Press Releases: 2003-04

March 2004

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Robinson Wins Javelin at Georgia Classic; Lewis Sets Hammer Record
March 27, 2004

Atlanta, GA - Junior Tim Robinson won the javelin event with a throw of 177' 8" and junior Melissa Lewis set a new school-record in the women's hammer to lead the Sea Gulls at the Georgia Tech Track Classic on Saturday. Robinson registered SU's only event win and one of 14 scoring performances (top 8) for the Gulls. The Salisbury men finished 8th of 29 teams, while the SU women were 15th of 25 teams.

Lewis recorded a distance of 127' 9" in the hammer event while placing fourth overall. She also added a seventh place finish in the javelin with a throw of 103' 6".  Sophomore Dana Sillers was seventh in the triple jump (32' 2 3/4"), Lauren Bragg finished eighth in the 5,000-meters (19:27.11) and Rebecca Lyons was eighth in the steeplechase (12:45.77).

Other highlights for the Sea Gull men included a second place finish by freshman Kris Greenwell in the pole vault (13' 11 1/4"); a sixth place finish by Tristan Gilbert in the 800-meters (1:56.17); and a sixth place showing by Chris Colangelo in the shot put (42' 1 1/2").  

Senior Justin Johnson added two scoring finishes, placing third in the 110-hurdles (15.52 secs) and fifth in the 400-hurdles (55.82). Will Detwiler was seventh in the steeplechase (10:12.75) and Brad Ellis was eighth (10:15.47) in the same event.

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Baseball Edges #23-ranked Mary Washington
March 27, 2004

Salisbury 4, Mary Washington 3 (10 inn.)
Salisbury, Md. – Sophomore right fielder Jason Lively recorded a perfect 5-for-5 game at the plate and junior hurler Greg Lasinski came out of the bullpen in the 10th inning to improve his record to 6-0 as Salisbury handed #23-ranked Mary Washington its first Capital Athletic Conference loss of the season, 4-3, on Saturday.

SU sophomore pitcher Nick Dunk worked the first nine frames on the hill for the Sea Gulls, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out one and walking one. Lasinski did not allow a hit in relief as he helped SU to its fourth straight win.

After holding Mary Washington (18-6, 3-1 CAC) in the top of the extra fame, Salisbury (17-6, 3-1 CAC) freshman Jessie Trout walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Matt Johnson. Junior Galen Morres, who was pinch-hitting for freshman Andrew Jensen, lined a single to right-center to drive Trout home with the game-winner.

MWC starting pitcher Stefan Schoen worked the first seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while fanning five and walking three. Freshman Dylan White (3-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing the lone run on three hits while striking out three in 2.1 innings.

Lively had his perfect day from the #2 spot in the lineup, tagging a pair of doubles and scoring once. He raised his batting average from .338 to .382 with his perfect day. Morres was 1-for-1 with an RBI, and sophomore Nick Pegelow, junior B.J. Kittle and Jensen all singled for Salisbury.

Mary Washington freshman Eric Fitzgerald was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Freshman Ray Moore was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Brandon Cole went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.

Salisbury, which improved to 11-1 at home this season, will return to action Sunday when the Gulls host CAC opponent Catholic at 1 p.m.

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#5 Women's Lacrosse Loses to #1 Middlebury
March 23, 2004

Middlebury 7, Salisbury 5
College Park, Md - In a battle between two top five Division III teams, #1 ranked Middlebury withstood a second half rally by #5 Salisbury to register a 7-5 non-conference win in College Park, Md.

Middlebury (3-0 overall) jumped out to a 5-0 first half lead and never trailed in the contest. The Sea Gulls (5-2) narrowed the margin to 6-3 at halftime and pulled to within two goals twice in the second half, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Sophomore Lynsey Bateman had a hand in all five Salisbury scores as she finished with three goals and two assists. Bateman's third goal pulled the Gulls to within 6-4 early in the second half. Middlebury's only second half goal pushed the advantage to 7-4 before Bateman assisted on Jessica Froats' goal with 7:00 remaining to pull the Sea Gulls back to within two.

Senior Jessie White added one goal for Salisbury, while midfielder Sarah Slafkosky and attacker Amber Stansbury registered one assist each. SU goalie Ali Goetz finished with 13 saves, including 10 in the second half. Middlebury out-shot Salisbury 23-21.

The Sea Gulls are now idle until March 30, when they host Randolph-Macon in another non-conference contest.

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Baseball Team Captures Tri-State Tournament
March 7, 2004

Salisbury, MD – For the second time in as many days Salisbury knocked off the top-ranked baseball team in Division III when the Sea Gulls handed #1-ranked Eastern Connecticut an 18-10 defeat in the second day of the Tri-State Tournament on Sunday.

Senior designated hitter Rob Kassekert went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs to pace the Gulls (8-2). Sophomore right fielder Jason Lively went 4-for-5 with a double, a pair of runs, senior third baseman Trey Cobb doubled and went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored and sophomore second baseman Greg Lemon had a 2-for-5 day with one run and a RBI. Freshman center fielder Andrew Jensen went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while driving in two more.

Senior right fielder Dwight Wildman paced the Warriors (1-1) with a 3-for-5 game, including a RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Zach Mehrbach went 2-for-4 to help the ECSU cause.

Freshman Tom Howell (1-0) recorded the win on the mound, allowing three runs (none earned) on five hits while walking three and striking out one in four innings. Junior Joe Riley (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Eastern Connecticut.

Salisbury 8, Montclair State 4

Sea Gull sophomore hurler Nick Dunk (2-1) pitched seven solid innings of baseball Sunday as Salisbury completed the Tri-State Tournament undefeated with an 8-4 victory over Montclair State (0-2).

Dunk started the game and gave up one run while scattering seven hits and walking two and striking out four. Junior Greg Lasinski recorded his first save of the season, giving up one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief.

Lou Wieben (0-1) took the loss on the hill for the Red Hawks. He pitched the first five innings, surrendering two runs on two hits while walking five and fanning two.

