The Moravian College 2008-2009 women’s basketball team made the postseason for the eighth consecutive season and made it to the finals of the Landmark Conference playoffs falling to The University of Scranton. The Greyhounds finished out the season by earning a Pool B bid into the 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. Moravian hosted the first two rounds of the tournament but fell in the first round to Tufts (MA) University, 80-70 in Johnston Hall. The Greyhounds also finished out the season leading the nation in free-throw percentage, hitting 80.3% from behind the line. This makes them only the third team in NCAA Division III history to complete a season with a free-throw percentage above 80%.

Head coach Mary Beth Spirk, who completed her 22nd season with the Greyhounds, led Moravian to an overall record of 21-7 and a Landmark Conference record of 10-4. Spirk was named the 2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III Region 4 Coach of the Year.

Leading the Greyhounds this season was junior forward Alyssa Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS), pictured right, averaged 11.8 points per game to go along with 33 steals, 30 assists and 134 rebounds. Bisci, who was named to the 2009 Landmark All-Conference Second Team, also lead the team from behind the ling shooting 89.7%, including a school record 50 straight free throws from December 12th to January 25th. Junior forward Kate Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS), pictuerd below, who was named to the 2009 Landmark All-Conference First Team, averaged 10.7 points per game to go along with 21 blocks, 147 rebounds and a team leading 92 assists and 37 steals.

Junior forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) averaged 9.8 point per game including 19 steals, 23 blocks, 29 assists and a team leading 157 rebounds. Junior guard Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS) contributed 9.2 points per game with 31 steals, 44 assists and 89 rebounds. Junior guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS), picutred below, put up 169 points this season to go along with 30 steals, 47 assists, 61 rebounds and a team leading 33 three-pointers made.

Sophomore forward Amy Heffner (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland HS) knocked down 202 points on the year including 24 steals, 15 blocks, 22 assists and 134 rebounds in her first season as a greyhound. Freshmen forward Hilary Murray (Clinton, NJ/North Hunterdon HS) contributed 154 points, 33 steals, 46 assists and 47 rebounds while freshmen guard Alexandra Blair (Hellertown, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) posted 144 points, 11 steals, 90 rebounds and a team leading 33 blocks in her first collegiate season.

Sophomore guard/forward Emily Smith (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South HS) recorded 80 points, 28 steals, five blocks, 21 assists and 42 rebounds while junior forward Alyson Steltz (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus HS) knocked down 56 points, 16 steals, 22 assists and 32 rebounds in her first year with the greyhound. Junior forward Lauren Fornazor (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley HS) contributed 41 points, 12 steals, 13 assists and 45 rebounds while freshmen guard Cassandra Phillips (Orwigsburg, PA/Nativity BVM HS) put up 25 points, five steals, nine assists and seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Amie Ballo (Andes, NY/Andes Central HS) had 14 points, three blocks and 6 rebounds while freshmen guard Lara Canders (Concord, CA/Ygnacio Valley HS) posted 20 points, two steals and three rebounds in her first collegiate season. Also contributing was sophomore Jennie Miller (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg HS) who played in three games before suffering a season ending injury.

Brown, Harrison, Foran and Miller were all named to the 2009 Winter Landmark Conference All-Academic Honor Roll.

Review written by Nick Pepi '10.