and NCAA tournament team Messiah at the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament. The non-conference schedule also includes Bethany, a NCAA team last season, and Grove City, the ECAC South region runner-up. These teams coupled with perennial conference powers Frostburg State and Penn State Behrend make this seasons schedule the most challenging one ever. "We will play hard every night out, and hope that our energy, effort and enthusiasm will keep us together until our team begins to jell," said Gelet. Scranton Strong bids farewell to four letter-winners, including three starters, who led the Lady Royals to a four-year record of 103-20 (.837) and three NCAA Final Four berths. The most notable loss is guard Kelly Halpin, the university's second-only three-time all-American and the second all-time leading scorer and career assist leader in Lady Royals' history. Scranton will also miss guard Heather Mohrman's defensive prowess and leadership ability, center Shannon Milder's rebounding and low post presence, and center Deirdre Walsh's help off the bench in the pivot. Despite the heavy losses, Strong can still rely on a number of key returnees to keep the Lady Royals' tradition of excellence intact. Two-year starter Gillian McGovern, a second-team all-MAC Freedom League selection, returns at small forward after starting all 31 games and contributing 11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Joining her on the frontline will be sophomore power forward AnneMarie Russo, the 1999-2000 Northeastern Pennsylvania Basketball Media Newcomer of the Year who started every game and led Scranton in rebounding. Senior Lisa Harris, returning to the lineup after a one-year absence, will take over Halpin's position at the point-guard position, while fellow seniors Sarah Rooney and Jaime Eilbacher battle it out for the starting berth at off-guard. Harris is a solid all-around performer who averaged 6.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists during the Lady Royals' 28-4 and Final Four season in 1999. Rooney and Eilbacher are long-range bombers who have the ability to spread the opposition's defense and open things up inside for McGovern and Russo. Junior Colleen Fullerton, sophomores Amy O'Rourke and Laurel Saville, and freshman Erin Bates are just some of the candidates in line for Milder's spot at center. Of the four, Fullerton and O'Rourke have seen the most action and could have an inside track to the position. Another highly competitive schedule awaits the Lady Royals. In addition to its Freedom Conference games, Scranton will take part in tournaments at the College of New Jersey and in Las Vegas. Other non-conference games including Messiah, an NCAA tournament team in 2000, along with Ithaca and Cabrini. Susquehanna Head coach Mark Hribar, the winningest coach (men or women) in Susquehanna history with a 212-115 record entering his 14th season, earned his first victory of the year without even stepping onto the court when he learned in the spring that senior center Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley H.S.) had been granted a fifth year of eligibility and would be available for the 2000-2001 season. Kern, a 6-2 center and the 1998-99 NCAA Division III field-goal percentage champion, was a preseason All-American last fall and averaged 26.2 points and 13.2 rebounds in five games before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee against Messiah. It was initially feared that the injury was career-ending, but through a vigorous rehabilitation program and a petition to the NCAA, Kern was allowed to participate in a fifth season of basketball. As devastating as Kern's injury was, it gave Leslie Clementoni (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville H.S.) the opportunity to blossom into a top-flight scorer for the Crusaders last season. The 6-1 senior averaged a team-best 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds en route to earning Commonwealth Conference first-team All-Star honors. Clementoni shot nearly 50% from the field and tied for the team high with 12 blocked shots. Joining Kern and Clementoni up front will be 5-10 junior Amy Harrington (Danville, Pa./Danville H.S.), who averaged 14.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in her first year as a starter, leading the team with 38 three-pointers. In the backcourt, 5-4 senior guard Susan Trella (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) will run the show for a fourth straight year at the point. Trella averaged 5.3 assists per game and tied for the team lead with 37 steals. Her 332 career assists ran fourth in school history, and she needs just 22 to move into second place on the all-time list. At shooting guard, 5-7 sophomore Alison Ream (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata H.S.) is expected to get the nod after playing in all 24 games as a freshman and averaging 4.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. Off
the bench, 5-7 sophomore Emily Kurtz and 6-foot sophomore Amanda Rucko
will see time in the frontcourt while 5-5 sophomore Maggie Endler and 5-6
