SELINSGROVE, PA - The Susquehanna University women's basketball team enters the 2006-07 season with a veteran squad that features 11 of the 12 players from last year's team that finished 14-12 overall and in fourth place in the Commonwealth Conference to earn the Crusaders their first playoff berth since 2000-01.

Second-year head coach Jim Reed welcomes back all five starters as well as four freshmen as the Crusaders begin their final season in the Commonwealth Conference before moving to the newly-created Landmark Conference for the 2007-08 season.

The Crusaders' success last year hinged on a defense that allowed just 53.3 points per game, the second-best figure in the Commonwealth Conference.

Susquehanna will tip off the season on Saturday, Nov. 18 by hosting Randolph-Macon Woman's College in the opening round of the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.

BACKCOURT

Seniors Sarah Jane Kalejta and Crystal Schneck along with junior Ruth Williamson will again play a key role at guard for the Crusaders.

Kalejta (Coal Township, PA/Lourdes Regional) averaged career highs of 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and also dished out a team-high 66 assists last season, while Schneck (Cresco, PA/Pocono Mountain East) started all 26 games and averaged 2.7 points and 2.1 assists per game while finishing second on the team with 42 steals.

Williamson (Gettysburg, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) sank a team-high 27 three-pointers, including a MAC-record 6-for-6 effort against Lycoming, and averaged 8.0 points per game primarily off the Crusader bench.

Another senior, Meg Loughran (Broomall, PA/Villa Maria Academy), returned from injury to appear in 13 games and average 1.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season.

Junior Leigh Henderson (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) appeared in 23 games last season and finished with an average of 3.1 points per game while shooting 77.3 percent from the foul line.

Junior Erin Gosekamp (Charlestown, NH/Fall Mountain Regional) and freshman Renae Marshall (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg) will also see playing time for the Crusaders in a reserve role.

FRONTCOURT

Senior Jen Clark (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) was a second-team All-Commonwealth selection last season after leading the Crusaders in scoring for the second straight season with an average of 12.4 points per game, to go with 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest.

Junior Bri McNallen (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) started all 26 games at center and finished second to Clark in scoring with 8.2 points per game to go with a team highs of 6.0 rebounds per game and a 47.7 field-goal percentage.

Junior Courtney Thibeault (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan) also started all 26 games at power forward in her first season with the team, and finished with 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game along with 15 blocked shots and 38 steals.

Junior Val Houseal (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) has been a reliable bench performer in her first two seasons for the Crusaders, averaging 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last season.

Sophomore Nikki Smith (Coal Township, PA/Shamokin Area) will provide the Crusaders with solid minutes as well after averaging 3.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game as a freshman.

Also expected to make an impact are freshmen Dani Sauro (Katonah, NY/Harvey School) and Samantha Jansson (Cumbola, PA/Nativity B.V.M.).

Sauro led her high school squad to three straight league championships while Jansson led Nativity in scoring in the Golden Girls' PIAA Class A state championship victory.

Freshman Chelsea Jones (Cordova, AK/Cordova) will also bring depth to the frontcourt for the Crusaders.