Lemon led the balanced SU attack with a 2-for-4 day with two runs and an RBI. Lively went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, Kassekert went 2-for-4 with an RBI and junior catcher B.J. Kittle went 2-for-4 with one run scored.

Freshman Collin Feneis (1-for-5) and senior P.J. Baccarella (2-for-4) both homered for Montclair State.

Tri-State Tournament Results
Saturday
Salisbury 4, No.1 Eastern Connecticut 3
No. 1 Eastern Connecticut 5, Montclair State 1 (game was concluded Sunday morning)

Sunday
Salisbury 18, No.1 Eastern Connecticut 10
Salisbury 8, Montclair State 4

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Strong Performances Highlight SU Track Opener
March 6, 2004

The Salisbury men’s and women’s track teams registered a number of impressive individual performances in their first outdoor meet of the 2004 season, the SU Opener at home Saturday.

Men’s highlights included first place finishes by Will Murdoch in the steeplechase (10:23.9); Brandon Fields in the hammer (134’0”); Marcus Tines in the 100-meters (10.9 secs); Justin Johnson in the 400-hurdles (57.4 secs); and Kris Greenwell in the pole vault (14’0”). In addition, Rivers Johnson and Justin Johnson finished 1-2 in the high hurdles, both timed at 15.4 seconds.

Women’s highlights included first place finishes by Rebecca Lyons in the steeplechase (13:07.4); Melissa Lewis in the javelin (103’6”); Megan Adams in the 800-meters (2:33.1); Tori Peddicord in the 400-meters (1:04.4) and Ruth Hendrick in both the high hurdles (16.4 secs) and the 400-hurdles (1:10.9).

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Women's Lacrosse Beats Franklin & Marshall 13-7
March 6, 2004

Swarthmore, PA - Five Salisbury players scored two goals apiece to lead the #4 ranked Sea Gulls to a 13-7 non-conference win over #15 Franklin & Marshall on Saturday.  Salisbury improves to 3-0 overall. F&M falls to 0-1.

Midfielders Sarah Slafkosky and Linda Ackermann, along with attackers Amber Stansbury, Liz Funk and Jessie White all tallied two goals apiece for Salisbury, which led 5-1 at halftime. Emily Dutch, Erin McCarthy and Lynsey Bateman each added one goal. Bateman also registered a team-high two assists.

Sophomore goalie Ali Goetz recorded 13 saves for the Sea Gulls, who return to action next Saturday with a visit to #3 ranked New Jersey.

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Watkins Earns All-CAC Basketball Honors
March 3, 2004

Salisbury, Md - Sophomore forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock HS) of the Salisbury University women's basketball team has been named to the All-Capital Athletic Conference second team, announced today. Watkins averaged 13.1 ppg and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds/game for the Sea Gulls while starting 25 of 26 games during the 2003-04 season. Watkins also finished seventh in the conference in rebounds.

She tallied a career-high of 31 points in a game against Goucher on January 21 and finished the season with eight double-double performances in points and rebounds. Salisbury finished 13-13 overall.

Click to see full All-CAC Team

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Sea Gull Notebook
March 2, 2004

Lister Off to Quick Start
Sophomore softball pitcher Lacey Lister (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS) didn’t take long to find her All-American form. Lister registered 13 strikeouts and allowed just two hits in Salisbury’s season-opening 10-0 win at Wesley on Sunday. Lister, who led the nation with 259 strikeouts last season, recorded her fourth career performance of 13 strikeouts or better. Sunday’s effort was one shy of her personal best, a 14-K outing against Catholic last season.

Women’s Cross Country Team Garners Academic Award
For the fifth straight year, the women’s cross country team has been honored by the Cross Country Coaches Association as being one of the top-performing academic squads in the nation.  The Sea Gulls registered a cumulative grade-point average of 3.33 during the Fall 2003 semester to earn the designation.  Salisbury, which finished as the Capital Athletic Conference’s runnerup in 2003, was one of three CAC teams to qualify for the honor.

Track Teams Cap Indoor Season With Three Records
The track team concluded its indoor season with three more school-records at the George Mason Classic on Sunday. Junior Brandon Fields (Annandale, VA/Annandale HS) broke his own mark in the weight throw with a distance of 49’ 1 ½”.  Sophomore Rivers Johnson (Ft. Meade, MD/Meade HS) established a new record in the 60-meter hurdles (8.76), and senior Rebecca Lyons (Woodbine, MD/Glenelg HS) added a new women’s record in the one mile run with a time of 5:40.61.  The Sea Gulls open the outdoor season at home this week and inaugurate their new facility with the annual SU Opener on Saturday.

Olds Enters Women’s Basketball Recordbook
Junior guard Gen Olds (Ellicott City, MD/Seton Keough HS) tied the school-record with 59 three-point field goals during the recently completed women’s basketball season. Olds, who converted 59 of 165 attempts from behind-the-arc, tied the season mark set last year by All-American Amy Campion. Olds converted at least one trey in 23 of SU’s 26 games, including a season-high of five treys in Salisbury’s victory at York on February 7.  With 90 three-pointers made through three seasons, Olds is just 20 treys from Campion’s career record.

Women’s Lacrosse Offense Rolls On
With 42 goals scored through its first two games, the women’s lacrosse team is likely to rank among the nation’s top scoring squads when the first NCAA statistical rankings of the 2004 season are released. With 10 of last year’s top 12 scorers back this season, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Sea Gulls will once again rank among the national scoring leaders. SU finished seventh in the nation in scoring in 2003 with an average of 15.3 goals per game.

Baseball Hosts #1 This Weekend
The Sea Gulls cap a busy week of baseball action with three games in this weekend’s Tri-State Tournament at home. SU faces preseason #1 Eastern Connecticut State in two of the three games, facing off against the Warriors at 10 am Saturday and again at 10 am on Sunday. SU also hosts perennial power Montclair State at 1:30 pm on Sunday.

