Basketball Preview Special 2015

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2015-2016 SRU BASKETBALL: A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE ROCKET

E2 men s basketball roster e3 rock men look to take over conference and psac west opponents

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E4/E5 the force is strong with these ones rock basketball prepares to go head to head with psac rivals e6 rock women look to stun psac and psac west opponents e7 women s basketball roster e8 new d transfers to lead women s program and ncaa denies eligibility to rock senior

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015 PHOTOS BY HALEY BARNES | COVER BY KARLEIGH SANTRY

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November 20, 2015

Men's Basketball Roster Malcolm Richardson 6'1" | Guard | Senior

#1

Maxx Rynd

#21

6'2" | Guard | R-Junior

Malcolm Richardson is from Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. He transferred from East Stroudsburg in 2014. Last season, Richardson appeared in all 32 games for The Rock with 10 starts, averaging 7.4 points per game and shooting 77.2 percent from the free throw line.

Maxx Rynd is a shooting guard from Oil City, Pennsylvania. Last season, Rynd appeared in 21 games and made 12 starts, averaging 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

Chaquille Pratt

Cory Soanes

6'4" | Forward | Junior

#2

#23

6'1" | Guard | R-Junior

Chaquille Pratt is from Midland, Pennsylvania. Last season, Pratt appeared in 31 games, averaging 19.9 minutes per game. Pratt has a career total of 340 points entering the 2015-2016 season.

Cory Soanes is a shooting guard from Aberdeen, New Jersey. Soanes is a transfer from Brookdale Community College in New Jersey where he was a part of the team’s 2013 of NJCAA Division III National Championship. Cory was awarded 1st team all-conference player in 2013.

John Johnson

Jamal Gatali

6'0" | Guard | R-Senior

#3

6'7" | Guard | Senior

#24

John Johnson is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Johnson is a transfer from Marshalltown Community College where he scored 57 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in 2013-2014.

Jamal Gatali is from Toronto, Ontario. Gatali started in all 32 games last season, averaging 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 points per game. Gatali finished the 20142015 season with 38 blocks and 16 steals.

Dontay Jackson

vashawn Ruffin

6'2" | Guard | Senior

#4

#25

6'0" | Guard | Junior

Dontay Jackson is from Staten Island, New York.

He is a transfer from Jacksonville State in Alabama, where he started eight games averaging 1.4 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game.

Vashawn Ruffin is from Sikeston, Missouri. Ruffin played for Three Rivers College last season, averaging 9.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Juwan Strothers

Cornelius Brown

6'1" | Guard | R-Junior

#10

#30

6'9" | Center | R-Senior

Juwan Strothers is from Clinton, Maryland.

Strothers is a transfer from Davis & Elkins College where he scored 353 points in the 2014-2015 season.

Cornelius Brown is from Bridgetown, Connecticut.

He started in all but three games last season, averaging 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 62.3 percent from the free throw line.

Naquil Jones

Erik Raleigh

6'3" | Guard | Junior

#12

6'8" | Forward | R-Senior

#44

NaQuil Jones is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jones is a transfer student from Genesee Community College in Batavia, New York. NaQuil was a starter for GCC the past two seasons where he played in 55 of 59 games averaging 21 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Erik Raleigh is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Raleigh came to the Rock in 2013 after he spent one season playing for Central Connecticut State.

Raleigh led SRU with 1.4 blocks per game last season.

Jordan Grady

Dalton Cesarz

6'5" | Forward | R-Senior

#13

Jordan Grady is from Cumberland, Maryland. He is the younger brother of assistant Rock coach Ian Grady. Grady played at Garrett College in Maryland where he sustained an injury and was red-shirted.

He finished last season at The Rock with 59 rebounds and 42 points.

Jordan Marrow 6'0" | Guard | Junior

#14

Jordan Marrow is from Cleveland, Ohio. He is a junior transfer from North Carolina Central University where he played in six games in the 2012-2013 season. He graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA.

6'1" | Guard | Junior

#55

Dalton Cesarz is from Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania.

Cesarz is a transfer from Saint Francis University where he played basketball for two seasons. He is Blacklick Valley High School's second all-time leading scorer and all-time leading rebounder.

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November 20, 2015

ROCK MEN LOOK TO TAKE OVER CONFERENCE

By Cody McCullough The Slippery Rock men’s basketball team will look to continue their success this season after going 21-11 last season, which was followed by a NCAA tournament berth.

