Sports News: Winter 2005-06

Monday, February 27, 2006

MORAVIAN TRAVELS TO RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE FOR NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS;
GREYHOUNDS TO PLAY GREENSBORO (NC) COLLEGE FRIDAY, MARCH 3RD

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team will make its sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, and first since 1992-93, in the first and second rounds at Randolph-Macon College on Friday, March 3rd and Saturday, March 4th. Click here for a printable bracket.

The Greyhounds, which received one of the 21 Pool C/at-large bids to the 63-team tournament, will play Greensboro (NC) College, 21-7 overall and the champion of the USA South Athletic Conference, on Friday, March 3rd at 5:00 p.m. while the host Yellow Jackets, 25-2 overall and the champion of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, will play Hood College, 15-10 and the winner of the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference, at 7:00 p.m. The winners will meet on Saturday, March 4th at 7:00 p.m. with the winner of the second round game advancing to the Sweet 16 on Friday, March 10th.

Moravian, which is 21-6 overall, has an all-time record of 7-6 in NCAA Tournament action. The Greyhounds made their first-ever NCAA appearance in 1985-86, going 0-2. Moravian posted a 1-1 mark in 1989-90 and was also 1-1 in the 1990-91 tournament, reaching the Sweet 16. The Greyhounds had their best showing in the NCAA Tournament in 1991-92 when Moravian hosted the Final Four and finished as the runner-up to Alma College. After the 4-1 mark in the tournament in 1991-92, the Greyhounds went 1-1 and reached the Sweet 16 in 1992-93, the last time Moravian was in the NCAA Tournament.

The Greyhounds were 11-3 in the Commonwealth Conference regular season and have played in the conference championship the last four years, losing to Messiah College, 75-52 last Saturday, falling to Messiah in Bethlehem, 57-52, a year ago, losing to Widener in Johnston Hall, 71-68, two years ago and falling at Messiah, 73-52, in 2002-03. Moravian is ranked 24th in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll and received votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.

Moravian head coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds in the postseason for the 16th time in her 19 years as head coach. Spirk, who has an overall record of 353-165, has guided the Greyhounds to their 11th 20-win in her 19 years, and she has a 7-4 record in NCAA Tournament games.

Leading the way on the court for the Greyhounds has been junior forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS). Applegate, who was named the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year last Tuesday and to the Commonwealth All-Conference First Team, the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball December Team of the Month, the Women's DIII News December Player of the Month, the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Team of the Year and the Lehigh Valley Small College Women's Basketball Player of the Year, leads Moravian at 19.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3 percent (184 of 327) from the floor. Applegate, who is ranked in the top 25 nationally in field goal percentage, has also added 36 assists, 39 steals and 24 blocked shots. Applegate became the 17th player in Moravian history to score 1,000 career points in the final regular season game and now has 1,056 points in her career.

Senior forward Stephanie Seaman (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS), who earned a spot on the Commonwealth All-Conference Second Team, became the 16th player in Moravian history to surpass the 1,000-point plateau, and she is currently eighth all-time with 1,227 points. Seaman, who is also third all-time with 782 career rebounds, is contributing 13.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Seaman also has 48 assists, 57 steals, 20 three-pointers and 15 blocked shots.

Junior forward Jenny Hackleman (Solvang, CA/Rutgers Prep {NJ} HS), who has become the 13th Greyhounds with at least 500 career rebounds with a career total of 578 which is seventh all-time, has averages of 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest to go with 49 assists, 44 steals and 30 blocked shots while junior guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) is scoring 5.8 points per game. Rizman has also contributed 57 rebounds, a team high 58 assists, 18 three-pointers, 38 steals and seven blocked shots. Sophomore guard Sara Steinman (Springfield, NJ/Jonathan Dayton HS) leads Moravian with 22 three-pointers while scoring 4.6 points per contest. Steinman also has 56 assists, 35 rebounds and 29 steals.

Senior forward Lindsay Brase (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame HS), who will miss the rest of the season with an injury, is tossing in 5.5 points per outing with 71 rebounds, 23 steals, 22 assists, 12 three-pointers and four blocked shots while junior guard Rachel Berlin (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) is scoring 4.6 points per contest this season with 63 rebounds, 23 assists, 37 steals, five blocked shots and six three-pointers. Freshman forward Rachelle Elneus (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) has added 56 points, 32 rebounds, five assists and five steals while senior guard Nicole Savino (Macungie, PA/Brandywine Heights HS) has added 53 points, 32 rebounds, 15 assists, 23 steals and nine blocked shots this season for Moravian.

Senior forward Heather MacDonald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley HS), who earned a spot on the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball January Scholar-Athlete Team of the Month, has tossed in 41 points and added 33 rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocked shots while sophomore guard LaToya Blake (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has contributed 50 points, 58 rebounds, a team high 61 steals, 36 assists and two blocked shots. Junior guard Kristina Adams (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery HS) has contributed 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and four steals while sophomore guard Megan Kocon (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) has added 21 points, two steals, two assists and a rebound.

Senior guard Dianna DeFiore (Hammonton, NJ/St. Joseph HS) has 13 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and three steals this winter while sophomore guard Tina Moll (Kintersville, PA/Palisades HS) tossed in three points to go with three rebounds and two assists before an injury ended her season. Freshman forward Cody Fedorishen (Nazareth, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has 15 rebounds, 11 points, three assists and two blocked shots off the bench while freshman guard Lindsey Williams (Kingston, PA/Bishop O’Reilly HS) has scored two points.