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Baseball, Softball Teams Sweep Double Headers
Feb 29, 2004

Salisbury 17-8, Staten Island 2-2
Baseball

Salisbury, MD – The Salisbury baseball team banged out 21 hits Sunday to sweep a doubleheader from Staten Island at Sea Gull Field.

The Sea Gulls (3-1) received a pair of hits from senior designated hitter Rob Kassekert (2-for-5, 4 RBI) and spread the other hits from nine different players to capture the opener 17-2. Four different pitchers worked on the hill for the Gulls. Freshman Dan Oleynik (1-0) recorded the win, working two frames, surrendering one run on three hits. He also struck out one.

Staten Island (0-4) finished with six hits in the opener.. Junior left fielder Chris Hemmes was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBI. Freshman designated hitter Brian Dowd, senior center fielder Eric Zinke, junior second baseman Joseph Ruiz and senior catcher Victor Flores each added one hit apiece. Sophomore Pat Smith was the losing pitcher, giving up four runs on four hits while walking four and fanning three in three innings.

Kassekert went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of runs in game two and first baseman Nick Pegelow and catcher B.J. Kittle each added two hits as the Sea Gulls completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory. Sophomore righthander Nick Dunk recorded the win on the mound. He pitched the first two innings, giving up no runs on just one hit. He also fanned two batters.

Five different Dolphins recorded hits in the game, with junior first baseman Dennis Barrett finishing 1-for-2 with a run to lead the squad.

Salisbury 10-12, Wesley 0-1
Softball

Dover, DE - The Salisbury softball team, ranked #1 in the nation, started its season on the right foot Sunday afternoon, downing Wesley in a season-opening twinbill, 10-0 and 12-1. Sophomore all-America pitcher Lacey Lister picked up the win in the opener, allowing just two hits while striking out 13. Sophomore Erin Ruest went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and two runs, while junior Kareem Falcon was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Sophomore Kristy Shaffer was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored and senior Rosie Aley finished 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.

Junior Tonya Nickerson allowed just three hits on the mound to win the second game. Aley, Shaffer, Nicole Fuqua and Kimmy Rementer each finished with two hits apiece for the Sea Gulls (2-0). Rementer scored twice, drove in a pair of runs and stole three bases.

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Track Teams Register 10 All- Mason-Dixon Performances
Feb 22, 2004

The Salisbury University men's and women's indoor track teams registered 10 all-conference performances at the Mason-Dixon Indoor Championship Saturday in Newport News, VA. SU also established four new school-records, including two by sophomore Dana Sillers in the women's long jump (15’8”) and the triple jump (31’ 7 ¾”); and one each by sophomore Will Murdoch in the 1,500-meters (4:05.66) and senior Steve Jacobs in the 5,000-meters (15:44.29). The SU men placed third of seven teams and the SU women finished fifth of eight.

Individual all-conference performances (top three finish in an event) among the SU men included freshman Marcus Tines in both the 55-meter dash (second, 6.67 secs) and the 200-meter run (second, 23.12 secs); Jacobs in the 5,000-meters (second); and freshman Kris Greenwell in the pole vault (second, 13’ 0”). The 4 x 400 relay team and the distance medley relay teams also earned all-conference honors with third place showings.

All-Mason-Dixon performances among the women included freshman Ruth Hendrick in the 400-meter run (third, 1:01.30) and sophomore Melissa Lewis in the weight throw (third, 40’6”). The women’s distance medley squad also finished second and the 4 x 400 relay team placed third.

Men’s, Women’s Basketball Pairings Set for CAC Tournaments

The Salisbury men's and women's basketball teams both begin play in the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday, with both Sea Gull squads playing on the road.

The SU women (13-12 overall, 7-7 CAC) are the #6 seed and visit #3 York (14-10, 8-6) for a 7 pm game. With a win, the Gulls would advance to Thursday's semifinal round to play the winner of the #2 Catholic vs. #7 St. Mary's first round game.

The SU men (7-17, 3-11 CAC) are the #7 seed and visit #2 Catholic (20-5, 12-2) at 8 pm Tuesday. With a win, Salisbury would advance to Thursday's semifinal to face either #3 Marymount or #6 Goucher

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Boyer Scores Seven in Men's Lacrosse Win at Catholic
Feb 21, 2004

Washington, DC - Sophomore attackman Dan Boyer (Millersville, Md) scored seven goals and 11 other players scored at least once to lead #1 ranked Salisbury to a 24-6 win at Catholic in Saturday's Capital Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The Sea Gulls improve to 2-0 overall. Catholic is 0-1.

Boyer's seven-goal output is the second highest of his career. He tallied nine goals in his first collegiate game last season, also against Catholic.

Seniors Mike Ricucci (three assists) and Andy Murray (two assists) added three goals apiece for the Sea Gulls, while senior Andy Arnold finished with two goals and four assists. Senior Joe Tamberrino finished with two goals and two assists.

Salisbury returns to action on March 3 when it resumes CAC play at Goucher.

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Field Hockey Team Invited to State House
Feb 17, 2004

National Champions Visit Annapolis on Monday
Salisbury, Md - Head Coach Dawn Chamberlin and the members of the 2003 Salisbury University field hockey team will be recognized at the State House in Annapolis for winning the NCAA Division III national championship. The Sea Gulls will be introduced in the House of Delegates chamber by Delegate Norman H. Conway on Monday, February 23. The ceremony is scheduled for 8 p.m.

“We appreciate the invitation and are looking forward to visiting Annapolis and the State House,” said Chamberlin. “Its nice to get some recognition from outside of the athletics world. A lot of our players are from Maryland; this is a very nice experience for them.”

Conway will present Chamberlin with a House Resolution congratulating the Sea Gulls for winning the championship. Conway was the lead sponsor of the resolution, which is signed by the Speaker of the House on behalf of all the House members.

