Moravian Set to Host Steel Club Classics on January 2-3
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men’s and women’s basketball teams are set to host the Steel Club Classics in Johnston Hall on January 2-3.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's and women's basketball teams are set to host the Steel Club Classics in Johnston Hall on January 2-3.
For the men, it will be the 41st tournament and will feature just one game between the host Greyhounds and Vassar (N.Y.) College on Sunday, January 4 at 4:30 p.m. The other two schools originally slated to participate – New York University and Salisbury (Md.) University – had to withdraw due to COVID protocols in their programs.
The women's tournament, which is in its 18th year, will feature a total of five teams with the Hounds finding Gettysburg College and Lebanon Valley College each available for one game to replace Goucher College, which also had to withdraw due to COVID protocols for the Gophers. Sunday's contests will see the Bullets playing the University of Mary Washington at 12:00 p.m. while the Greyhounds take on Widener University at 2:00 p.m. On Monday, January 3, the first game will be Widener and Mary Washington at 11:00 a.m. followed by Moravian and the Flying Dutchmen at 1:00 p.m.
The entire tournament will be video streamed live at https://landmarknetwork.tv/moravian/.
The Moravian women head into the tournament with a record of 2-8 and a 1-0 slate in Landmark Conference action. Greyhounds' Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk is in her 35th season with the Blue and Grey and is bringing a career record of 618-308.
The Greyhounds are being led by senior forward Kayla Yoegel, who is averaging 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game to go with 12 assists, eight blocked shots, six steals and six three-pointers. Junior guard Madison Amy is netting 8.8 points per contest to go along with 25 assists, 16 rebounds, 16 three-pointers and eight steals while junior guard Jackie Kelly is scoring 7.0 points per outing with 25 rebounds, 10 three-pointers, six assists and six steals.
Sophomore forward Sam Osorio is averaging 6.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with 13 steals, nine assists and five blocked shots while junior guard Morgan Amy has a team-high 44 assists to go with 48 points, 20 rebounds, 20 steals and six three-pointers. Freshman guard Brielle Guarente has contributed 43 points, 41 rebounds, eight steals, five assists and three blocked shots while sophomore forward Gracie Hezel has added 37 rebounds, 26 points and four assists.
Junior forward Emily Markowski has 27 points, 24 rebounds and five assists while being limited to six games while junior guard Ashley Robinson has 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals. Sophomore guard Reganne Flannery has added 16 points and 12 rebounds while freshman guard Sydney DeFranco has eight points.
Gettysburg College from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania comes to Bethlehem with a 7-1 record. The Bullets compete in the Centennial Conference and are 5-0 in conference action this season. Gettysburg is headed by Nate Davis, who is in his seventh season.
Senior guard Carly Rice leads the Bullets with an average of 11.0 points per game to go with 29 rebounds, 17 assists, 11 three-pointers and four steals while freshman guard Mackenzie Szlosek is contributing 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest to go along with 23 assists, 16 steals and four three-pointers. Senior guard Christina Richson is netting 9.5 points per outing with 27 rebounds, 16 three-pointers, 12 assists and 11 steals while senior forward Mackenzie Tinner is averaging 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game with 12 blocked shots, six assists and four steals.
Freshman forward Delaney Donohoe has contributed 46 points, 34 rebounds, five assists and five steals while sophomore forward Hanna Sauve has 42 points, 35 rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore gaurd/forward Caitlyn Priore has added 33 rebounds, 28 points, eight steals, five assists and five blocked shots while junior guard Olivia Matto has 23 rebounds and nine boards.
Lebanon Valley College, located in Annville, Pennsylvania enters the tournament with a 6-5 record. The Flying Dutchmen compete in the MAC Commonwealth Conference and are 2-2 in conference action this season. Lebanon Valley is headed by Diane Decker, who is in her first season at the helm.
Junior guard/forward Daelyn Stabler leads the Flying Dutchmen with averages of 12.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game to go with 30 steals, 18 assists and 10 blocked shots while freshman gaurd Kate Fitzpatrick has averaged 12.5 points per contest with 11 assists and 10 rebounds while playing four games. Junior guard Kennedy Kuffa has averages of 11.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per outing with 19 assists, 11 steals, nine blocked shots and five three-pointers while freshman guard Cristina Fernandez is scoring 7.0 points per contest with 48 rebounds, 26 assists, 18 steals, 13 blocked shots and 11 three-pointers.
Sophomore guard Allison Bimmer has added 38 points, 19 rebounds, 13 assists and eight three-pointers while junior center Jamie Youghkin has 32 points, 31 rebounds and nine assists. Sophomore guard Samya Santiague and freshman guard Chardae Stone both have 27 points with Santiague adding 20 rebounds, 18 assists and 10 steals and Stone pulling down 14 rebounds. Senior guard Cassiah Ray has 23 points and 19 rebounds for the Flying Dutchmen.
The University of Mary Washington from Fredericksburg, Virginia comes to Bethlehem with an 11-1 record after winning the Montclair State University Tournamernt last week. The Eagles compete in the Coast-to-Coast Conference and have yet to play a conference game this winter. Mary Washington is led by Deena Applebury, who is in her 20th season.