This is head coach Kevin Reynold’s eighth season at the helm, and he has compiled a record of 138-72.

To go along with this, he has six PSAC tournament appearances, three NCAA appearances and five 20-win seasons. The Rock has had 20 wins in four of their last five seasons.

Reynolds knows his team had a successful campaign last season, saying that anytime his team can win 20 games, have an NCAA tournament win and have seven seniors graduate, that it’s a successful season. Last season was the second time in school history that SRU beat a non-conference team in the NCAA tournament. Reynolds will still preach what he expects his team to win games.

“We want to play good field goal p ercent age defens e,” Re ynolds said. “We want to out-rebound the opponent significantly and play unselfish offense. We are not a star studded system. We need all players to play well every night and have a total team effort. We need it to be SRU’s night, every night.”

Slippery Rock executed those keys last season. The Rock led the nation in total rebounds for the season (1,451), and offensive rebounds per game (17.88).

The team also executed playing as a team, and not having any player light up the scoreboard. The biggest offensive threat returning this year is Malcolm Richardson. Last season he

scored 7.6 points per game.

Other key players coming back from last year’s team will be Jamal Gatali, Chaquille Pratt and Cornelius Brown.

Gatali started all 32 games last season, blocking 38 shots, making 16 steals and grabbing 4.3 rebounds per game.

Brown and Pratt did not start every game last season, but they still contributed in a big way. Brown led the team in field goal percentage (.464), rebounds per game (6.5) and scored 8.1 points per game.

Pratt scored 6.1 points per game and had 5.5 rebounds per game, while starting in 13 games.

Reynolds is hoping his new players will come in, and fit into the mold with the established players on the roster.

“Our returning players need to have gotten better,” Reynolds said. “The new players must gel because team chemistry is crucial. It’s good news that we had good players graduate with degrees, but the bad news is we have to replace them.”

Some of the newcomers brought in this year have spent time playing Division I basketball. Junior guard Dalton Cesarz and senior guard Dontay Jackson are coming over from Divison I schools. Cesarz spent time at St. Francis, while Jackson comes over from Jacksonville State.

Other transfers include Naquil Jones, Jordan Marrow, Vashawn Ruffin, Cory Soanes and Juwan Stothers.

Reynolds wasn’t impressed with how these new players came in, so he doesn’t exactly know what to expect.

“This class didn’t have as much strength training coming in,” Reynolds

said. “We are behind because the new players didn’t come in at a level we are used to. We are trying to make them better at basketball and get them into shape at the same time.”

Despite some of the issues, Reynolds still expects his team to come in a n d

perform. He said as long as they come in and play 40 minutes every night, that they will win a lot more than they lose. He knows the result will take care of itself if they do that. “ We have high expectations,” Reynolds said. “The success here is unprecedented. This provides a new challenge to the new teams every year. We must show up every day.”

#2

Chaquille Pratt

PSAC WEST oPPoNENTS The Lakers ranked first in the preseason coaching poll. Last season, The Lakers finished in second with an overall record of 20-9 and conference 17-5, making the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Rock split the season series with Mercyhurst last season, winning at home 56-51 after dropping the first game in Erie 65-58.

The Crimson Hawks have been selected to finish second in the PSAC West. IUP was selected as the seventh team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in its preseason top 25 poll. Last season, IUP went 2-1 against Slippery Rock, including a win in the semi-final round 73-65 to advance to the Regional Championship.

Finishing last season fifth while posting an 11-11 PSAC record and being 14-13 overall, the Fighting Scots come into the season ranked third in the polls. Last year The Rock took all three matchups against Edinboro including a first-round 64-60 PSAC tournament victory at Morrow Field House.

Gannon is coming off its third consecutive 20-win season.

The Golden Knights finished last season as the country’s top ranked defensive team, allowing just 56.6 points per game. Gannon went 3-0 against Slippery Rock during the regular season but lost to The Rock 6457 in the opening round of the Division II Tournament last season.

California was picked to finish sixth in the nine team PSAC West in the preseason poll.

They finished last season tied for sixth in the West, but lost the tiebreaker and missed the playoffs. Last season, Cal was swept by The Rock, losing 64-62 at home, and 57-50 in Slippery Rock on the final day of the regular season.

Clarion is looking to rebound from a 10-16 record last year.

Clarion is seeded seventh in this year’s pre-season polls. Slippery Rock took the first of the teams’ two matchups last year easily 72-60, but in the dawn of an SRU NCAA tournament run they lost a heartbreaker to Clarion 72-70.

