The Baldwin Wallace University Women Beat William Smith (N.Y.), 71-65, to
Advance to Sectional Round of NCAA Division III Tournament
BEREA, OHIO —Senior guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry) scored a team-high 17 points as the Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team defeated William Smith (N.Y.) College, 71-65, tonight (March 4) in the East Region Championship Game of the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center in Berea.
With its win, BW advances to the Sectional and third round of the Div. III National tourney and will play the winner of the Messiah (Pa.) College versus Williams (Mass.) College game next Friday, March 10 at a site to be determined by the NCAA Selection Committee on Sunday, March 5.
With its win, BW improves to 26-4 overall while William Smith ends its season at 22-6 overall. The Yellow Jackets also have won two straight, even their all-time NCAA Tournament record at 9-9 and are advancing to their third all-time Sectional Tournament. This was the first-ever meeting between BW and William Smith in women's basketball.
In the first half, following seven lead changes and three ties, the Herons broke from a 13-12 Yellow Jacket advantage to go on an 8-0 run to take their largest lead at 20-13 with 5:16 left when sophomore forward Stephanie Czajkowski scored on a layup. BW responded with a 13-2 run to take its largest lead of the first stanza at 26-22 when Altenweg canned a three-pointer with 30 seconds left before the intermission. Altenweg had seven of the 13 points during BW's run. A three-pointer by William Smith senior guard Pria Young left BW with a 26-25 lead at halftime.
In the second half, BW scored the first seven points to lead by eight points at 33-25 with 17:14 left when senior center Jenn Neal canned a jumper. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to as many as 12 points at 48-36 with 9:50 to go when freshman guard Amanda Mondrach (Parma/ Parma Heights Holy Name) canned a jumper. William Smith then outscored BW 27-16 to get as close as one point at 64-63 when sophomore guard Marisa Vespa canned a three-pointer.
BW took a two-point lead at 65-63 when junior forward Jessica Latimer (Brooklyn) canned one of two foul shots with 38.79 seconds left. Latimer made two more foul shots at the 21.59-second mark and the Herons scored to make it 67-65. Then Altenweg sealed the win by making four straight foul shots in the final 11.83 seconds.
In addition to Altenweg for BW, Mondrach had 14 points and Latimer had 10.
William Smith was led by Vespa and Young with a game-high 21 each.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact BW Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Cheri Harrer, please call her at 440-826-3299, via FAX at 440-826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.
Game Notes vs. William (N.Y.) Smith
The Baldwin Wallace University YELLOW JACKET women's basketball team will play William Smith (N.Y) College on Saturday, March 4, 2006 in the East Region Championship Game in the NCAA Division III National Tournament at the Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center in Berea, Ohio at 6:00 p.m. The winner of this game advances to the "Sweet 16" of the national tournament on March 10-11.
RADIO BROADCASTS AND INTERNET WEB AUDIO STREAMS -- Tonight's Yellow Jacket NCAA Division III Tournament women's basketball game is being broadcast LIVE by both BW campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, and d3hoops.com. In addition, both WBW and d3hoops.com are streming the audio over their Internet Web sites. You can connect to the BW broadcast at www.wBW.com, and you can connect to the d3hoops.com feed at www.d3hoops.com.
Baldwin Wallace University
LOCATION: Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME: Yellow Jackets
CONFERENCE: Ohio Athletic
2005-2006 RECORD: 25-4
LAST GAME: Beat Oswego State, N.Y,, 73-69, on March 3 in the first round of the NCAA Trny. in Berea.
HEAD COACH: Cheri Harrer
BW RECORD: 326-118
YEAR AT BW: 16th
CAREER RECORD: same as above
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting
SERIES STREAK: First Meeting
LAST MEETING: First Meeting
WHO WON: First Meeting
SERIES BEGAN: First Meeting
WILLIAM SMITH (N.Y.) COLEGE
LOCATION: Geneva, New York
NICKNAME: Herons
CONFERENCE: Liberty League
2005-2006 RECORD: 22-5
LAST GAME: Beat St. John Fisher, N.Y., on March 3 in the first round of the NCAA Trny. in Berea.
