Doing the All-Star Repeat
Venne, Kern Repeat as MAC Commonwealth League All-Stars
Barrette Repeats as a Second-Team Selection
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - Susquehanna University senior power forward and two-time All-American Kristen Venne (Shillington/Governor Mifflin H.S.) is officially a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League Women's Basketball First Team All-Star throughout her four-year career, while junior center and teammate Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.) makes the first-team All-Stars after being a second-team pick her first two seasons.
Senior post player Mike Barrette (Dunmore/Dunmore H.S.) is also a repeat MAC Commonwealth league Second Team All-Star on the men's side.
The 5-9 Venne is one of the 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy as the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Player of the Year and a GTE College Division Academic All-District II selection who has led her team into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 1993. She tops the team in both scoring (21.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) - ranking second in the MAC and eighth in Division III in scoring, and fifth in the conference in rebounding. She is also second on the team and third in the MAC in field goal percentage (57.9%, 212 of 366), ranking 19th in the nation. Her 561 points and current scoring average are the second best in a season at Susquehanna (Records: 586 points, Deb Yeasted, 1984-85; 29.8 avg., Lyn Jones, 1980-81).
Venne has scored in double figures in 40-straight games and 97 times in her 99 career contests at Susquehanna. She made the Division III Online Team of the Week five times this season and earned MAC Commonwealth League honors eight times - four times as Player of the Week. She is second in Susquehanna women's history in career scoring (1,911 points) and third in rebounding (881). At present, she is tied for first in MAC modern history (since 1993-94) in career scoring average (19.3 ppg), is third in both field goal percentage (54.7%) and rebounds (8.9 per game), and fourth in free throw percentage (76.9%).
"Kristen is a four-time, first-team All-Star, and I think that fact and her numbers this season speak for themselves. My only disappointment is that she wasn't league MVP. We certainly thought she was," said 12th-year Susquehanna women's head coach Mark Hribar.
A psychology major and Academic All-American candidate, Venne is the daughter of Richard and Ann Venne of Reading.
Kern presently leads Division III in field goal percentage at 66.8 percent (165 of 247) and barring a bad NCAA Tournament, she is almost sure to break the MAC single-season record (Current Record: 63.9%, Rebecca Baker, Wilkes, 1995-96, 175 of 274). She had her string of four-straight double-doubles in points and rebounds ended during the loss at Scranton last Thursday, but still has 36 in her career. Also the team leader in blocked shots (1.7 per game) and steals (2.1 per game) - ranking third in the MAC in blocks - she is second on the team and fifth in the conference in scoring (15.9 ppg), ranking second on the squad in rebounding (8.5 per game). Kern is fourth all-time at Susquehanna in career rebounds (718) and sixth in scoring (1,217 points). She was the MAC Commonwealth League Player of the Week, and also made the Division III Online Team of the Week, for her play in the final week of the regular season.
When Karyn's on her game, she can be as good as anyone in our league. I'm pleased to see the other coaches also believe she's one of the top five players in the league," says Hribar. "We certainly are going to need some big games from her if we plan to win in the NCAA Tournament."
Also a psychology major, she is the daughter of Carol and Peter Kern of Brodheadsville.
Venne and Kern have helped the Crusader women's team make the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the ninth time, and fourth-time under Hribar, taking a 17-9 record into their first-round game against visiting Gwynedd-Mercy Wednesday. The squad posted program's 11th-straight winning season and made the MAC playoffs for a 10th-straight time.
The 6-5 Barrette led the men's team in scoring (14.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 per game) for a second-straight season. He also finished third in three-point field goals (33 of 83, 39.8%) and was fourth in free throw percentage (57 of 80, 71.3%). Barrette scored in double figures in 18 of the team's 23 games this season, earning MAC Honor Roll honors twice.
Barrette became the program's 26th player to score 1,000 points in his career this season, finishing tied for 24th with Kevin Doty (1979-82) at 1,014. he probably would have had more, if he hadn't had his freshman year cut short by a shoulder injury just five games into the season.
"Mike was our go-to guy, and his ability to score both inside and outside were real keys to our team," says 10th-year Susquehanna men's head coach Frank Marcinek. "I think if you look at our team's success, if Mike played well, we played well."
The Crusader men finished 9-14 this season, 6-8 and in fifth place in the Commonwealth League. The final record ended a string of seven-straight winning seasons.
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