Salisbury defeated Middlebury 4-1 in the national championship game on November 22 to cap a 20-1 season. The Sea Gulls claimed their second national title and first since 1986. The championship win also solidified Salisbury’s place among the elite field hockey programs in the nation.

SU’s tradition-rich program has made 19 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 20 years, with seven final four berths, 11 visits to the final eight, and numerous number one rankings in the national poll. Salisbury has also had 34 players recognized as national All-Americans and 74 players selected as all-region honorees. 

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Swimmers Kooy, Allen Set New School Records at CAC Championship Meet
Feb 16, 2004

Fredericksburg, Va - Junior Ryan Kooy (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley HS) and freshman Laura Allen (Laurel, MD/Atholton HS) each set two new school-records during the season-ending Capital Athletic Conference Swimming Championship in Fredericksburg, VA.

Kooy established new records in the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard breaststroke. He placed third in the 50-free in a time of 22.6 seconds, while finishing fifth in the 200-breast with a time of 2:17.43. Kooy also added a ninth place finish for the Sea Gull men in the 100-breast with a non-record time of 1:03.66.

Allen set new Salisbury records in the 100-breaststroke (1:10.97) and 200-breaststroke (2:32.40). She finished fourth in the 100-breast and second in the 200-breast, registering Salisbury’s highest individual finish in the championship. Allen also added a fifth place finish in the 400-IM with a non-record time of 5:01.36.

Other Sea Gull women’s highlights during the three-day championship included: a sixth place finish by junior Lindsay Conover (Rumson, NJ/Fair Haven HS) in the 400-IM (5:03.04); a sixth place showing for junior Rachel Lazarick (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills HS) in the 1650-free (19:11.11); and a seventh place finish by junior Meredith Rathcamp (Sykesville, MD/South Carroll HS) in the 100-baclstroke (1:03.71).

In addition to Kooy, sophomore Gary Stewart (Beltsville, MD/DeMatha HS) also scored in three events for the Sea Gull men. He finished fifth in the 100-breast (1:02.56); seventh in the 200-breast (2:21.17); and 10th in the 100-freestyle (52.47 secs).

Salisbury finished sixth of eight in the women’s championship and seventh among seven in the men’s championship. Complete team and individual scoring for the championship can be accessed online at http://www.mwc.edu/hepe/.  

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Four Records Fall at Susquehanna Track Invitational
Feb 13, 2004

Selinsgrove, PA - Justin Johnson and Melissa Lewis each registered first place wins to lead a strong Sea Gull showing at Friday evening's Susquehanna Indoor Track Invitational. Johnson won the men's 55-meter hurdles in a time of 8.22 seconds and Lewis captured top honors in the women's weight throw with a school-record distance of 43' 3/4".  That was one of four school-records set during the evening.

Other Sea Gull men's highlights included: a second place finish and new school-record in the weight throw by Brandon Fields (47' 3/4"); a third place finish by Tristan Gilbert in the 800-meter run (1:59.23); a fourth in the 5,000-meter run by Steve Jacobs (16:12.24); and fifth place finishes by Marcus Tines in the 55-meter run (6.71 seconds) and by Rivers Johnson in the 55-hurdles (8.26 secs).  The men's 4 x 200 relay team of Rivers Johnson, Josh Payton, Dominic Lewis and Brian Deleon also set a school-record with a time of 1:37.23.

Other women's highlights included a pair of fifth place finishes by Ruth Hendrick in the 200-meter run (28.09 secs) and in the 55-hurdles (9.14 secs); and a sixth place finish by Tori Peddicord in the 400-meter run (1:04.35). Hendricks time in the hurdles was also a new Salisbury record.

Both Sea Gull squads return to action next Saturday at the Mason-Dixon Indoor Championship Meet in Newport News, VA.

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Softball Ranked #1 in National Preseason Poll
Feb 10, 2004

Salisbury, Md - For the first time in team history, the Salisbury University softball team has earned the number one ranking in the national poll. The Sea Gulls are the top choice in the 2004 Division III Top 25 preseason poll, released today by the (NFCA) National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Salisbury returns 10 letterwinners from last year’s 45-6-1 squad which finished as the national championship runner-up. The Sea Gulls edged defending champion Central, ranked second in the poll, by two points in the preseason ranking. Emory, Muskingum and Illinois Wesleyan round out the preseason top five, which is voted upon by head coaches representing the eight NCAA geographic regions.

“We certainly return some excellent players this year, but the ranking is probably also a bit of a carryover from last season’s success,” said Head Coach Margie Knight. “We’re very appreciative of the ranking and hope that we can maintain a high standard throughout the season. Obviously, the goal is to also finish the year as number one. Our program has gotten to the point where the expectations are very high every year, and that’s a credit to all the past players as well as the current ones.”

Sophomore All-American pitcher Lacey Lister headlines the list of returnees this spring. Lister led the nation in victories last year, finishing with a 27-3 record and 0.73 ERA. She also finished second in the nation with 259 strikeouts.

Other returning starters include senior 1B Rosie Aley (.432, 4 HR, 38 RBI), junior C Kim Rementer (.361), sophomore SS Kristy Shaffer (.285), junior OF Leslie White (.272), sophomore OF Megan Ellzy, and sophomore DP Erin Ruest (.266). The Sea Gulls also welcome back junior OF Kareem Falcon, a starter on the 2002 squad who missed the 2003 season while serving on military duty in Iraq. 

The full NFCA Top 25 poll can be accessed online at http://nfca.org/top25/. Salisbury opens the 2004 season with a non-conference doubleheader at Wesley on February 29.

The number one ranking is the second of the preseason for Salisbury University. The men’s lacrosse team also begins the 2004 campaign ranked first in the nation in two different polls.  

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Swimmers Set for CAC Championship Meet
Feb 10, 2004

Strong Performances This Weekend Could Yield National Qualifications
Salisbury, MD – With a number of athletes seeded in the top 12 in their respective events against Capital Athletic Conference foes, the Salisbury men and women’s swim teams are primed for this weekend’s CAC Championship Meet in Fredericksburg, Va.

