Shippensburg and California Top PSAC Women's Basketball Polls
PSAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2016-17 MEDIA PACKET
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Shippensburg and California have been selected to win the Eastern and Western Divisions, respectively, for the 2016-17 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball season. The favorites were announced by the league office Thursday along with the preseason coaches’ poll.
EASTERN DIVISION
Shippensburg earns the top spot in the East following a 21-7 season and will return all five starters from last year. The Raiders will be led by two-time all-conference first-team selection Morgan Griffith, who averaged 16.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per contest. Forward Stephanie Knauer returns after a year’s absence and will be one of five seniors in the starting lineup.
Shippensburg led the league in field-goal percentage (43.2) and was second in free-throw percentage (73.4).
East Stroudsburg and PSAC East Coach of the Year Diane Decker are second after leading the league in blocks per game. Senior forward Allison Howard will pace the Warriors after dropping 15.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game a year ago.
Millersville lands third behind head coach Mary Fleig, who is three wins shy of 600 on her storied career. Senior Celeste Robinson, who landed on the All-PSAC First Team last season, is the squad’s top returnee.
West Chester is slated fourth following a 21-8 mark and will be defending the East crown.
Kutztown grabs fifth and will boast four starting seniors, including Kelsey Watson, a second-team all-conference representative, who averaged 16.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest.
Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, Mansfield and Cheyney round out the East.
WESTERN DIVISION
Following its sixth PSAC title, California is the favorite to win the West and will return four starters. Senior Miki Glenn will pace the Vulcan offense after averaging 19.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Glenn is a two-time first-team all-conference selection.
IUP is tabbed second after producing a 20-9 record last season. The Crimson Hawks led the league in three-point percentage (37.9) and was third in field-goal percentage (42.4). Junior Megan Smith averaged 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds.
Coach Stan Swank and his Fighting Scots placed third in the poll after a 20-10 campaign. Senior Katie Fischer earned second-team all-conference recognition in her first season at Edinboro and went for 16.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Mercyhurst sits fourth and returns all five starters, including the senior duo of Natalie Piaggesi and Angela Heintz. Heintz earned a spot on the all-conference first-team with 13.3 points per game while Piaggesi grabbed a spot on the second team after she averaged 14.8 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Senior Lexi Carpenter and Slippery Rock round out the top five despite losing four starters. Carpenter earned All-PSAC honors after averaging 17.5 points and 4.4 rebounds as a junior.
Gannon, Seton Hill, Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown round out the West.
PSAC Women’s Basketball East Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
- Shippensburg (8)
- East Stroudsburg
- Millersville (1)
- West Chester
- Kutztown
- Lock Haven
- Bloomsburg
- Mansfield
- Cheyney
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
PSAC Women’s Basketball West Preseason Poll
- California (8)
- IUP (1)
- Edinboro
- Mercyhurst
- Slippery Rock
- Gannon
- Seton Hill
- Clarion
- Pitt.-Johnstown
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