HEAD COACH: Lindsay Drury
WS RECORD: 22-5
YEAR AT WS: First-year/ third overall
CAREER RECORD: same as above
PREGAME NOTES -- The Baldwin Wallace women's basketball team will play William Smith (N.Y.) College in the East Region Championship Game in the second round of the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. The winner advances to the "Sweet 16" Tournament on March 10-11 at a site and time yet to be determined.
The Yellow Jackets enter this game with a 25-4 overall record and captured the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title with a 17-1 mark. BW advanced to the East Region Championship Game when it beat Oswego State (N.Y.), 73-69, in the first and semifinal round last night (March 3) in Berea.
William Smith enters tonight's game with a 22-5 overall record and is the champion of the Liberty League. The Herons advanced to the East Region Championship Game when it defeated St. John Fisher (N.Y.) College, 69-62, last night (March 3) in Berea. William Smith has won three straight games.
The BW Versus William Smith All-Time Series -- This is the first-ever meeting between Baldwin Wallace University and William Fisher in women's basketball.
BW Information and Probable Starters -- Look for Yellow Jacket veteran Head Coach Cheri Harrer to start 5'7" senior guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry) at the point guard position and in the backcourt along with 5'9" junior guard/forward Michelle White (Hudson) and 5'8" freshman guard Amanda Mondrach (Parma/ Parma Heights Holy Name). On the inside, look for 5'8" sophomore Stacia Shrider (Marietta/ Warren Local) to start alongside 6'0" senior All-OAC center Jenn Neal (Mentor). Altenweg scores a team-leading 10.6 points per game and grabs 3.7 rebounds per game. She also has a team-leading 80 assists and 71 steals and shoots 47.5 percent from three-point range (29-of-61 attempts) and has a team-leading 29 treys. White scores 7.7 ppg. and grabs 3.0 rpg. Mondrach scores 10.1 ppg., grabs 3.0 rpg. and has 26 triple's. Shrider scores 4.4 ppg. and grabs 3.9 rpg. Neal scores 6.4 ppg., grabs 3.1 rpg. and has blocked a team-leading 17 shots.
Harrer's bench is deep, so look for 5'6" junior guard Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua Fransiscan), 5'11" sophomore swing player Alyson Cotter (Salem), junior 5'8" forward Jessica Latimer (Brooklyn) and 5'10" Carly Flowers all to see action as veterans. They will be joined by 5'6" freshman guard Jessica Butzer (Orrville) and 5'8" freshman guard Leah Mottayaw (Mansfield/ Madison) and 5'5" point guard Rachael Quiring (Brunswick/ Parma Hts. Holy Name). Jaworski scores 4.9 ppg. and has 27 three-pointers Cotter scores 7.4 ppg. and grabs 3.7 rpg. and has 24 three-pointers. Latimer scores 6.7 ppg. and grabs a team-leading 4.0 rpg. and shoots 56.4 percent from the floor. Mottayaw scores 4.2 ppg. Butzer has played in 17 games and scores 3.2 ppg.
Scouting the Herons of William Smith College -- Look for Head Coach Lindsay Drury to start 5'9" senior Pria Young and 5'4" sophomore Marisa Vespa in the backcourt, and 5'9" senior Seraphine Hamilton can play both in the back and frontcourt. On the inside, Drury will start 5'11" senior Tanya Richvalsky and 5'10" sophomore Stephanie Czajkowski. Young scores 11.0 ppg. to rank third, grabs 5.3 rebounds per game with 79 steals, 70 assists and 48 three-pointers. Vespa scores 9.6 ppg., grabs 3.0 rpg., has a team-leading 95 assists and has contributed 43 steals and 18 treys. Hamilton scores 6.0 ppg., grabs 5.3 rpg., has 46 assists and 41 steals. Richalvsky scores 7.8 ppg., grabs 4.9 rpg. and has 17 blocked shots. Czajkowski scores 10.6 ppg., grabs a team-leading 6.9 rpg. and has 42 steals and 31 assists.