sophomore Shannon Baker give Hribar a pair of ballhandlers in the
backcourt. Among the top newcomers are 6-2 center Courtney Sokol (Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth H.S.), 5-10 forward Randi Norris (Altoona, Pa./Altoona H.S.) and 5-8 forward Amanda Hartzell (Janesville, Iowa/Lewisburg, Pa. H.S.). Ursinus This year's team is the youngest Cornish has ever coached, including only one senior, one junior, six sophomores and three freshmen. Rebounding may pose a problem for the Bears, who lack depth in the forward position. "We are lacking size and experience so we will utilize our strength which is quickness and tenacious defense," Cornish explained. Looking to senior point guard Jackie Cooper, Cornish stresses that leadership is a must for the Bears in 2000-01. "In order for us to be successful this season Jackie will need to step up as the team leader and the rest of the team will follow her example," she emphasizes. Other returning starters for the Bears include junior center Katie Shearer, who was second on last year's team averaging 10.8 points per game and sophomore guard Bridget Hussey who led the Centennial Conference in three-pointers made (49) in 1999-2000. Shearer was also a force defensively, blocking 32 shots. Coach Cornish is also excited about
two impact freshmen -- Kate Giusto and Erica Maurer -- who are both strong
and smart players in the post. Washington
College The Shorewomen have three returning starters including, the powerful frontcourt of senior Katie Bierzonski (Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity) and junior Allyson Britton (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth). Senior Kerry Lomax (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) returns in the backcourt for the Shorewomen. Washington will be led this season by senior forward Kate Bierzonski (Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity). She was first on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg), and steals (2.4 spg), second in blocked shots (16 total), and fifth in assists (1.3 apg). Bierzonski led the Shorewomen in scoring in 11 games and rebounding in 14 games. She scored in double digits in 14 games, and pulled down double-figure rebounds nine times. Bierzonski achieved seven double-doubles in points and rebounds this year. She had a career-high eight steals against College of Notre Dame. In a game against Haverford, Bierzonski tied the Washington record for blocked shots in a game, with five. The record is also held by junior forward Allyson Britton (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) and sophomore forward Becky Abaray (Verona, Pa./Riverview). Bierzonski was named the Centennial Conference Player of the Week once during the season, and was on the conference Weekly Honor Roll twice. Britton had another strong season. She was second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 rpg), first in blocked shots (18 total), and fourth in steals (1.6 spg). Britton led the team in scoring in nine games and in rebounding seven times. She scored double-figure points in 18 games, and grabbed double-digit rebounds four times. Britton had four double-doubles in points and rebounds this year. She achieved career-highs of 12 rebounds against Ursinus and five steals in two games. Britton was named to the Centennial Conference Weekly Honor Roll three times during the season for her performance. The Shorewomen's strong inside game will be supported by junior Janine Morehead (Newark, Del./St. Elizabeth) and sophomore Becky Abaray (Verona, Pa./Riverview). Junior forward Janine Morehead (Newark, Del./St. Elizabeth) finished the 1999-2000 season fourth on the team in scoring (7.9 ppg), third in rebounding (5.1 rpg), and third in blocked shots (11 total). She led the team in scoring in two games and in rebounding twice. Morehead scored in double figures in eight games and pulled down double-digit rebounds once. She had one double-double in points and rebounds. Last Year Morehead achieved career-highs with 17 points against Christopher Newport, 13 rebounds against Widener, three assists against College of Notre Dame, and three steals against Bryn Mawr. Abaray, playing in the last 11 games of the season after recovering from knee surgery, averaged 4.0 points per game and 2.3 rebounds per game. In addtion to these returnees, Washington will look for support from a talented freshman class. Katie Piringer (Potomac, Md./Stone Ridge) and Karen Simos (North Potomac, Md./Thomas Wootten), both 1,000-point scorers in high school, will make an immediate impact for the Shorewomen. Other freshmen to watch in the backcourt include Marcie Soucek (Saluda, Va./Christ Church Episcopal), Yianna Patronas (Potomac, Md./Walt Whitman), and Katie Orga (Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy). Freshmen Kathryn Zajac (Bellmore, N.Y./St. Mary's) will see time at both guard and forward and fellow rookie forward Meghan Hartzell (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) is also expected to contribute. |
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