SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – The Susquehanna University women's basketball team will get some much needed help inside for the second semester as 5-8 freshman Kait Gillis (Mechanicsburg/Trinity H.S.) has transferred in from Northeastern University and has joined the team as a power forward. Starting power forward Mandy Horner (8.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg) (Spring Mills/Penns Valley Area H.S.) is also back from cartilage damage in her left foot which forced her to miss the last five games.
In addition to Horner, the Crusaders lost senior center and tri-captain Karyn Kern (26.2 ppg, 13.2 rpg) (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.) to a season and possibly career ending knee injury. The depleted depth inside forced 13th-year Crusader head coach Mark Hribar to play a pair of guards at power forward. Despite the injuries, Susquehanna still managed to go 6-2, 2-1 and tied for second in the MAC Commonwealth Conference during the first semester.
Gillis did not play basketball at Northeastern, but was a baseline starter on the Trinity girls' basketball team which advanced to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AA Eastern Finals in 1998, and the Eastern semifinals last season. She served as a team captain last season while being an honorable mention selection to the Harrisburg Patriot-News "Big 15." She was also the recipient of Trinity's Dave Grady Award for her outstanding play.
In addition to earning three varsity basketball letters, Gillis also earned a pair of letters in both track and field and cross country respectively, and another in tennis. She hasn't decided if she'll play another sport at Susquehanna.
"We are excited that Kait has elected to continue her basketball and academic careers here. She comes from a great program and should help us in a position we're a little thin at right now," said Hribar, who is the school's winningest basketball coach ever, now at 205-106 (.659).
Gillis will be a communications major and is the daughter of Phil and Joan Gillis.
Susquehanna returns from a month layoff Friday by playing Wheeling Jesuit in the 6 p.m. opening round game of the Gettysburg Days Inn Tournament. The Crusaders are the defending champions in that event.
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