The Mountain Cats have been picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. They finished last season tied for sixth in the PSAC West before falling to IUP 82-63 in their first playoff game. Pitt-Johnstown split their two meetings with SRU last season, winning 77-59 at home and losing 79-71 at Slippery Rock.

Seton Hill Griffins Men’s Basketball team is ranked ninth in the preseason. The Griffins ended the season with a 7-19 overall record and 6-16 in conference. Slippery Rock lost its first meeting with the Griffens 86-82 in double-OT but got revenge at home later in the year with a 70-51 blowout.

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2015-2016 SRu BASKETBALL: A sp

The Force is stron

ROCK BASKETBALL PREPARES TO GO

By Jordyn Bennett

“We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner; now I am the master,” is what Darth Vader said to Obi Wan Kenobi before their epic battle in Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope.

Since Slippery Rock men’s basketball head coach Kevin Reynolds joined the program in May of 2008, a team that could not buy a winning season for nine years, has emerged as one of the most dominant forces in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the team everyone wants to play, Reynolds said.

“We really ended up having 17 rivalry games,” Reynolds said. “It made us get better quicker.

We have to have our A-game on more nights than the typical team, because we are getting everyone else’s.”

While Reynolds and SRU treat every game as another one they have to win, some teams bring more than just a win or a loss to the Rock,

creating epic battles for the Green and White in its quest to become the Master of the PSAC. Three teams rank amongst the top competitors in the PSAC West: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Gannon University, and Slippery Rock. While SRU faces other teams in the conference, its games against the other top schools go beyond regular season play and bring what Reynolds called “the best crowds” to the games.

“It’s been more competitive than you think with the overall wins,” Reynolds said. “In the seven seasons that I’ve been here, IUP has won 185 games, we’ve won 138, Gannon 137, and Mercyhurst 125. In the last seven years those are your top four teams.”

Both IUP and Gannon recognize the intensity and importance of the games against SRU. While IUP sits as the conference's top competition with the most wins since the start of Reynolds tenure and finishing second in the NCAA Division II National Championship last season, the Crimson Hawks did not take on the Rock with ease.

Indiana played three close games against Slippery Rock last season. While winning two out of three of the contests, one that knocked SRU out of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championships, IUP head coach Joe Lombardi said those wins did not come easy.

“They make us bring our best,” Lombardi said. “Not only physically, but mentally too.”

Lombardi said that a game against The Rock brings out the best in the crowds. An ongoing school rivalry on and off the court adds value to the game and brings out a large number of fans from both schools, he said.

“We try to make all games equal,” Lombardi said. “But athletes and students just always want this one a little more.”

Gannon does not bring the same history of a rivalry to Morrow Field House when they come to play the Rock, but the Golden Knights know how to bring out a crowd and not let SRU pursue the PSAC crown without a fight.

The Green and White could not outlast Gannon for the majority of the 2014-2015 season. The Rock lost three straight games,

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Illustration by Karleigh Santry

pecial edition of the rocket

ng with these ones

O HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH PSAC RIVALS including a 71-45 blowout in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Championship. SRU would redeem themselves in the first round of the regional playoffs, when they would defeat the PSAC champions and end its season. Golden Knights head coach John Reilly said that the lost was an upset, but not a surprise.

“Even though we won three times, we could’ve lost any of those games,” Reilly said.

“They were just the hungrier team that day.”

Reynolds, the Rock’s coach, loves the atmosphere of the game. Both opposing coaches said that games against SRU were the best turnouts. The Rock’s attendance has made a drastic change over the years, he said. It was last in attendance when Reynolds first became coach, he said, but with more wins over the years, that ranking rose drastically.

“To go from eighteenth to third in a seven year period says a lot about other people noticing what the team has been able to do,” Reynolds said.

The team's home court performance, 13-1 last season, is the reason it gets such a great

fan base, especially from the students, he said.

One of, if not the best, home court records in the entire conference and a great support behind it comes from the fact that they are winning against teams with more funding.

Reynolds said that people support that.

“When these other bigger fully funded teams come in, it’s like David versus Goliath,” Reynolds said. “When they come in, the school rallies. Those schools have the money and have the big, new arenas, but we don’t have those things, I think everyone makes the game more special.”

Some people appreciate the smaller Rock facilities when its fans go there. Coach Lombardi said that when his Crimson Hawks have to take the trip to Slippery Rock, he looks forward to it. He said the small gym gets filled up and has the feeling of an intense high school playoff game.

