CLARION, Pa. — The NCAA announced that Cameron Grumley of the Clarion men’s basketball team is the NCAA Division II statistical champion for free-throw percentage for the 2016-17 season.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
During the 2016-17 campaign, Grumley was sent to the free-throw line 88 times, knocking down 84 shots for an impressive 95.5 free throw percentage. That ranked first in the nation in NCAA Division II, nearly two percent higher than second place. Across all divisions, Grumley finished second only to Jett Speelman of Division III Denison, who finished the year with a 96.5 free-throw percentage. Grumley’s 95.5 free-throw percentage matched Phil Forte III mark at Division I Oklahoma State.
Grumley started in all 28 of his appearances for the Golden Eagles, tallying career bests in several categories, including 31.3 minutes per game. He was the only player to start and appear in all 28 games. The junior assumed a larger role for Clarion after playing off the bench for most of his previous two seasons. Grumley finished second in scoring for the Blue and Gold, averaging 13.5 points per game.
Grumley’s 95.5 free throw percentage ranks second all-time in Clarion men’s basketball history. Mike Sherry set the single-season record of 96.2 percent in the 2010-11 season. However, Sherry went 51-of-53 at the charity stripe that year, meaning Grumley attempted 35 more free throws. In comparison, Grumley needed to make just one more free throw to surpass Sherry’s record.
Between January 6 and February 22, Grumley recorded a stretch of 43 consecutive free throws made, spanning 15 games, a school record. He also tallied a stretch of 39 consecutive free throws made between November 11, 2016, and January 3, 2017, spanning 12 games.
SOFTBALL DROPS TWO TO MERCYHURST
CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion softball team played their final non-conference doubleheader of the season, falling by scores of 7-0 and 13-1 to Mercyhurst on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles (6-40) will travel to Lock Haven on Friday before concluding their season on Saturday against Mansfield.
The Golden Eagles dropped the opening game by a score of 7-0, with the majority of the damage coming in the first two innings of play. Paige Baker entered in relief in the top of the third inning and settled things down, allowing an inherited runner to score in the third but otherwise holding the Lakers to one run in five innings.
Clarion had a chance to chip into what was a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Cassie Daniels and Casey Wilcox recorded back-to-back one-out singles. Kim Burdett reached on a dropped fly ball in center field, but Aryn Boyer rolled a pitch over to shortstop to ground out and end the inning.
They had a similar chance in the bottom of the second, this time with Haley Pszyk reaching on a one-out single. Natalie Else bunted her over to second, and Taylor Nonnenberg reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners. The runners got no further as Brigid Stermel grounded out to second. Clarion saw two more runners reach scoring position in the game, but the big hit never quite came.
In the second game, the Golden Eagles cut into the Lakers lead early and had several chances to take the initiative themselves. Their lone run came in the bottom of the third inning after Stermel reached first on an errant throw by the shortstop. Wilcox advanced her to third with a hard grounder to the shortstop, and Daniels drove her in by beating out a throw to first for an infield single, making it 3-1 for the Lakers. Daniels stole second with one out to threaten again, but Laura Sadowski and Rachel Hoffman both popped up to end the inning.
Mercyhurst scored four in the next half inning to take a 7-1 lead and carried on the attack from there in building a 13-1 lead. Clarion had a chance to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fourth inning with runners on first and second with two outs, but Stermel lined a shot directly at the center fielder to end the inning.
