The News Just Keeps Getting Better for Crusader Women
Regionally-Ranked Susquehanna to Host Allentown or King's in MAC Quarterfinal Tue.,
Venne One of 10 Finalists for D-III Player of Year, Kern Still Leads DIII in FG Percentage
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - The Susquehanna University women's basketball team clinched second-place in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League with Wednesday's 83-66 win over Albright, coupled with Messiah's 59-42 loss at Moravian, and will host a MAC quarterfinal game next Tuesday. Now 15-8 overall, 9-4 in the league going into Saturday's regular-season finale at Juniata, the Crusaders will host the third-place team in the Freedom League - either 16-7 King's or 14-9 Allentown depending on the outcome of Saturday's games -- next Tuesday at 7 p.m. in O.W. Houts Gymnasium.
Susquehanna has had 11-straight winning seasons and will be making its 10th-straight MAC playoff appearance. Ticket prices for Tuesday's game will be $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, $2 for students, and children under the ages of six will be admitted for free.
King's would clinch second in the Freedom League and send defending MAC champion Allentown to Susquehanna with either a win over visiting FDU-Madison Saturday, or a loss by Allentown at Lycoming. A King's loss, coupled with an Allentown win, would mean King's would finish third and come to Selinsgrove.
In addition to clinching second in the league and a home court in their first-round game, the Crusader women began the week ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region rankings, which ultimately determine the 48-team field for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Each of Division III's eight regions are guaranteed six teams. The MAC champion will earn an automatic bid, but a team could also earn an at-large bid if it finishes in the top six of the final regional poll. Teams will be announced Sunday, February 28.
Individually, Susquehanna senior power forward and two-time All-American Kristen Venne (Shillington/Governor Mifflin H.S.) has been chosen as one of the 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy as the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Player of the Year. The 30-member Jostens Trophy Selection Committee will now select the recipient of the Jostens Trophy. The award will be presented on Thursday, March 18, at the Salem (Va.) Rotary Club Meeting in the Salem Civic Center - site of the NCAA Division III men's basketball Final Four, which will be played March 19-20. Recipients of the Jostens Trophy must exhibit excellence in basketball, academics and community service. Nominations are submitted by the Chief Executive Officer of the participating Division III institutions.
The 5-9 Venne presently leads the team in both scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg) - ranking third in the MAC and 13th in Division III in scoring, and fourth in the conference in rebounding. She is also second on the team and fourth in the MAC in field goal percentage (56.8%, 183 of 322). Venne has scored double figures in 37-straight games and 94 of 96 during her collegiate career. She is second in Susquehanna women's history in career scoring (1,832 points) and third in rebounding (850). At present, she ranks second in MAC modern history (since 1993-94) in career scoring average (19.1 ppg), third in both field goal percentage (54.3%) and rebounds (9.1 per game), and fifth in free throw percentage (76.3%).
Her 6-2 junior frontcourt mate Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.) continues to lead NCAA Division III players in field goal percentage (68.8%, 152 of 221). Also the team leader in blocked shots (1.8 per game) and steals (2.2 per game) - ranking third in the MAC in blocks - Kern is second on the team and seventh in the conference in scoring (16.2 ppg), ranking second on the squad in rebounding (8.3 per game). Now with 34 career double-doubles in points and rebounds, she is fourth at Susquehanna in career rebounding (676) and sixth in scoring (1,177 points).
While his players have been gaining much of the attention, 12th-year Susquehanna head coach Mark Hribar is also nearing a significant milestone. The winningest coach in program history at 197-102 (.659) going into Saturday's game at Juniata, Hribar is just three wins shy of becoming just the second coach to ever win 200 games at Susquehanna. The other one is current Susquehanna Director of Athletics Don Harnum, who guided the men's basketball team to a 201-153 record (.568) during his 13 seasons as head coach. Hribar's record includes three NCAA Tournament appearances, and being named MAC Northern Division Coach of the Year twice (1990-91, 91-92). He has guided his team to 11-straight winning seasons and 10-straight MAC playoff appearances -- going 8-9 (.471) in playoff games.
ALLENTOWN IN BRIEF
Playing just its second year in the MAC, Allentown has won three-straight conference championships - two in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (1995-96, 96-97) and last season in during its debut in the MAC. The Centaurs have gone 8-0 in conference tournaments during that run.
Ninth-year head coach Fred Richter is now 149-87 (.631) and recently became the school's winningest basketball coach - breaking the record of 147 held by former women's coach Tom Shirley (1981-89). Richter's team's are known for their defense, and this is no exception as the Centaurs are fifth in the conference in field goal percentage defense (35.6%), and fifth in scoring defense (60.0 ppg).
Junior two guard Kate Corcoran is a returning starter from last season's championship team and smashed the school record for season three-point field goals made with 42 (out of 126, 33.3%), going into Saturday's game at Lycoming. Also the team's scoring leader and the only player averaging in double figures (13.6 ppg), she is fifth in the conference in three-point field goals per game (1.83 per game) and ninth in percentage. She also leads the team in steals with 67 to rank fifth in the MAC in that category (3.0 per game).
Six-foot-one sophomore center Rachel Hartung is the team's leading rebounder (7.0 per game) and next on the squad in scoring (8.8 ppg). Susquehanna and Allentown have met only twice before, with Susquehanna winning both - including a 59-28 rout at Allentown on January 29, 1992 in their last meeting.
KING'S IN BRIEF
King's has rebounded from the loss of 1998 Josten's Trophy finalist and senior point guard Elaine Colyer, who suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament knee injury on January 5. After dropping their first three games following the announcement that Colyer would be lost for the season, the Lady Monarchs have reeled off six-straight wins under sixth-year head coach Bryan Whitten (85-67, .559), including a 73-66 win at Freedom League champion and nationally-ranked Scranton last Saturday.
Whitten has turned around the once down-trodden King's program, improving the team from 3-21 his first season to five-straight MAC playoff berths. The Lady Monarchs scored a 77-63 win over Susquehanna in a MAC quarterfinal at King's last season. Susquehanna had won 11-straight over King's before last season's loss and has a 24-8 series lead (.750). The two teams have met in the first round of the MAC playoffs three of the last four years, with Susquehanna winning five straight conference playoffs games - all first-rounders - before last seasons's loss.
Returning MAC Freedom League First Team All-Star and 5-11 junior power forward Joanne Polakoski leads the team in scoring (20.5 ppg), rebounding (9.9 per game) and field goal percentage (56.1%, 162 of 289) - ranking second in the MAC in both scoring and FG percentage, and third in rebounds. Six-foot-three junior center Heather Medashefsi is second on the team in all three of those categories (14.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 50.0 FG%) and leads the MAC in blocked shots (68/3.09 per game). She is seventh in conference FG percentage and eighth in rebounding.
NEXT UP
The winner of Tuesday's game at Susquehanna will meet the winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal featuring the Commonwealth League number four seed - either Lebanon Valley (13-9) or Moravian (14-9) - at Freedom League champion Scranton (21-2) on Thursday. Scranton would host with a win. Susquehanna would host if Scranton was upset.
| 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 |