The “Rock Rowdies” do not only make a presence at home, but also make their way to the opposing schools' courts as well. Reynolds said that The Rock really knows how to fill up

a big arena like IUP’s and Gannon’s.

The Rock has a long way to go until it has the opportunity to face either of its conference division foes. SRU will face the first of the two in early January of 2016. With Golden Knights head coach Reilly being unsure of its teams future because of youth and Coach Lombardi going into the new season with a fresh start mindset, despite being the national championship runner-up, Reynolds is not letting anything in the past affect the team's future, but keeping the expectation high.

“Everyone starts out zero and zero,” Reynolds said. “We are not sneaking up on anyone anymore, people are hunting us now. Now, Slippery Rock is a national team, so when you play Slippery Rock it’s a big game.”

Reynolds has the confidence that SRU can prove to be master of the PSAC since the last time he and his team faced their division rivals. A long season that includes home and away games at both Gannon and IUP sit in front of The Rock in its quest for a championship.

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November 20, 2015

ROCK WOMEN READY TO STUN PSAC

By Tyler Friel The interim tag has been removed and now Slippery Rock women’s basketball coach Bobby McGraw has settled into his office. McGraw has a tall challenge ahead of him as SRU's women’s basketball team tries to shake the reputation of being in the proverbial “lower class” of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

“We have to change the culture right now,” McGraw said. “No one wants to play for a losing team. We have to win now.”

McGraw inherited a women’s program that had struggled considerably before taking over.

With only 15 wins scattered over the previous four seasons, Slippery Rock needed a change. Last year, McGraw was named the interim coach and the tide began to turn. He led The Rock to an 11 win season and a trip to the PSAC Tournament, its first post-season appearance in nearly a decade.

“That celebration is long gone,” McGraw said. “The goal is to build a program with athletes who have character and are tough.”

McGraw is planning to jumpstart the culture change with some transfer additions he made this offseason. Lexi Carpenter, a junior point guard from Woodbridge, Va. and transfer from IUP and Dayton, is McGraw’s new point guard. He said Carpenter has the ability to see the floor and distribute passes like he’s never seen before.

Along with Carpenter, The Rock welcomes sophomore Ciara Patterson who transferred from

Wright State, and sophomore Krista Pietropola out of Youngstown State. McGraw said his idea of getting transfers is to eliminate any negativity that surrounded the program in prior years.

“Great teams walk out of the locker room believing and knowing that you’re going to win,” McGraw said.

“We need that mindset and we need it now.”

Joining the three transfers is a Slippery Rock team that McGraw said is 10 players deep, including some key returners.

Senior point guard Erica Aiello started in 26 games last year for The Rock and has been a presence on the floor since her freshman year. Aiello is 11th all-time in school history in assists and minutes played. She’s also 12th all-time with made three pointers. McGraw said his favorite attribute Aiello has is her defense.

“Erica’s going to be a nightmare for opposing point guards,” McGraw said. “She plays 94 feet up and down for 40 minutes a night.”

One of McGraw’s key ingredients to success is rebounding. He said The Rock has one of the best in returning senior Megan Hardiman, who had 131 rebounds last year.

“If I told Megan we could beat IUP if you rolled down a flight of stairs she would do it,” McGraw said.

“She’s a gamer. The Pistons and the Bulls had Rodman, we have Megan.”

Rounding out the deep Rock squad this year is Sorriyah Ranger, who is the projected starting center for The Rock. McGraw will have plenty of options coming off the bench too, including sophomore Mallory Heinle, freshman Morgan Henderson, sophomore Shannon Jack

and junior who was nu mb e r o n e

Audrey

Stapleton,

combined field goal and free throw percentage in the Atlantic Region last year.

With all of the returning talent, The Rock suffers a blow with the loss of senior Taylor Siggers for the season due to injury. Siggers started 26 games last season, averaging 11.8 points per game. Despite being out, Siggers is still an active team leader on the bench and makes her presence known.

With McGraw breathing new life into The Rock program, they look for a PSAC title this year. McGraw said he sees his team really coming together.

“They really like each other and we really like them,” McGraw said. “If they stay together and play selfless—we have a chance to win the league this year.”

#1

Taylor Siggers

PSAC WEST oPPoNENTS

The defending NCAA Division II Champions were tabbed as the preseason favorite in the PSAC West, and ranked #5 in the country. The Vulcans swept the season series versus Slippery Rock, winning 74-48 in Slippery Rock and 74-63 at home.

