Both Crusader Hoops Teams Picked Third in Commonwealth League
Each Receive Championship Vote in MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — Both the Susquehanna University men’s and women’s basketball teams are picked to finish third in the Middle Atlantic Commonwealth League this season, and also received one championship vote apiece, according to the Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Crusader men’s team returns all five starters from last season’s 15-10 squad, which lost to eventual MAC champion and NCAA Division III Final Four team Wilkes on a controversial buzzer-beater, 80-78, in an MAC quarterfinal. Also with 11 returning letterwinners, the Crusader men were fourth in the league a year ago.
The Susquehanna women have all but one starter returning from last season’s 15-9 squad, which won its last five regular-season games before losing at King’s, 77-63, in a MAC quarterfinal last season. The Crusaders finished third in the Commonwealth League last year and have 10 returning letterwinners.
The polls were released Monday at the conference’s annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon at the Farmer’s Wife Restaurant in Ono. Excluding their own teams, coaches were asked to rank the teams in their own league, also voting for an overall champion.
The men are under 10th-year head coach Frank Marcinek and earned 40 points with one overall championship vote in the poll. The Crusaders have compiled seven-straight winning seasons. Topping their returning starters are a pair of junior second-team league All-Stars in center/forward Mike Barrette (Dunmore/Dunmore H.S.) and two-guard Rob Makarewicz (Sugarloaf/Hazleton Area H.S.). Barrette led the team in scoring (15.6 ppg), field goal percentage (53.2%) and rebounding (5.2 per game), ranking ninth in MAC FG clip. Makarewicz, meanwhile, was the team’s top long-range threat, ranking second on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg) while finishing seventh in conference three-point percentage (40.8%, 49 of 120).
Susquehanna is one of three Commonwealth League teams which return all five starters from last year. Under fifth-year head coach Brad MacAlester, Lebanon Valley is the favorite to win the league in the coaches poll and won the ECAC South Region championship last season while finishing 20-8. The Flying Dutchmen return the biggest starter of all in 6-8 senior small forward Andy Panko — the 1997-98 consensus National Player of the Year and two-time defending league MVP who averaged 25.5 points per game last season.
Albright, of fourth-year coach Ken Tyler, rallied late to win the league title last season and also has all its starters back from that 15-10 team. The Lions enjoy the league’s best backcourt tandem in returning junior first-team league All-Stars Shawn Swavely 922.5 ppg) and James Drewry (18.5 ppg).
“I think third is probably where we belong based on returning players from a year ago. Lebanon Valley and Albright were hard for us to play against a year ago and hopefully we’re a little better this season,” said Marcinek, who is the most successful coach in program history with a .596 winning percentage (137-93).
“We’re a little bit bigger inside and we’re a little bit bigger in the backcourt, and we’re a little but quicker, so I hope we’ve made some improvements in the off-season in areas where we weren’t as strong a year ago.”
Defending conference champion Wilkes is the favorite to repeat — both overall and in the Freedom League. Under seventh-year coach Jerry Rickrode, the Colonels got nine of a possible 16 championship votes. They return three starters and eight letterwinners, including Freedom League tri-MVP and first-team regional All-American and junior guard Dave Januzzi (18.2 ppg).
The Crusaders will open their season on Friday, November 20, hosting SUNY New Paltz in the 8 p.m. game of the Susquehanna Kiwanis K.I.D.D. Basketball Tip-Off Tournament. Marietta and Staten Island will play in the 6 p.m. game. The consolation and championship games are at 6 and 8 p.m. respectively on Saturday.
Under 12th-year head coach Mark Hribar, the Crusader women are nationally-ranked in two NCAA Division III preseason polls and tallied 38 points in the league poll, with one league championship vote and one as overall champion. The Crusaders have 10-straight winning seasons, and nine-straight appearances in the MAC post-season.
A pair of returning league All-Stars once again lead the team up front in senior power forward and tri-captain Kristen Venne (Shillington/Governor Mifflin H.S.) and junior center Karyn Kern (Broadheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.). A two-year All-American and three-year All-Star, Venne is presently fifth in career scoring at Susquehanna with 1,350 points, ranking fourth in rebounding with 640. She led the team in scoring (18.3 ppg), ranking third in the MAC, and was second in both rebounding (7.7 per game) and field goal percentage (58.1%), ranking 17th nationally in the latter. Kern led the team in rebounding (9.0 per game), FG percentage (61.6%) and blocked shots, finishing second in scoring (15.3 ppg). She was the MAC leader and fourth nationally in field goal percentage.
Elizabethtown has finished first in all five Commonwealth League seasons and is picked as the favorite again. Under legendary 29th-year head coach Yvonne Kauffman (504-163), the Blue Jays return three starters from last season’s 18-8 squad, led by two-time league All-Star and senior forward Shauntae Stancil (11.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg).
Messiah also returns three starters and nine letterwinners from last season’s 18-7 league runners-up. Under 13th-year coach Mike Miller, the Falcons are led by returning league All-Star and senior forward Sarah Wade (14.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg).
“I think it’s a good spot to be (third) because you’re right in the hunt and aiming to go higher,” said Hribar, who is the winningest coach in program history at 182-94. “The big thing for us is perimeter shooting. Last year, people started to collapse inside on Venne and Kern, and this year they’ll probably do the same thing. While our perimeter game should help us out a bit, I think we’ve got to get some perimeter shooting from a bunch of kids.”
Defending Freedom League champ and NCAA Division III Sweet 16 team Scranton is the favorite to win its fifth MAC title in seven seasons, garnering half of the 16 championship votes. Also picked to repeat as Freedom League champs, the Lady Royals have four starters back for legendary 19th-year head coach Mike Strong (430-101), led by All-American junior point guard Kelly Halpin (18.0 ppg).
The Crusader women open thier season on Saturday, November 21, hosting Russell Sage in the 3 p.m. game of the Susque-hanna Kiwanis K.I.D.D. Tip-Off Tournament. Thiel will play Holy Family in Saturday’s 1 p.m. game, with the consolation and championship games at 1 and 3 p.m. respectively the following day.
| The James W. Garrett Sports Complex, Publications, and Sports Information |
| Hours: 8:15 - 4:30 M-F (Academic year) 8:00 - 4:00 (Summer) | |
| Phone: 717-372-4119 Fax: 717-372-4048 E-mail: supubrel@susqu.edu |