PSAC Women's Basketball Athletes of the Week - 6 (Dec. 23)
PSAC Women's Basketball Weekly Release - Dec. 23 (pdf)
Kutztown's Chauntelle Schroeder is the second straight Golden Bear to win the PSAC East Player of the Week award, following teammate Rachel Wisemiller last week as Schroeder helped lead the Bears to a road win in their only game of the week, missing a double-double by just one rebound. Bloomsburg's Lauren Biczelewski becomes the third different Husky to win the PSAC East Freshman of the Week award this year after she delivered a perfect shooting performance from the floor to help the Huskies to a road win in their only contest of the week. Edinboro's Kelsey Conklin claims her first PSAC West Player of the Week award of the season after two outstanding performances in helping the Fighting Scots to a 1-1 record at United Electric Holiday Tournament in Louisville, Ky. California's Kiara Brown helped the Vulcans to a four-point win in their only game of the week and for her efforts, earns her first PSAC West Freshman of the Week award of the season.
PSAC Players of the Week - Dec. 23
PSAC East Player of the Week
Chauntelle Schroeder, Kutztown
C, Sr., Toronto, Ontario/Mother Teresa
In Kutztown’s only game of the week, Schroeder scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting (63.6 percent) and also grabbed nine rebounds and had two assists and three steals to help the Golden Bears to a 66-54 road win over Le Moyne. Schroeder scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half, including seven during a decisive 15-9 run that helped KU extend a nine-point lead into a 15-point advantage.
PSAC East Freshman of the Week
Lauren Biczelewski, Bloomsburg
F, Fr., West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin
Biczelewski becomes the third different Husky to be named the East Freshman of the Week this year and it marks the fifth time in six weeks that a Bloomsburg freshman has garnered the award. In Bloomsburg’s only game of the week, a 75-71 road win at Philadelphia, Biczelewski came off the bench to scored a team-high 17 points in just 17 minutes of action, doing so on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the floor. She also made one foul shot and added three rebounds, one assists, a blocked shot and no turnovers in the win.
PSAC West Player of the Week
Kelsey Conklin, Edinboro
F, Sr., Edinboro, Pa./General McLane
Conklin averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals and was named to the United Electric Holiday Tournament all-tournament team after helping the Fighting Scots to a 1-1 record in the tournament hosted by Bellarmine in Louisville, Ky. Conklin shot a combined 55.8 percent from the floor (24-for-43) in the two games and also dished out a pair of assists. In Edinboro’s win over Merrimack on Monday, she scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds while also adding two assists and three steals. In a close loss to host Bellarmine on Tuesday, Conklin contributed 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting and once again grabbed seven boards while recording four steals. Her efforts moved her into 11th place in school history in scoring.
PSAC West Freshman of the Week
Kiara Brown, California
G, Fr., Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge
Brown helped California to a 70-66 win over Saginaw Valley State by scoring 12 points in the Vulcans’ only game of the week on Monday. Starting for the fifth straight game, the redshirt freshman made 5-of-11 attempts from the field (45.5 percent), including a pair of three-pointers, and also had two rebounds and two steals and just one turnover in the win.
PSAC Team Notes
Bloomsburg Huskies
The Huskies head to the break with a record of 6-1 and are just one basket away from being unbeaten after dropping its only game of the season by one point to Nyack College…For the second straight game graduate student Jen Dervarics led the Huskies in assists after picking up six against Philadelphia. Dervarics had a career-high 11 in the Huskies win over Penn State-Schuylkill in early Dec….Dana Wieller has hit nearly 50 percent of the team’s made three-pointers this season (33 of 70)...Bloomsburg’s scoring offense of 80.6 points per game ranks among the top 15 in Division II.
California Vulcans
In their first action since a 43-point win over a week ago, the Vulcans rallied from a seven-point deficit to post a 70-66 victory against Saginaw Valley on Monday…Cal U finished the game shooting 40.3 percent from the floor after making only 32.5 percent of its shots in the first half…In the win, Cal U collected 15 steals after forcing Saginaw Valley into 20 turnovers…The Vulcans have out-rebounded their opponents in seven of their eight games this year…Sr. G Brooque Williams and Jr. F Kayla Smith posted double-doubles in the win despite shooting only a combined 13-of-37 (35.1 percent) from the floor.
Cheyney Wolves
In Cheyney's only contest of the week, the Lady Wolves fell to Georgian Court 65-49...Cheyney shot a season low 26 percent from the field...The Lady Wolves were led by Angel Stephens 15 points...A Stephens layup two and half minutes into the game gave Cheyney a 6-5 before Georgian Court went on a 13-1 run...Cheyney was able to come back tying the game at 24 before the Georgian Court went on a 5-1 run to take a 29-25 lead at intermission...Two minutes into the second half a Lutfiyya Muhammad jumper cut the lead to four but that would be as close as Cheyney would get...Cheyney was able to force 20 second half turnovers (28 in the game) but could not over come a poor shooting night...Cheyney was scheduled to play Lincoln this past Saturday but the game was postponed due to the record breaking winter storm that came through the Philadelphia area...The game was rescheduled for Sunday, January 31 at 1:00 p.m...The contest will still be played at the Liacouras Center.