Greensboro is making its second straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament under fourth-year head coach Jason Tuggle. The Pride are 21-7 on the year and were 12-2 in USA South Athletic Conference regular season action. Greensboro reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2005.

Junior guard Staci Humphrey leads the Pride on the court, averaging 22.9 points per game to go along with an average of 6.6 rebounds per contest. Humphrey, who was named the USA South Athletic Conference Player of the Year, also has team highs of 176 assists, 84 steals and 90 three-pointers. Senior forward/center Sirlena Moore is averaging a double-double at 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per outing, and she also has a team high 35 blocked shots to go with 45 three-pointers, 41 steals and 23 assists. Moore was named to the USA South Athletic All-Conference First Team along with Humphrey.

Freshman guard Mary Porter is tossing in 8.3 points per game to go with 116 rebounds, 58 assists, 33 steals and 33 three-pointers while freshman guard/forward Jamie Motsinger is contributing 7.6 points per game with 63 rebounds, 37 assists, 23 steals and 19 three-pointers. Freshman guard/forward Katie Freeman is scoring 6.0 points per contest to go with 153 rebounds, 51 assists, 38 steals, 19 blocked shots and seven three-pointers.

Sophomore forward Bobbi Barnes has an average of 5.7 points per game for Greensboro, and she has added 99 rebounds, 45 assists, 17 steals and eight blocked shots while junior center Amoria Bird is scoring 4.6 points per contest and has 103 rebounds, 24 blocked shots, 18 assists and 12 steals. Sophomore guard Alison Blackmon has contributed 97 points, 56 rebounds, 21 assists, 17 three-pointers, 11 steals and eight blocked shots while junior guard Michelle Rahenkamp has added 29 points, 25 rebounds and 11 assists. Senior guard Bett Shelby has 20 points, 35 rebounds and eight assists for the Pride this year.

Randolph-Macon is making its sixth appearance in the NCAA Championships, and the Yellow Jackets were the runner-up last season. Randolph-Macon has a 25-2 record this season under the direction of 23-year head coach Carroll LaHaye. The Yellow Jackets posted a 19-1 record during the ODAC regular season and are currently ranked eighth in the nation in both the D3hoops.com and USA Today/ESPN Division III Coaches Top 25 polls.

Senior guard Megan Silva, who was named the ODAC Player of the Year for the third straight season, leads Randolph-Macon on the court, scoring 23.0 points per game. Silva, who was on the All-Conference First Team, is also averaging 4.3 rebounds per contest while leading the Yellow Jackets with 164 assists, 93 steals and 35 three-pointers to go with eight blocked shots. Senior forward/center Michelle Orton, who earned a spot on the ODAC All-Conference Second Team, has averages of 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while lead Randolph-Macon with 28 blocked shots to go with 24 assists and 21 steals.

Junior guard Salem Shaffer was named to the ODAC All-Conference Third Team and is contributing 10.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest while adding 114 assists, 50 steals, 18 three-pointers and 11 blocked shots. Freshman guard Amanda Hiltunen has an average of 7.4 points per game, and she has contributed 50 rebounds, 56 assists, 35 steals and 24 three-pointers. Freshman forward Lindsay Riesbeck and senior forward Kristin Thompson are each scoring 7.1 points per contest with Riesbeck adding 46 rebounds, 19 assists, 15 steals and seven blocked shots while Thompson is contributing 5.4 rebounds per game to go with 44 steals, 34 assists and 24 blocked shots.

Senior forward/guard Megan Senske has averages of 5.4 points and rebounds per game to go along with 37 assists, 19 steals and seven blocked shots while junior guard Kristen Morgan has contributed 11 points, 107 rebounds, 88 assists and 51 steals for the Yellow Jackets this season. Sophomore forward/center Jannesa Morusma has 11 points, 143 rebounds, 19 blocked shots, 13 assists and 12 steals on the year while sophomore guard forward Maggie Harman has contributed 84 points, 44 rebounds and 11 assists.

Hood is making its third NCAA Division III Tournament appearance, and the Blazers are making their first trip to tournament since 2003. Second-year head coach Tracey Kelley-Franklin has led Hood to a 15-10 record, including an 11-1 regular season mark in the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference.

Sophomore forward Danielle Gallagher leads the Blazers on the court with averages of 17.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game to go along with a team high 25 blocked shots. Gallagher has also contributed 38 steal and 23 assists. Senior forward/guard Rita Willis is netting 15.1 points and grabbing a team high 8.8 rebounds per contest to go with 72 assists, 19 blocked shots and a team leading 53 steals.

Junior guard Dana Shook has averaged of 9.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while leading Hood with 84 assists and 21 three-pointers. She also has 28 steals and three blocked shots. Senior guard Kathryn Linehan is scoring 7.8 points per contest and has added 71 rebounds, 48 assists, 29 steals and 11 three-pointers this season while freshman guard Sara Wastler has an average of 6.0 points per game to go with 88 rebounds, 40 assists, 20 steals and 11 three-pointers. Senior guard Michelle Manella is contributing 5.1 points per outing with 60 rebounds, 40 assists, 21 three-pointers and 11 steals for the Blazers.