Preliminaries will be held Friday through Sunday at 10 a.m. each day, with finals set Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on the campus of Mary Washington College.

Salisbury Head Coach Jill Stephenson said that although none of her athletes have surpassed national qualifying times as of yet, she believes they could be on the verge of their best performances this weekend.

“Our women’s team is really performing well,” Stephenson said. “I’m real pleased with way they are swimming. I’m hoping for a top four finish (as a team), hopefully higher.

“I think all the swimmers are feeling a bit sluggish, but at this point of the season that’s good. We started cutting down on our yardage in our workouts since our last meet (Jan. 24) so they can rest their bodies and be ready for the conference meet.”

Stephenson said there are a number of members of her women’s squad, which finished 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the CAC during the regular season, that will enter the meet seeded in the top 12 when the action begins.

Freshman Laura Allen is among the best in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. Junior Rachel Lazarick should contend in the freestyle events, along with junior Meredith Rathkamp in the backstroke events and junior Lindsay Conover in the butterfly.

Stephenson expects junior Ashley Letterman to be one of the top challengers in each of her events. Junior Sarah Moore should be in the running in the sprint freestyle events and sophomore Stephanie Failor should compete well in the breaststroke.

The Sea Gull men’s team (3-6, 3-4 CAC) will be battling the numbers game as well as opponents. They began the season with 14 athletes, but have only five heading into the conference meet. Despite the fact that each athlete can only enter a maximum of seven events, Stephenson said SU will compete in all five relays.

Salisbury’s 200-medley relay team - consisting of senior Kellen Failor, sophomore Gary Stewart, junior Ryan Kooy and either senior Bryan Matonak or junior Greg Castiglione  - likely has the strongest opportunity at the league meet, Stephenson said.

Kooy and Stewart are both seeded in the top 12 in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Kooy will also be one of the strong candidates in the 50-yard free and Stewart in the 200-yard IM. 

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Sea Gull Notebook
Feb 9, 2004

Women Hoopsters Rebound With 98 Points
It was a week of highs and lows for the women’s basketball team, which followed a season-low 42-point outing at Catholic last Wednesday with a season-high 98 points just three days later in a victory at York. Four Sea Gulls tallied double-figures in Saturday’s victory at York, including double-doubles in points and rebounds by sophomore forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock HS) and freshman forward Julia Waters (Davidsonville, MD/Severna Park HS). The Sea Gulls outrebounded York 55-43 and also converted a season-high 12 three-point field goals.

Olds Among CAC’s Top Bombers
With 49 three-point field goals through 21 games this season, Gen Olds is within reach of the Salisbury single-season record for treys. The record of 59 three-pointers was set last season by All-American Amy Campion. Olds has converted 49 of 127 attempts from behind-the-arc this year, and currently ranks fourth in the Capital Athletic Conference in three-point field goals made. She has converted at least one trey in 19 of SU’s 21 games.

Freshmen Providing Bulk of Men’s Basketball Scoring
Three of the top four scorers for the Sea Gull men this season are freshman. Forward Sean Whittaker (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy HS) is averaging 10.9 ppg, guard Segun Odumeru (Riverdale, MD/ Parkdale HS) averages 9.8 ppg and guard Ray Williams (Hanover, MD/Ft. Meade HS) adds 9.3 ppg. Williams’ game-winner with two seconds remaining Saturday lifted SU to its second conference victory of the season, 68-66 at York. The Gulls also have 10 players who have started at least one game this season.

Indoor Track Team Sets School Records
The Sea Gulls established three new indoor track records at Saturday’s Hawk Games at UMES. Freshman Kris Greenwell (Indian Head, MD/Lackey HS) led the record attack with a jump of 13’6” in the pole vault. Senior Justin Johnson (High Bridge, NJ/Voorhees HS) added a new SU record in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.12 seconds. Freshman Marcus Tines (Warrenton, VA/Liberty HS) also set a new SU record while winning the 200-meter run with a time of 23.02 seconds. Other non-record highlights included a first place finish by senior Steve Jacobs (Linthicum, MD/North County HS) in the 5,000-meter run (16:03.93) and a second and third place finish by the Sea Gulls in both the men’s and women’s one-mile run.

Basketball Alumni Games Near
The men’s and women’s basketball teams will host their annual Alumni Games on Saturday, February 21, prior to the varsity doubleheader against Mary Washington. The women’s alumni game tips at 1 pm, followed by the men’s game at 3 pm. Fans are invited to attend the games at the Maggs Center, free of charge.

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Sea Gull Swimmers Split With St. Mary's
Jan 23, 2004

Salisbury 82, St. Mary's 67  (men)
St. Mary's 109, Salisbury 95 (women)  

Salisbury, Md - The Sea Gulls and Seahawks split a Capital Athletic Conference dual meet on Friday evening, with Salisbury winning the men's meet 82-67 and St. Mary's winning the women's meet 109-95.

Four different Sea Gulls won individual events to pace the Salisbury men (3-5 overall, 3-3 CAC). Senior Bryan Matonak claimed top honors in the 800-freestyle (10:15.59), freshman Cole Mangum won the 50-free (25.78); sophomore Gary Stewart won the 100-free (58.09) and junior Ryan Kooy won the 100-breast (1:12.42). Senior Julio Zarate paced the St. Mary's men (0-5 overall, 0-5 CAC) with three individual victories, winning the 200-free (2:08.81), 100-back (1:06.54) and the 400-free (4:41.57).

In the women's competition, junior Lillian Hnath led St. Mary's (4-2 overall, 4-2 CAC) with wins in the 800-free (9:29.22), 200-free (2:15.0) and the 400-free (4:40.49). Junior Meredith Rathcamp (100-back, 1:16.73) and freshman Laura Allen (100-breast, 1:19.72) registered individual event victories for the Sea Gulls (4-5 overall, 3-3 CAC).