Clarion Golden Eagles
Clarion was idle last week and isn’t back in action until after the new year...Clarion is at least 5-2 after seven games for the fifth time since 2003…The Golden Eagles made 27 free throws at Shepherd two Saturdays ago, the most against a non-PSAC opponent since Jan. 5, 1997, when they had 27 at UPJ. The 27 also tie for the sixth most made free throws in a game in head coach Gie Parsons 21 years at Clarion…Clarion's overtime win against West Chester two Fridays ago was its first overtime game in 37 contests and marked Clarion's 2nd straight OT victory…Lizzie Suwala had a career-high 15 rebounds two Tuesdays ago vs. W. Va. Wesleyan while recording her second double-double of the season and the 5th of her 3-year Clarion career…The 47 points Clarion allowed to West Va. Wesleyan were the fewest since allowing 46 to Lock Haven Feb. 15, 2007.
East Stroudsburg Warriors
The Warriors dropped a pair of games at the ECAC Holiday Classic at Caldwell College on Saturday and Sunday, falling to Dominican 73-46 and host Caldwell 61-53...Against Caldwell, ESU trailed 50-49 with 7:30 left and played its most complete game of the season...Sr. G Mel Villano and Sr. F DeAnna Rayam both scored 12 points vs. Caldwell...Rayam had 15 points vs. Dominican and So. G Cyara Woodridge set career-highs with 14 points and 8 rebounds...Rayam is averaging 14.6 ppg and has scored at least 12 points in all nine contests...Villano's 8.3 ppg are a career-high...ESU's opponents are shooting just 38.4 percent, but are hitting at a 31.8 percent clip themselves...Turnovers are nearly even for the year - 194 for ESU, 197 for its opponents...The Warriors host Clarion and Gannon on January 2 and 3.
Edinboro Fighting Scots
Edinboro finished second in the United Electric Holiday Tournament hosted by Bellarmine. The Knights used a late rally to hold off the Fighting Scots, 85-77, in the championship game...Kelsey Conklin and Samantha Reimer were named to the All-Tournament Team. Conklin scored a season-high 27 points in the opening night win over Merrimack, while Reimer made 13 of 14 free throws and finished with 23 points...The duo once again had big nights against 8-1 Bellarmine. Reimer had a game-high 25 points and added nine assists. She became just the fourth Edinboro women's basketball player to top 1,600 career points, now standing at 1,601. She is 245 points shy of Jessica Rowe's school record of 1,846 points...Conklin added 22 points to give her 1,311 points for her career, moving her into 11th place...Edinboro has one more game against a non-PSAC foe, hosting Concord on January 6.
Gannon Golden Knights
Gannon improved to 11-0 for the first time in school history with 108-62 victory at NCAA Division II Independent Central State during the program's only action last week...The Lady Knights became the fifth team in school history to score 100 points during two games in the same season...No Gannon team has ever reached the 100-point plateau three times in a season...Gannon is ranked sixth in the December 15 USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll...It marks the first time in school history Gannon has been in the top six in back-to-back polls. It also represents the second-highest national ranking in school history. The program was tabbed fifth on January 30, 2002...The Lady Knights have won 21 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season...The program's last regular-season loss was a 65-52 setback at Indiana (Pa.) on January 24, 2009.
IUP Crimson Hawks
The Crimson Hawks had their scheduled game on Monday at Bowie State cancelled and it will not be made up...IUP played the first triple overtime game in school history two Sundays ago, dropping a 97-95 decision to West Liberty in the final game of the Susan G. Komen Shoot for the Cure Classic, which raised over $9,400 for breast cancer research for the Komen Pittsburgh affiliate…The Crimson Hawks began the classic with a 98-28 win over Washington Adventist (formerly Columbia Union), the second largest margin of victory and second fewest points allowed in a game in school history…Sylvie Tafen scored a career-high 31 points versus West Liberty but it was not enough to prevent IUP's second loss of the season to the Hilltoppers…It was the first 30-point game by an IUP woman other than two-time All-American Jahzinga Tracey since Jacqui Martin had 33 versus Bloomsburg in January 2004…Fr. Katelyn Marshall scored a season-best 27 points versus Washington Adventist while fellow first-year player Brianna Johnson had her first double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Kutztown Golden Bears
Kutztown returns to action Tuesday when it visits Le Moyne in Syracuse. This will be the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools. They have split the previous six meetings while alternating victories. Le Moyne won the last meeting, 66-51, in 2006...Rachel Wisemiller has 39 double-digit scoring games in her career. Wisemiller has led Kutztown in rebounding in its last two games...Melissa McQuade has scored in double digits in 11 straight games dating back to last season...Vivian Melvin has handed out a team-best 38 assists...Ashley Wood has averaged 13.5 points in Kutztown's last two games...This will be KU's first road game since it defeated Georgian Court, 66-62, on Nov. 28...Kutztown is 2-0 on the road this season...Kutztown is second in the PSAC in assists per game (21.6)...Eight players have played in every game this season for the Golden Bears...Kutztown has used the same starting line-up (Wisemiller, McQuade, Melvin, Meredith Starr and Chauntelle Schroeder) in every game this season.
