Kern Named to Two Preseason All-American Teams

SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Susquehanna University senior center Karyn Kern has been named a preseason All-American by both Columbus Multimedia and Women's DIII News, just 10 months after suffering what was feared to be a career-ending knee injury.

Kern (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley H.S.) averaged 26.2 points and 13.2 rebounds in five games before suffering torn ligaments and cartilage damage in her right knee in an 83-80 win over Messiah on November 30 of last season. The Crusaders, 5-0 at the time, finished the season with a 13-11 record and failed to qualify for the Middle Atlantic Conference playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons.

Kern is the only player from the MAC named to the Columbus Multimedia preseason All-America team and joins Elizabethtown's Abbie Fabian as one of three players from the Mid-Atlantic region selected to the Women's DIII News All-America team. Last season, Kern was an honorable mention preseason All-America selection by Women's DIII News

For her career, Kern is averaging 16.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest, while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor. She ranks fifth on the Susquehanna career scoring list with 1,358 points and fourth with 796 rebounds. In 1998-99, Kern led Division III by shooting a MAC-record 65.0 percent from the field en route to earning Commonwealth Conference All-Star honors for the third straight season.

The Crusaders will open the 2000-2001 season on Saturday, November 18 by hosting the Pepsi/Varsity Club Tip-Off Tournament at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.