Edinboro comes in tied for second in the pre-season PSAC West polls. The Fighting Scots will look to improve from last season's 20-8 record. Slippery Rock split their two meetings with Edinboro last season winning their first game 66-57.

Then Edinboro defeated The Rock in their second matchup 79-56.

Gannon is tied for second in the preseason PSAC West polls.

Last season, the Lady Knights went 24-8. Gannon went 3-0 against Slippery Rock last season, including defeating The Rock in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament 66-48.

The Crimson Hawks have been ranked fourth in the PSAC West after finishing with a 25-4 record last season, which was one of the best records in program history. Last season, the Crimson Hawks went 2-0 against The Rock including an 86-77 win on February 18th.

The Seton Hill Griffins are ranked sixth in the preseason polls after finishing last year 12-17 overall and 8-14 in the conference. Last season, The Rock split the season series with the Griffins, losing the first game at Seton Hill 69-55. The Rock bounced back at home with 87-82 victory.

The Lady Cats enter the season ranked seventh in the PSAC West. Pitt-Johnstown ended last season tied for sixth in the PSAC West with a 10-16 record, but missed out on the playoffs after losing the tie breaker to Slippery Rock. UPJ split their two meetings with Slippery Rock last season, winning at Slippery Rock 71-65 and losing at home 88-78.

Mercyhurst comes in ranked eighth in the PSAC West preseason poll. The Lakers are coming off a 9-19 overall record and 6-16 in the conference.

Slippery Rock went 1-1 versus the Lakers in 2014-2015, losing game one in Erie 80-68 before getting revenge at home with a 70-63 victory.

The Clarion women hold the ninth and last seed in the preseason polls. This comes after a 2-25 season with just one of those wins being in the PSAC. Slippery Rock defeated the Golden Eagles in two matchups last season, the first being a 6857 win and the second was a 7771 overtime comeback

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November 20, 2015

WoMen's Basketball Roster Taylor Siggers 5'11" | Guard | Senior

#1

Lexi Carpenter

#15

5'8" | Guard | Junior

Taylor Siggers is from Mardela, Maryland. Before Siggers came to Slippery Rock, she played basketball at Allegany College of Maryland and Indian River College. During the 2014-2015 season, Siggers finished with 11.8 points per game. Siggers will be out this season due to injury.

Lexi Carpenter is from Woodbridge, Virginia.

Carpenter played in four games for the University of Dayton as a freshman. Carpenter spent last season on IUP's roster, sitting out most of the season due to injury.

Audrey Stapleton

Lindsay Homan

5'9" | Guard | Junior

#3

5'8" | Guard | Sophomore

#22

Audrey Stapleton is from Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Before coming to play basketball at Slippery Rock, Stapleton attended East Stroudsburg University. She played in all 27 games in her first season at Slippery Rock with field goal and free throw percentages of 45.4 and 89.1.

Lindsay Homan is from Oil City, Pennsylvania. She played in 12 games as a freshman, averaging 1.1 points per game on 33.3 percent shooting from the field. Homan is a PSAC Scholar Athlete.

Ciara Patterson

Megan Hardiman

5'9" | Guard | Sophomore

#4

5'10" | Guard/Forward | Senior

#23

Ciara Patterson is from North Versailles, Pennsylvania. Before coming to Slippery Rock, Patterson attended Wright State University. She appeared in 28 games off of the bench as a freshman, scoring 4.3 points per game. Coming out of high school, she was rated as a four-star prospect.

Megan Hardiman is from Loudon, New Hampshire.

Last year, she started 15 of 27 games, led the team in free-throws, shooting 81%, and was ranked second on the team in rebounds with 131 overall.

Erica Aiello

isabella lacarbonara

5'3" | Guard | Senior

#5

6'0" | Forward | Freshman

#25

Erica Aiello is from Columbus, Ohio. Aiello enters this season ranked 11th in school history for assists, 11th for minutes played, 12th in three pointers made, and 12th in three-point percentage. Erica’s career high for three-pointers made was against Mercyhurst last season with seven.

Isabella Lacarbonara is from White Plains, New York. She was 4-year-scholar-athlete and she was also a member of the National Honor Society during high school. As both a junior and senior, she earned all-league accolades and was a team captain her senior year.