Off the bench, look for Drury to play 5'6" junior guard Paula Foote, 5'7" junior guard Emily Alcott and 6'0" sophomore forward Amanda Nann, 6'0" freshman forward Lauren Samuelson. Foote is tied for second at 10.6 ppg., has 27 treys, 76 assists and 28 steals. Alcott scores 3.2 ppg. in 24 games. Nann has played in 21 contests and scores 2.3 ppg., grabs 2.1 rpg. and has blocked a team-leading 22 shots. Samuelson has played in 20 games and scores 4.4 ppg. and grabs 2.4 rpg.
In BW's Last Game: Baldwin Wallace University -- 73, Oswego State (N.Y.) -- 69 on March 3 in the First and Semifinal Round of the East Region in the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea, Ohio -- In its last game, Baldwin Wallace University defeated Oswego State (N.Y.), 73-69, in the first and semifinal round of the East Region of the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. Junior forward Michelle White and sophomore guard Alyson Cotter each scored a team-high 14 points to lead the way. In addition, senior center Jenn Neal had 12 points.
In William Smith's Last Game: William Smith (N.Y.) College -- 69, St. John Fisher (N.Y.) College --62 on March 3 in the First and Semifinal Round of the East Region in the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea, Ohio -- In its last game, William Smith (N.Y.) College defeated St. John Fisher (N.Y.) College, 69-62, in the first and semifinal round of the East Region of the 2006 NCAA Division III National Tournament in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. Leading the Herons were Pria Young led four players in double figures with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals. Marsia Vespa and Seraphine Hamilton each scored 12 points and Tanya Richvalsy had 11.
Yellow Jacket Chatter
NCAA Tourament History -- Baldwin Wallace University is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament in the last 11 years. The Yellow Jackets have compiled a 7-8 record, including its win versus Oswego State (N.Y.), in NCAA tourney play and have twice advanced to the Elite Eight (1999-2000 and 2000-2001).
The OAC Regular Season Title -- BW has won six of the past eight Ohio Athletic Conference regular season titles, including three straight. This is the first OAC outright title for BW since 2000-2001.
Ten Straight 20-Win Seasons for the Jackets -- The BW women have 10 straight seasons with 20 or more victories. Head Coach Cheri Harrer's team is 244-43 during that time span for an amazing .851 winning percentage.
Cheri Harrer is the OAC Coach of the Year -- For the third time in her career, Baldwin Wallace Head Coach Cheri Harrer has been named as the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Harrer also won the onor in both 1999 and 2000. Harrer is the winningest women's basketball coach in BW history with 326 victories. Harrer is 326-118 in her career with a .735 winning percentage and is in her 16th season at BW.
Amanda Mondrach is the OAC Freshman-of-the-Year -- Freshman guard Amanda Mondrach is this year's OAC Freshman-of-the-Year. Mondrach averages 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and has canned 26 treys as a starter in all 29 games this season.
Nikki Altenweg Headlines Four Jackets' on the All-OAC Team -- Senior point guard Nikki Altenweg headlines a group of four BW players who were named to this year's All-OAC team. Altenweg was named to the team for the third time and made the first-team for the second straight year. In addition, junior forward Michelle White and senior center Jenn Neal made the team for the second straight year. White moved up to the second-team this year after being named honorable mention last winter. Neal made the honorable mention group for the second straight year. Freshman guard Amanda Mondrach, this year's OAC Freshman-of-the-Year, also was an honorable mention choice.
Nikki Altenweg Named ESPN MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV -- Nikki Altenweg (Perry) has been named as a second-team ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV player. Altenweg carries a 3.6 grade point average in mathematics and intends to teach and coach basketball following graduation. She currently stands third all-time in school history in steals with 230 and assists with 350. Altenweg also has 870 career points and 270 career rebounds.
Jenn Neal is BW's All-Time Leader in Blocked Shots -- Senior All-OAC center Jenn Neal (Mentor) is the school's all-time leader with 99 blocked shots. Overall, Neal has 695 career points and 370 career rebounds and has canned 51.7 percent of her field goal attempts (292-of-565).
FOR MORE INFORMATION, Please visit the Baldwin Wallace Athletics website at www.bw.edu/athletics for up to date results and statistics. For further inquiries, please contact BW SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. BW Head Coach Cheri Harrer can be reached by phone at (440) 826-3299, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.