AMCC Basketball Preseason Poll

2007-08 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

MEDAILLE EXPECTED TO DEFEND
AMCC WOMEN'S TITLE

Medaille College earned 9 of 10 first place votes in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference preseason coaches' poll, an overwhelming endorsement of the Lady Mavericks' ability to successfully defend their AMCC women's basketball title. Penn State Behrend, the runner-up in last year's tournament and the only AMCC team to defeat Medaille in 2007, and Lake Erie College, a surprise tournament semifinalist last year, tied for second.

Preseason Player of the Year honors went to Pitt-Greensburg senior guard Tiffany Menhorn (Latrobe, PA/Latrobe). Menhorn has been a first team all-conference selection the past two years. Her stats in 2007 included 14.6 ppg on 39.6% shooting and 5.8 rpg. She also shot 36% from three point range and 79% from the line, and contributed 41 steals.

The AMCC begins conference play on Wednesday, November 28. The conference championship will be Saturday, March 1 at the top seed. The winner will receive the AMCC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

AMCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POLL
Preseason Rankings*

1. Medaille (1)
T-2. Penn St. Behrend (2)
T-2. Lake Erie (5)
4. Pitt-Greensburg (3)
5. Frostburg St. (4)
6. Pitt-Bradford (6)
7. La Roche (9)
8. Penn St. Altoona (8)
9. Mount Aloysius (7)
10. Hilbert (10)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2007

Preseason Player of the Year
TIFFANY MENHORN
Pitt-Greensburg

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY Head Coach Jody Pepple (7th year) 2007: 12-6 AMCC, 17-9 overall
Senior F Amanda La Porta (Westminster, MD/Westminster)...Averaged 10.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 2007...MVP of the Jim Crawley Tip-Off Tournament last season...started all 26 games for the Bobcats. Sophomore F Brittany James (Baltimore, MD/Milford Mill Academy)...Contributed 8.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg while averaging 20 minutes a game in playing time her freshman year.
HILBERT COLLEGE Head Coach Kara Rehbaum (4th year) 2007: 2-16 AMCC, 2-22 overall
Senior F Amanda McHale (Bradford, PA/Archbishop Walsh)...Second team All-AMCC in 2007...averaged 11.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks for the season.
LA ROCHE COLLEGE Head Coach Eddie Benton Jr. (4th year) 2007: 3-15 AMCC, 5-20 overall
Senior G Marlis Graves (McKeesport, PA/Mckeesport)...The AMCC leader in both assists (6.2 apg) and steals (4.7 spg) in 2007...second team all-conference selection...also contributed 10.6 ppg. Sophomore F Lyndi Miloszewksi (Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk)...The Redhawks' top rebounder (7.0 rpg) and second leading scorer (11.0 ppg) last season.
LAKE ERIE COLLEGE Head Coach Bob Booher (3rd Year) 2007: 10-8 AMCC, 11-15 overall
Sophomore G Jalisa Mitchell (Warrensville Heights, OH/Warrensville Heights)...2007 AMCC Newcomer of the Year and second team All-AMCC pick...led the league in scoring with 17.3 ppg and ranked #3 in 3FG made with 1.77 per game. Junior G Angela Bethel (Beavercreek, OH/Miami Valley)...Top ten AMCC scorer with 13.7 ppg...ranked #1 in three pointers made with 2.35 per game...also contributed 2.12 spg.
MEDAILLE COLLEGE Head Coach Pete Lonergan (5th Year) 2007: 17-1 AMCC, 23-5 overall
Senior F Amanda Baker (Lyons, NY/Newark)...2007 AMCC Player of the Year and three-time first team all-conference selection.. honorable mention All-American...scored 16.1 ppg and 9.0 rpg to help lead the Lady Mavericks to their second straight conference title. Senior G Marisa Clark (Hilton, NY/Hilton)...One of the top two playmakers in the conference since her freshman year...averaged 6.1 apg last season...contributes all over the court, with 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 3.7 spg in 2007.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE Head Coach Brian Gennett (2nd year) 2007: 7-11 AMCC, 12-13 overall
Junior F Brianna Baker (Windber, PA/Windber)...The team's best rebounder (9.0 rpg) and #2 scorer last year, averaging 14.0 ppg...an all-conference honorable mention selection in 2007...also the AMCC's Preseason Player of the Year in volleyball this past fall. Sophomore G Lindsey Bush (Altoona, PA/Altoona)...Second team All-AMCC selection as a freshman...led the Mounties in scoring (16.7 points) and at the line (76.8 FT%).
PENN STATE ALTOONA Head Coach Donna Kling (3rd year) 2007: 4-14 AMCC, 6-19 overall
Senior G Brittany Poorman (Altoona, PA/Altoona)...The Lions' leading scorer and third best rebounder last season (10.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg)...ranked #4 in the conference shooting 36.4% from outside the arc. Sophomore G Andrea Mortimer (Rimersburg, PA/Union)...Contributed 9.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg last season...often responsible for guarding the opponent's most talented player, regardless of position.
PENN STATE BEHREND Head Coach Roz Fornari (15th year) 2007: 15-3 AMCC, 21-6 overall
Senior F Meagan Bielanin (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep)...Started all 27 games last season...averaged 7.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.7 apg. Senior G Julia Andrus (Corry, PA/Corry)...Honorable mention all-conference selection in 2007...the squad's second leading scorer (12.7 ppg) who started every game...also contributed 4.1 rpg and 2.1 apg.
PITT-BRADFORD Head Coach Allan King, Jr. (1st year) 2007: 8-10 AMCC, 10-16 overall
Junior G Katie Moore (Warren, PA/Warren Area)...The Panthers' second leading scorer in 2007, averaging 12.8 ppg...also the team leader with 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Senior G Amanda Williams (Houghton, NY/Cuba-Rushford)...Saw substantial playing time last season, averaging 33.0 minutes per game...contributed 7.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
PITT-GREENSBURG Head Coach Carol Gelet (9th year) 2007: 12-6 AMCC, 14-12 overall
Senior G Tiffany Menhorn (Latrobe, PA/Latrobe)...First team all-conference selection past two years...standout stats in 2007 include 14.6 ppg on 39.6% shooting and 5.8 rpg...shot 36% from three point range and 79% from the line...also had 41 steals. Sophomore F Kelsey Wilcox (Dubois, PA/Dubois)...The Bobcats' second leading scorer with 13.5 ppg and best rebounder with a 9.4 per game average, both top ten league stats...her 44.5 FG% was good for #9 in the conference...also picked up 33 steals.