Clarion University Women’s Hoops Picked Eighth in PSAC West

Chris Rossetti

Chris Rossetti

Published October 28, 2016 4:17 am
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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (EYT) — Coming off a nine-win season a year ago, the Clarion University women’s basketball team is picked to finish eighth in the PSAC West under third-year head coach Jana Ashley.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

Ashley reacts to the preseason poll.

The Golden Eagles were 9-19 last year, a seven-win improvement over Ashley’s first season when Clarion struggled to a 2-25 mark after losing Hannah Heeter to injury.

Three of Clarion’s top four scorers from a year ago return including Tyra Polite (12.8 ppg), Jordan Bekelja (10.0 ppg) and Delrika Jones-Carey (10.0 ppg). Jones-Carey also led the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg). The squad does need to replace leading scorer Tania Holmes, a 1,000-point career scorer, who averaged 14.1 ppg last year after averaging 15.6 ppg as a junior. She finished her career with 1,174 points and was named a second-team PSAC West performer for the second straight year.

FAST BREAK

  • The top six teams from the PSAC West qualify for the PSAC Playoffs. Clarion hasn’t qualified for the postseason since 2013, when it lost to California (Pa.) 72-42. The Golden Eagles last PSAC playoff win came in 2005 when it beat Shippensburg, 69-49, in the quarterfinals before losing to Millersville, 57-54, in the semifinals. Clarion qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs that season, the last time the Golden Eagles have been to the NCAA Tournament.
  • Clarion hasn’t had a winning season since going 14-13 in 2009-10
  • California (Pa.), two years removed from winning the D-II national title, the defending PSAC West champion and the two-time defending PSAC champion, are favored in the West (see full poll below)
  • Shippensburg is the favorite in the PSAC East

2016-17 PSAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Polls

Western Division (1st place votes)
1) California (8)
2) IUP (1)
3) Edinboro
4) Mercyhurst
5) Slippery Rock
6) Gannon
7) Seton Hill
8) Clarion
9) Pitt.-Johnstown

Eastern Division (1st place votes)
1) Shippensburg (8)
2) East Stroudsburg
3) Millersville (1)
4) West Chester
5) Kutztown
6) Lock Haven
7) Bloomsburg
8) Mansfield
9) Cheyney

2016-17 PSAC Women’s Basketball West Preseason All-Conference Team
F Seairra Barrett Jr. California
G Lexi Carpenter Sr. Slippery Rock
G Katie Fischer Sr. Edinboro
G Miki Glenn Sr. California
G Angela Heintz Sr. Mercyhurst
F Natalie Piaggesi Sr. Mercyhurst

2016-17 PSAC Women’s Basketball East Preseason All-Conference Team
F Morgan Griffith Sr. Shippensburg
F/C Allison Howard Sr. East Stroudsburg
F Stephanie Knauer Sr. Shippensburg
G Celeste Robinson Sr. Millersville
G Logan Snyder Sr. Shippensburg
F Kelsey Watson Sr. Kutztown

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