SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – The Susquehanna University women’s basketball team has much to look forward to in the 1999-2000 season.
Aside from the fact that its season will carry into the new millenium, the Crusader women are excited about returning seven letterwinners and three starters from last year’s 17-10 NCAA Division III Tournament team, which finished second in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League (now the MAC Commonwealth Conference). Thirteenth-year head coach Mark Hribar is sure to become just the second coach in Susquehanna history to win 200 games at the school, entering the year just one shy as the winningest coach in program history at 199-104 (.657). Hribar may have also added one of his most talented recruiting classes ever to the fold.
That should make the Crusaders ready for life without graduated 1999 Jostens Trophy recipient (D-III Player of the Year) Kristen Venne. A four-time MAC Commonwealth League All-Star and three-year All-American, Venne led the team in both scoring (21.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 per game) last season. She finished with 1,929 career points and 894 rebounds to rank second and third respectively in program history.
They’ll find out if they’re ready Saturday as they host the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in the 3 p.m. game of the Susquehanna University Varsity Club Tournament. Two teams getting votes in the Division III preseason polls, William Paterson and Gwynedd-Mercy will meet in Saturday’s 1 p.m. opener. The tournament consolation and championship games will be Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. respectively. Gwynedd-Mercy scored a 66-63 overtime win at Susquehanna last season in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, setting up a possible rematch of that game Sunday.
Hribar’s task this season is to not only replace Venne’s productivity, but her leadership. The bulk of that will come from his three captains in center Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.) and shooting guard Lisa Stack (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West H.S.), both seniors, and junior center Leslie Clementoni (Hughesville/Hughesville H.S.).
”I love this group to death. We are a much closer team this season and I think the captains are a big part of that. They’ve done a great job of bringing everyone together and organizing the things that need to get done, right from the start of the school year,” said Hribar. “The perimeter shooting is really there this season. We are much better in that area than we were a year ago. We have six kids who can really knock down the three and that should be a big help since teams won’t be able to sit in the zone like they used to.
“This is the hardest working group I’ve ever had. They’ve done everything we’ve asked of them in the preseason.”
THE FRONTCOURT
A first-team league All-Star last season after being a second-teamer in her first two years, the 6-2 Kern is a Preseason All-American who led Division III in field goal percentage last season while breaking the MAC single-season record at 65.0 percent (169 of 260). Also the team leader in blocked shots (1.8 per game) and steals (2.1 per game) – ranking third in the MAC in blocks – she was second on the team and fifth in the conference in scoring (15.7 ppg), ranking second on the squad in rebounding (8.6 per game). Kern is fourth all-time at Susquehanna in career rebounds (730) and sixth in scoring (1,227 points).
While she’s been almost exclusively a center in her first three seasons at Susquehanna, Kern could play any of the three frontcourt positions this season. She’s a great athlete who has won the MAC outdoor triple jump championship all three years of her collegiate career in the spring, also winning the long jump as a sophomore.
“Karyn’s the most organized captain I’ve ever had. With Kristen gone, it’s going to be the Kerny Show this season, and it sure looks like she’s ready for it,” said Hribar
Also a 6-1 center, Clementoni (4.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) played in 25 games last season, and was third on the team in field goal percentage (41 of 85, 48.2%).
“Leslie’s such a hard worker. She’s a self-made player because of her work ethic and can now do so many things,” said Hribar. “She has some great post moves, can rebound, and can even step out and shoot from the perimeter.”
Expect Clementoni to possibly be teamed together in the front court with Kern and junior six-foot post player and returning letterwinner Mandy Horner (2.4 ppg. 1.3 rpg) (Spring Mills/Penns Valley Area H.S.). From the time he recruited her, Horner has reminded Hribar of former All-American center Megan Lytle with her strong body, turnaround jump shot, and ability to rebound. She played behind Venne at power forward the past two seasons and Hribar is looking forward to Horner having a breakout year now that she’s starting.
Six-foot freshman Amanda Rucko (Roseland, N.J./West Essex H.S.) gives Hribar the luxury of four six-footers in the low post this season.
A breakout year is also expected for 5-10 sophomore Amy Harrington (Danville/Danville H.S.), who had a solid debut season as she averaged 4.0 points and 2.1 rebounds while leading the team in free throw shooting at 89.3 percent (25 of 28). Harrington has worked hard in the weight room since last season and is much stronger as she will move into the other vacated starting position at small forward.
Right with Harrington for the starting job have been two talented 5-7 freshmen in Emily Kurtz (St. Mary’s/St. Mary’s H.S.) and Alison Ream (Mifflintown/Juniata H.S.).
Kurtz has impressed Hribar because of her ability to drive the ball and shoot off the dribble.
The versatile Ream might still get the starting job at two-guard and is capable of playing any of the two guard or forward positions. Hribar calls her a “go-to” player because she is able to dribble, drive to the basket and shoot from the perimeter so well.
THE BACKCOURT
The 5-7 Stack played in 25 games last year, starting the first 18 at two-guard. She was fourth on the team in scoring (6.1 ppg) and led it in three-pointers (20 of 51, 39.2%). Also a great athlete who has started all three seasons on the softball team, Stack is battling Ream for the starting two-guard position.
“Lisa’s really shooting the ball much more consistently this season and doing a great job from a leadership standpoint as a captain,” said Hribar.
Also 5-7, junior wing Jen Antolick (2.9 ppg) (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia H.S.) started the final eight games last season at off guard and provided a spark from the perimeter – finishing second on the team in three-point shooting, making 15 of 38 (39.5%). Hribar believes Antolick is playing and scoring with much more confidence this season.
As if Stack, Antolick and Ream don’t give the squad enough perimeter shooters, freshman Angie Feger (Sunbury/Shikellamy H.S.) might possess some of the squad’s best three-point range at two-guard.
The starting point guard from a year ago also returns in junior Susan Trella (2.2 ppg) (Allentown/Allentown Central Catholic H.S.), who was one of two players to start all 27 games last season. She led the team and finished fourth in the MAC in assists with 120 (4.4 per game), tying for second on the team in steals with 47 (1.7 per game). Trella was bothered by a knee injury which didn’t allow her to run until October a year ago. With a healthy off-season coming into 1999-2000, Hribar believes Trella is quicker and more confident.
Trella has been pushed for the starting job by freshman Maggie Endler, who might be the next great Crusader player from Shillington and Governor Mifflin High School – following in Venne’s footsteps. Hribar is excited by Endler’s ability to take the ball to the basket and either score, or dish to teammates for the score.
Unfortunately, the team’s lone setback of the preseason also occured at point guard as talanted freshman Shannon Baker (Greensburg/Greensburg Central Catholic H.S.) suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage, and has been lost for the season. Up until that injury, Baker may have been the best of the point guards at practice. She will remain with the team this season, helping out in other capacities.
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