Senior forward Tory Martin leads the Eagles with an average of 11.8 points per game to go along with 37 rebounds, 11 assists and 11 steals while sophomore guard/forward Jordan Carpenter is contributing 11.1 rebounds and 9.5 points per contest to go with 17 blocked shots, 14 assists and 12 steals. Sophomore guard Keegan Schwab is netting 9.3 points per outing, and she has added 48 rebounds, 18 assists, 14 blocked shots, eight three-pointers and seven steals.
Junior guard Ashley Martin is adding 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with 21 assists, 15 steals and six blocked shots while freshman guard Megan Baxter is scoring 6.5 points per contest to go along with 18 rebounds, 17 assists, 16 steals and 12 three-pointers. Junior guard Molly Sharman is tossing in 6.2 points per outing with 30 rebounds, 25 assists and seven steals while senior guard Bri Harper has 58 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists and sophomore forward Sydney Sherman has contributed 56 rebounds and 52 points.
Widener University from Chester, Pennsylvania entered the holiday break with a 7-4 record. The Pride compete in the MAC Commonwealth Conference and are 2-2 in conference play this winter. Widener is coached by Alisa Kintner, who is in her 19th season.
Senior forward Erin Phelan leads the Pride in scoring at 12.2 points per game, and she is pulling down 5.1 rebounds per contest to go with 10 assists and eight steals. Junior guard Jordan D'Ambrosio is netting 11.0 points per outing to go with 43 rebounds, 19 assists, 10 steals, nine blocked shots and seven three-pointers while senior guard Nicole Barnes has averages of 9.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game with 43 assists, 29 steals, 10 three-pointers and six blocked shots.
Senior guard Brooke Bachtie is contributing 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest with 18 assists, 17 steals and nine three-pointers while sophomore guard Gianna Samuels is adding 6.4 points per outing with 19 rebounds, 14 assists, 14 steals and 10 assists. Senior guard/forward Charlotte Stern has an average of 5.9 points per game to go along with 33 rebounds while freshman guard Mary McFillin has 53 points, 31 rebounds, 22 assists and 11 three-pointers and senior guard/forward Jasmine Franklin has 37 points and 23 rebounds.
The Greyhound men had a 19-day break after playing an exhibition at NCAA Division I The University of Delaware on December 10. Moravian heads into the tournament with a 4-5 mark and an 0-1 slate in Landmark Conference action. Moravian is led by interim head coach Mike Frew, who is in his first season leading the Hounds.
Senior guard Danny Cooper leads the Greyhounds in scoring at 14.0 points per game, and he is also averaging 4.7 rebounds per contest to go with 32 assists, 17 three-pointers and 12 steals. Junior guard Nate Dougherty is contributing 13.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing with 24 assists, 15 three-pointers, nine steals and five blocked shots while sophomore guard Alex Dietz is netting 13.4 points per game to go along with 33 assists, 29 rebounds, 12 three-pointers and nine steals.
Sophomore forward Mike DiPietro is contributing 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest with nine assists, seven blocked shots, six three-pointers and a trio of steals while sophomore guard C.J. Weber is netting 6.5 points per outing with 17 rebounds, nine assists and eight three-pointers. Freshman guard Nate Santiago leads Moravian on the boards at 5.9 rebounds per game, and he is adding 5.0 points per contest with 11 assists, nine blocked shots, five steals and four three-pointers.
Sophomore forward Thomas Abato has averaging of 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing with seven blocked shots and four assists while sophomore guard/forward James Thompson has 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists this winter. Freshman forward Michael Leonardo has contributed 26 rebounds, 13 points, nine assists, three blocked shots and a trio of three-pointers while junior forward Joe Paulillo has six points and three rebounds. Freshman forward Antonio Montgomery has contributed four points and four rebounds while sophomore guard Justin LaBrusciano has three points and freshman guards Timothy Boutilier and Luciano Lunetta both have two points for the Greyhounds.
Vassar College from Poughkeepsie, New York took a 6-2 record in its semester break, which began after a game on December 7. The Brewers compete in Liberty League and are 3-0 this season. Vassar is led by Ryan Mee, who is in his fourth season.
Junior forward Zach Johnson leads the Brewers with averages of 14.4 points and 13.0 rebounds per game to go along with 26 assists and eight steals. Junior guard/forward Jack Rothenberg is netting 10.9 points per contest to go with 8.4 rebounds per outing, 26 assists, nine steals and four three-pointers while junior guard Ethan Ellis is tossing in 10.8 points per game to go with 22 rebounds, 16 three-pointers, seven assists and three steals.
Junior guard Avni Mustafaj is adding 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest with 16 assists, six three-pointers and four steals while junior guard Kevin McAuliffe is netting 7.9 points per outing to go along with 19 three-pointers, 10 rebounds and six assists. Junior guard Zev Katz has contributed 36 points, eight rebounds, seven three-pointers, six assists and three steals while senior guard Neville Lee has 29 points, five rebounds, four three-pointers and three steals.
Freshman guard Luke Adams has 25 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, three three-pointers and three steals for the Brewers this winter while sophomore forward Logan Scott had 19 rebounds, 16 points and five assists. Freshman guard Alan Cedeno has contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, three steals and a trio of three-pointers. Freshman forward Devyn Benson and junior guard/forward Rayan El Amine each have six points this winter for Vassar.