Lock Haven Bald Eagles
Lock Haven heads into the holiday season with a 3-3 record...The Lady Eagles were scheduled to play Washington Adventist on Saturday, but the game was moved until January 5 because of inclement weather...The Lady Eagles have been impressive at home this season and all three of their wins have come inside the friendly confines of Thomas Fieldhouse...LHU is 3-1 at home...Lock Haven is being led on the year by junior-forward Kristen Kudrick, who is averaging 13.3 points-per-game...She's also grabbing 6.8 rebounds-per-contest...Sr. G Casi Donelan is providing double-digit scoring for LHU...She's averaging 10 points a game...At 3-3 on the year, Lock Haven is outscoring opponents 414-357.
Mansfield Mountaineers
The Mountaineer women played their first three home games of the season two weeks ago, including losses to Mercyhurst (69-63) and Le Moyne (46-42)…So. Mallory Moore was selected to the Comfort Inn Classic All-tournament team while teammate Nicole Pender earned the tournament's Hustle Award…Mansfield is off until Jan. 2.
Mercyhurst Lakers
Mercyhurst built its winning streak to three games with a 68-58 win Thursday, Dec. 17 at Lake Erie...The Lakers' current streak ties the longest this decade...Mercyhurst hit 10 threes Thursday, the second time the team has made double-digit three-point goals this season...The team outrebounded Lake Erie 50-28, the sixth straight game with 40+ boards...Jackie Artise (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Amy Achesinski (11 and 12) each posted double-doubles, the first time two Lakers posted double-doubles since an 88-78 loss Dec. 1, 2004 at Edinboro...Mercyhurst faces Madonna for the first time, Dec. 30, but the team is quite familiar with the Crusaders...Head coach Deanna Richard faced Madonna twice while coaching at Olivet from 2001-07...In addition, current Laker players Kelsey Gordon and Katie Carbee, along with Coach Richard, assistant coaches Tiffany Grubaugh and Marie Carbee, and student assistant Stevie Spetoskey, have all faced Madonna in their respective playing careers.
Millersville Marauders
The Marauders moved to 7-0 for just the third time in program history with a 57-45 win against Goldey-Beacom on Dec. 14…MU had a chance to get to 8-0 for only the second time in 75 seasons, but two scoring droughts -which spanned 20:14 over both halves- caught up to them in a 54-35 loss at Holy Family on Tuesday…Points have been tough to come by for Millersville, which is just 31-of-111 (27.9-percent) from the floor in its last two games…So. Sophia Waters and Sr. Ashley Moyer shared the team lead in points against Holy Family, scoring eight apiece. It was the first time Millersville's high-scorer failed to register double figures since Jamika Rehm, Ashley Romanoski, and Kari Cover each scored six points to lead the team in a 46-41 loss at Slippery Rock on Dec. 3, 2006…Sr. Jenna Craig (10 rebounds) collected her 27th career double-figure rebound game in the loss at HFU.
Shippensburg Red Raiders
Shippensburg faced two WVIAC opponents this past week and led by double digits in both contests but dropped both, losing on Saturday to West Virginia Wesleyan and on Monday to Fairmont State...Lauren Beckley paced the team offensively with a pair of double-doubles...SU was actually stuck in Buckhannon for 72 hours due to the snow and was forced to stay in their hotel...SU will travel back to West Virginia for games against Charleston and West Virginia State.
Slippery Rock - The Rock
Slippery Rock was idle last week and will not play its next game until 2010...SRU looks to stop a three-game losing streak when The Rock hosts PSAC-East rivals Cheyney on Jan. 2, and Shippensburg on Jan. 3...Sr. Nikki Presto is ranked 24th in the PSAC is scoring average (11.4 points per game), and 16th in rebound average (6.8 rebounds per game)...Fr. Alex Beatty ranks fifth in the conference in 3-point percentage (10-19 at 52.6%
West Chester Golden Rams
Four West Chester players scored in double figures, but it was not enough to win as visiting Clarion University handed the Golden Rams their first loss of the season in an 83-80 overtime thriller inside Hollinger Field House two Fridays ago in West Chester’s final game until after the holidays...Renata Neal posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Golden Rams (7-1). However, Clarion (4-2) came out on top despite shooting just 47 percent from the free throw line...The loss was the first on the season for WCU, who is off to its best start since the 2001 season, when the team started the year with 10 straight victories before falling to Clarion that year as well.