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Sea Gull Women Swim Past Notre Dame (Md)
Jan 16, 2004

Baltimore, Md - The Salisbury women's swim team registered six individual first places finishes to defeat host Notre Dame 74-21 in a non-conference meet Friday. The Gulls ended a lengthy holiday break by evening their season record at 3-3 overall.

Individual event winners for the Gulls were Rachel Lazarick (1,000 free), Hilary Yates (200 free), Ashley Letterman (100 fly), Meredith Rathcamp (100 back), Aly Hammond (500 free) and Laura Allen (100 breast). 

The Sea Gull men and women both return to conference competition on Sunday against Catholic and Goucher in a meet hosted by Catholic.

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Sea Gulls 14th in First Directors Cup Standings for 2004
Jan 15, 2004

Coming off a fall sports season that included one national championship and one final eight appearance, the Sea Gull athletics program is ranked 14th overall in the current NACDA Directors Cup rankings for Division III.  With 173 points earned, Salisbury is the highest ranked school in the state of Maryland and the highest ranked member of the Capital Athletic Conference. SU’s ranking places it in the top four percent among NCAA Division III’s 420-school membership.

Points are awarded based on each institution's national finish in up to 18 sports -- nine women's and nine men's. Salisbury earned 100 points for winning the 2003 field hockey national championship and 73 points for advancing to the men’s soccer national quarterfinals.

Salisbury had 43 players earn all-conference honors in their respective sports during the fall, with 10 players recognized as all-region performers and four athletes - Lindsey Elliott and Melissa Webster in field hockey, Dan Meehan in soccer and Brad DeHaven in football - selected as national All-Americans.

“We’re fortunate to once again have our teams add to our winning tradition,” said Dr. Michael Vienna, director of athletics. “Its very gratifying to see our teams build upon their previous successes while also continuing to reach new heights. We’re very proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes, both on the field and in the classroom. I believe that our coaches and student-athletes epitomize all the qualities of a first class program as we strive to be a model Division III program.”

The complete and current Directors Cup standings can be accessed online at www.nacda.com.  

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Women's Basketball Downs Rowan 75-59
Jan 6, 2004

Salisbury, Md - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team showed no side effects from its lengthy holiday break by ending a 25-day layoff with a 75-59 non-conference victory over Rowan Tuesday. The Sea Gulls improved to 6-3 overall while Rowan falls to 9-2.

Freshman forward Megan Dowdy paced a balanced Salisbury attack with 11 points, and freshmen guards Jessica Mills and Jenna Peters added 10 apiece. Junior guard Gen Olds finished with nine points, including three of the team’s seven three-point field goals.

Salisbury used an 18-2 run over the final 6:44 of the first half to claim a 38-32 halftime advantage. The Sea Gulls never lost the lead in the second half and maintained at least a 10-point cushion over the game’s final 15 minutes.

Junior forward Kami Bernardo led Rowan with a game-high 17 points. Sophomore guard Jaime McCormack added 12 points and sophomore guard Sheemea Carr finished with 11 points.

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Acker Invited to Las Vegas Football Classic
Jan 5, 2004

Salisbury, Md - Senior tight end Kyle Acker (Annapolis, MD/Annapolis HS) of the Salisbury University football team has accepted an invitation to play in the Las Vegas All-American Classic on Saturday, January 17. Acker will be one of two tight ends representing the East squad in the game, which will be televised nationally by CSTV. Kickoff time at UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium is 12:30 pm PST (3:30 EST).

Acker finished with 18 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns during a 7-2 campaign for Salisbury in 2003. Acker was selected as a second team All-American by www.d3football.com and is listed as the 12th ranked tight end prospect for the NFL draft by www.theNFLinsiders.com.

The Las Vegas All-American Classic, known previously as the Paradise Bowl, is one of six college football all-star games featuring NCAA Division I players. 80% of the rosters for this year’s LVAAC are graduating seniors from NCAA Division I programs. 

Acker is one of just two NCAA Division III players currently included among the 110 players selected for the contest. Full rosters and additional information about the game is available online at www.paradisebowl.com.

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DeHaven Earns Honorable Mention All-America Football Honors
Dec 17, 2003

BROCKPORT, NY - Salisbury University’s junior linebacker Brad DeHaven (Herndon, VA/Herndon HS) is among 115 players from 69 schools who were named to the 26th Annual 2003 College Sports Information Division III All-America Football Team on Wednesday.

DeHaven, a three-year starter for the Sea Gulls, finished second in the nation in tackles for loss in 2003 (22 total, 2.8 per game) while leading Salisbury with 77 total tackles. DeHaven helped Salisbury finish fifth nationally in total defense, 7th in rushing defense and 13th in scoring defense. The Sea Gulls concluded the season with a 7-2 overall record.

The 26th annual All-America team was selected by a panel of 30 sports information directors. The SIDs represent the four playoff regions in NCAA Division III. Voters made first-, second-, and third-team selections with candidates receiving points on a 25-15-10 scale. In addition to the top three teams, players who received 100 or more points earned honorable mention status.

The College Sports Information Directors Division III All-America Football Team is the longest running team Division III football all-America program in the country.

The ballot included 321 players representing 130 of the NCAA Division III (non-scholarship) football-playing institutions. Teams with two or fewer losses were allowed five nominations; teams .500 or better could nominate up to three players; and schools finishing below .500 were allotted two nominations.

The complete 2003 All-America team can be accessed online at http://www.brockport.edu/~athletics/2003%20HPAA%20team.htm

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Meehan Named to Men's Soccer All-America Team
Dec 15, 2003

SALISBURY, MD - Senior midfielder Dan Meehan (Chester, MD/Queen Anne HS) has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) 12-player All-America first team.  Meehan becomes the seventh Sea Gull player in the history of the Salisbury men’s soccer program to earn the national honor, and the second first team selectee.

