SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – Susquehanna University junior center Leslie Clementoni (Hughesville/Hughesville H.S.) is the MAC Commonwealth Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. She averaged 19.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game as the team split a pair of games, tying her career rebounding high with 15 while scoring a game high 23 points in last Tuesday's 66-59 win over Moravian. Clementoni also repeats as the WQSU-FM Crusader Women's Basketball Player of the Week.
Junior power forward Brad Rausch (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South H.S.) is WQSU's Crusader Men's Basketball Player of the Week as he had his career high in rebounds with 13 in last Tuesday's overtime loss to Moravian — going on to average 11.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in two losses last week.
The 6-1 Clementoni is the team's WQSU-FM Player of the Week for the third time in four weeks as she posted her second and third-straight double-doubles (points, rebounds) and extend her streak of scoring in double figures to 17-straight games. She shot 50.0 percent from the field (11 of 22) and 80.0 percent from the line (16 of 20), also averaging 1.5 blocks and 2.5 steals in addition to her points and rebounds in the two games. She now has seven double-doubles this season while having a breakout year since replacing injured senior center and fellow tri-captain Karyn Kern.
Clementoni leads the team and is tied for first in the Commonwealth Conference in rebounds (8.6 per game), ranking second on the team in scoring (14.5 ppg). She also tops the active players in field goal percentage (47.7%, 103 of 216), steals (32/1.7 per game) and blocks (10/0.5 per game) – also shooting 73.7 percent from the free throw line (70 of 95).
"Leslie has made herself into not only one of the best players in our program, but one of the best in our conference. Everything she's earned has come through all her tireless work and I'm so proud of her," said 13th-year Susquehanna head coach Mark Hribar.
She is a journalism major and the daughter of Sue Rhodes of Hughesville, and Ron Clementoni, also of Hughesville.
The Crusader women are 12-7 overall, 6-4 and tied for third place in the MAC Commonwealth Conference as they host Lebanon Valley in a key conference and Pepsi Night game Tuesday at 7 p.m. All fans attending Tuesday's game will be treated to free hot dogs, Pepsi, and special prizes – compliments of Pepsi, Weis Markets, Kunzler's Hot Dogs, and WKOK/94KX/Eagle 107 Radio.
In addition to his points and rebounds, the 6-5 Rausch shot 56.3 percent from the field (9 of 16), while averaging 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He continues to lead the team in rebounding for the season (7.6 per game), also topping the active players in field goal percentage (50.8%, 67 of 132) while ranking third in scoring (9.0 ppg).
He is a public relations major and the son of Anthony and Jeanne Rausch.
The Crusader men are 12-8 overall, 5-5 and in fourth in the Commonwealth Conference. They will also host Lebanon Valley in a Pepsi Night contest on Wednesday beginning at 8 p.m.
As WQSU-FM (88.9 on the dial) Crusader Players of the Week, Clementoni and Rausch will be featured on the station's Coaches' Corner Show this Saturday, February 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The show will be aired prior to the live broadcast of Susquehanna's big MAC Commonwealth Conference doubleheader at Elizabethtown.