Meehan, a two-year starter who transferred from Chesapeake (Md) JC prior to the 2001 season, finished as Salisbury’s leading scorer in 2003 with nine goals, six assists and 24 points. Meehan, who missed the 2002 season due to injury, capped his two-year Sea Gull career with 52 (20g-12a) total points, ranking 17th all-time.

Salisbury finished with a 16-3-3 overall record in 2003 while claiming its fourth Capital Athletic Conference championship and earning its fourth NCAA Tournament berth. The Gulls advanced to the final eight of the NCAA’s Division III Championship Tournament. 

“Dan was the glue that kept a young team together this year, especially through a rough start early in the season,” said SU Head Coach Gerry DiBartolo. “We wouldn’t have enjoyed the success that we had this year without his leadership. He’s the player all the opposing teams target. He is smooth, poised and composed on the field, and we gave him the freedom to pick and choose his style of play this year based on the flow of the game. He finished as our leading scorer and yet he was an important player defensively for us as well.” 

The latest award is the fourth postseason honor for Meehan in 2003. He was also named the CAC’s Player of the Year (and first team all-conference), first team all-South Region, and an Academic All-American.

Previous Salisbury All-America recipients were Sandor Fodor (3rd team in 1981); Matt Tirschmann (3rd team in 1995); Mike Giuffrida (3rd team in 1998); Mike Svehla (3rd team in 1999); and Darren LaRocque (2nd team in 2001); and Mike Steinen (1st team in 2002).

The complete 2003 NSCAA/adidas Division III All-America team can be accessed on the web at www.nscaa.com.

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Men's Basketball Loses 69-67 on Buzzer Beater
Dec 12, 2003

Salisbury, Md - Sophomore guard Marques Fitch hit a three-point field goal from the right wing as time expired to lift Virginia Wesleyan to a 69-67 non-conference victory at Salisbury. Fitch, who finished with a team-high 15 points, raced the length of the floor in the final five seconds before launching the game-winner.

Salisbury (2-6) had taken the lead with five seconds remaining when sophomore forward Kyle Harmon completed a traditional three-point play, scoring on a putback and converting the free throw to cap a nine-point second-half comeback for the Sea Gulls. Harmon finished with 14 points. Sophomore guard Justin Rice paced the Gulls with 20 points, including three treys, and guard Ray Williams added 10.

Senior forward David Doino contributed 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds for Virginia Wesleyan, which improved to 6-0 overall. Freshman forward Brandon Adair added 10 points.

Due to final exams and the holidays, Salisbury will be idle for the next three weeks before returning to action on January 7 against Christopher Newport.

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Men's Soccer Receives Postseason Awards
Dec 11, 2003

Salisbury, Md - Coming on the heels of a 16-3-3 campaign and a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament’s final eight, four members of the 2003 Salisbury University men’s soccer program have been recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Senior midfielder Dan Meehan (Chester, MD/Queen Anne’s HS) has been selected to the South Region’s first team, with sophomore goalie Jason Cranford (Chesapeake Beach, MD/ Calvert HS) named to the second team and junior midfielder Dan Lader (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright HS) named to the third team.

In addition, for the second straight year and third time in five years, Salisbury’s Gerry DiBartolo has been selected by his peers as the South Region’s Coach of the Year.

Meehan, who was also named the 2003 Capital Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year, led the Sea Gulls in scoring this season with nine goals, six assists and 24 points. He concluded his career ranked 16th in team history with 52 points (20g-12a).

Cranford registered a 0.47 goals against average in 2003 and finished the year with 12 shutouts in 22 games. He had an .891 save percentage for the season. Lader was third on the team in scoring in 2003 with six goals, six assists and 18 points.

DiBartolo, who completed his 22nd season with the Sea Gulls in 2003, led Salisbury to its fourth conference championship and fourth NCAA Tournament berth. DiBartolo ranks as the winningest coach in team history with a 241-136-29 career record.

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Women's Basketball Loses 80-71
Dec 9, 2003

Salisbury, Md - Sophomore guard Kathryn Linehan scored 21 points and senior forward Melissa Kolb added 20 to lead visiting Hood to an 80-71 non-conference win at Salisbury. 

The Blazers built a 36-30 lead at halftime and never trailed in the second half. Hood (4-2) built its biggest lead at 69-56 with 7:27 remaining following a Kolb jumper. Salisbury then countered with a 14-3 run to pull to within 72-70 with 1:51 remaining following a jumper by guard Christan Barney. Hood converted six of 10 free throws in the final 1:27 to seal the win.

Sophomore forward Kiera Watkins led Salisbury (4-3) with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Barney added 14 points and freshman guard Jessica Mills finished with 13 points.

Junior forward Danielle Allen contributed 15 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for Hood, which finished with a slight 41-37 advantage in rebounds.

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Tennis Teams, Players Earn Preseason Rankings
Dec 9, 2003

Salisbury, Md - The Salisbury University men’s and women’s tennis teams are well represented in the preseason team and individual rankings released this week by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). 

The Sea Gull men begin the season ranked sixth in the Atlantic South Region, with four players also ranked in either singles or doubles. Meanwhile, the SU women are seventh in the Atlantic South and included among the teams “also receiving votes” in the national Top 30 poll.

Individually, senior Nick Peel (Johannesburg, South Africa) begins the 2004 spring campaign ranked 5th in the Atlantic South and 27th in the nation in singles. Peel posted a 15-7 record last year while earning an at-large invitation to the 2003 NCAA Singles Championship.

Two other Sea Gull men are also ranked among the region’s top singles players. Sophomore transfer Ryan Finlayson (Aberdeen, MD/Bel Air HS) is 17th and senior Scott Mayberry (New Market, MD/Linganore HS) is 23rd.  The three-player ranking in the regional poll is the first for the Sea Gull men since 1997.

Peel and Mayberry are also ranked 4th in the region and 10th in the nation in doubles. The tandem compiled a 16-3 record last year while winning the Capital Athletic Conference’s doubles title. Peel and Mayberry also began the 2003-04 season by registering a 4-1 mark at the ITA’s Southeast Championship Tournament in October while advancing to the doubles final.

“Nick and Scott have been here since we started rebuilding the program three years ago,” says Head Coach Randy Halfpap. “They’re great captains and great leaders for our program. They have earned the respect of their teammates and they deserve their national ranking.”

On the women’s side, senior Cassie Meyer (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana HS) is ranked 27th in the region in singles. Meyer posted a 14-9 record in 2003 while helping the Sea Gulls claim their second straight CAC title and their third straight NCAA Tournament berth.

The doubles team of senior Samantha Coldren (North East, MD/North East HS) and freshman Erika Mitry (Summit, NJ/Summit HS) is ranked 13th in the regional poll. Coldren and Mitry earned the ranking by finishing with a 2-1 record at October’s ITA Southeast Tournament.  

“We have a great nucleus back in 2004 on the women’s team,” says Halfpap. “Cassie and Sam played top three singles last year and we look for even better things from them this year.”

The Salisbury women open the spring season at home on February 28 against Haverford. The SU men begin play on February 15, hosting Averett.

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Boland, Dominick Receive Football Gazette Honors
Dec 4, 2003

Abilene, TX - Salisbury University’s Brock Boland (Newfield, NJ/Delsea Regional HS) and Justin Dominick (Bel Air, MD/Bel Air HS) are among 78 players chosen to the Football Gazette’s All-South Region teams, announced Thursday. The latest award is the second postseason honor for each player. Both Sea Gulls were also named to the all-Atlantic Central Football Conference team last month.

Boland, a sophomore placekicker, was selected to the Gazette’s South Region second team offense.  Boland, who joined the Gulls as a transfer prior to the 2003 season, converted seven of 10 field goals and finished second on the squad in scoring with 47 points. He also tied a Salisbury single-game record with three field goals against Shenandoah on November 8.

Dominick, a senior defensive end, was named to the South Region’s third team defense. He finished fourth on the team with 49 tackles in 2003, and second on the squad in tackles for loss (20 for -92 yards). Dominick also led the Sea Gulls with eight sacks (-57 yards). He helped the Gulls finish fifth in the nation in total defense.

Salisbury finished with a 7-2 final record in 2003 and has won 16 of 20 games over the past two seasons.

The Football Gazette’s South Region squad is chosen by sports information directors from among the 63 schools in the region that sponsor the sport.

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Salisbury Optimist Basketball Classic Preview
Dec 4, 2003

Salisbury, MD – The Salisbury women’s basketball team will be looking to defend its tournament title for the sixth straight season and the men’s squad will be searching for its first home tournament title since 2000 when the Sea Gulls host the 2003 Salisbury Optimist Classic Tournament Friday and Saturday.

The tournament will begin with four games on Friday at Salisbury’s Maggs Physical Activities Center. The SU women host Hood at 6 p.m. and the men take on Williamson at 8 p.m. Consolation and championship contests will take place Saturday. The complete schedule for the tournament (with season records in parenthesis) is:

Friday, Dec. 5                   
1 p.m.               Apprentice (2-2) vs. NC Wesleyan (2-1)       (Women)                     
3 p.m.               Apprentice (1-3) vs. Ferrum (3-1)                 (Men)
6 p.m.               Women's game CANCELLED
8 p.m.               Salisbury (1-3) vs. Williamson (5-2)               (Men)

Saturday, Dec. 6                      
1 p.m.               Women’s Consolation Game - CANCELLED
3 p.m.               Men’s 3rd Place Game - Ferrum vs. Williamson
6 p.m.               Women’s Championship Game - Salisbury vs. Apprentice
8 p.m.               Men’s Championship Game - Salisbury vs. Apprentice

The tournament began in 1977, with the Salisbury men’s team winning the local event 13 times, while taking the runner-up spot on 11 occasions, including last season. The SU women have won the event 11 times and placed second on eight occasions. The Sea Gull women have won eight of the last nine tournaments.

Women’s Bracket
All four women’s teams enter the tournament with at least a .500 record. Salisbury is 3-2 on the year, coming off a thrilling 70-69 last-second victory over Capital Athletic Conference foe Catholic Wednesday. The Sea Gulls were 23-5 a year ago and are led by Julia Waters (15.0 ppg), Kiera Watkins (14.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and Christen Barney (10.2 ppg).

North Carolina Wesleyan is 2-1 on the year, losing in the championship game of the Virginia Wesleyan Tournament two weeks ago. The Bishops were 4-19 a year ago and are led by Kendra Brewer, who was the squad’s second-leading scorer (9.5 ppg) and top rebounder (9.2 rpg) a year ago. Hood is 2-2 and is coming off a 91-76 win over Neumann Wednesday. The Blazers were 15-12 a year ago and are led by Danielle Allen (13.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg), Mandy Fischer (12.7 ppg) and Rita Willis (12.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg). Apprentice School is also 2-2, coming off a 19-10 mark a year ago. Anita Allen (18.8 ppg, 14.3 rpg) and Amy Patterson (10.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg) pace the Builders.

Men’s Bracket
Ferrum and Williamson come in with the best records on the men’s side. The Ferrum Panthers are 3-1 on the year and are led by Kevin Aigbe (9.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and Dennis Thomason (4.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg). They were 7-19 last season. Williamson comes in with a 5-2 mark. The Mechanics were 18-5 last season and return three lettermen off a team that placed third in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) last year. Apprentice is 1-3 and returns four starters and nine lettermen off a 17-11 team from a year ago. The Builders are led by Maze Toomer (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Charles Holiday (12.8 ppg).

Salisbury (1-3) is coming off a 79-62 CAC loss to Catholic Wednesday and is led by Sean Whitaker’s 12.0 ppg average. Segun Odumeru is second on the squad in scoring at 10.8 ppg and Neal Tucker is a close third at 10.5 ppg. Dameon Gibbs is the top Sea Gull rebounder at 8.5.

The Salisbury Optimist Club sponsors the annual tournament.

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