Shannon Jack

Rebecca olkosky

5'9" | Guard | Sophomore

#10

5'3" | Guard | Senior

#32

Shannon Jack is from Akron, Ohio. Jack played in all 27 games in her freshman season and made her first collegiate start against Clarion. In addition, Shannon was the leading bench scorer with 5.0 points per game last season

Rebecca Olkosky is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She competed in 14 games last season as a reserve guard and averaged 1.1 points per outing.

Krista Pietropola

Sarah Beckham

5'11" | Guard | Sophomore

#11

5'10" | Forward | Senior

#33

Krista Pietropola is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pietropola played in 22 games at NCAA Division I Youngstown State as a freshman, averaging 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game.

Sarah Beckham is from Murrieta, California.

Beckham transferred to Slippery Rock from Brewton-Parker College. From 2011-2013, Beckham played for Mount San Antonio Community College where she assisted the team in back-to-back CCCAA State Championships.

Sierra Fordham

Morgan Henderson

5'6" | Guard | Sophomore

#12

6'2" | Forward | Freshman

#35

Sierra Fordham is a sophomore from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She played in 11 games her freshman year at Slippery Rock. Fordham had 4 points and made 1 steal against Salem in her first collegiate game.

Morgan Henderson is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She excelled in basketball at Seton La Salle High School. She helped lead her team to the 2014 and 2015 State Championships as well as WPIAL titles in 2014 and 2015.

Mallory Heinel

Sorriyah ranger

6'2" | Forward | Sophomore

#14

Mallory Heinle is from Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania. She started nearly every game as a freshman last season, averaging 2.5 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game. She is a PSAC Scholar Athlete.

6'3" | Forward | Senior

#44

Sorriyah Ranger is from Skokie, Illinois. She transferred to The Rock last season from Southwestern Illinois. Last season, she played in 24 games in which she was ranked third on the team for blocks with 18 overall.

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November 20, 2015

NEW D-1 TRANSFERS TO LEAD WOMEN'S PROGRAM A new season in collegiate sports always guarantees some new faces, and for Rock women's basketball it's certainly no different, especially when you bring in four new talented recruits.

Three of the new women's basketball players are former NCAA Division I athletes, while one new freshman turned down a number of Division I programs just for the chance to play with the Green and White.

Junior guard Lexi Carpenter, sophomore guards Ciara Patterson and Krista Pietropola, and freshman forward Morgan Henderson each find themselves in Slippery Rock this winter, and each one has a different story about finding their way to The Rock.

Carpenter's story may be the most complicated, having been a member of two different programs before settling down SRU. Her freshman year, she played just four games with the University of Dayton in Ohio before heading back home to Woodbridge, Va. because of a family emergency.

After returning to Virginia, she had full intentions of staying close to home to continue her collegiate career.

Before she knew it, her former high school basketball coach Rebecca Tillett accepted a job at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), coaxing Carpenter into joining the Crimson Hawks for her sophomore season.

Unfortunately for Lexi, she ended up getting injured and sat out the entire season. Over the course of that year, Tillett left IUP to join the coaching staff at the Naval Academy while former IUP assistant and current SRU assistant coach Ryenn Micaletti left the program to join Slippery Rock's staff. Micaletti successfully convinced Carpenter to transfer to The Rock for her junior year, and Rock head coach Bobby McGraw is convinced that she

will have no problem fitting in.

"She (Carpenter) is a born floor leader," McGraw said. "She's going to be our starting point guard because she is such a floor general."

Patterson joins SRU after playing in 28 games as a true freshman at Wright State, averaging 4.3 points per game with an average of 12.7 minutes played per game. She decided to leave Wright State after one season knowing she wanted to be closer to her home in North Versailles, Pa., and immediately another D-I program in Duquesne came knocking on her door. McGraw was able to sneak in to her recruitment and convinced her to wear SRU green.

McGraw praised Patterson's exceptional defensive prowess.

"She is a kid who I want to jumpstart our program with her intensity and defensive effort," McGraw said. "She steps on the floor with fire and passion, and she's really my type of player. Of the three new transfers, she is the best onball defender."

The final of the three former D-I transfers is Krista Pietropola, and McGraw insists its her shooting ability that will keep opposing teams on their guard for four quarters.

"She is a pure shooter who can just shoot the ball well," he said. "When we have players like Ciara (Patterson), Lexi (Carpenter) and Erica (Aiello) who can get into the paint and make the other team collapse into that area, all of a sudden you have Krista standing in the corner ready to knock down a three-pointer."

Pietropola spent her freshman year at Youngstown State, playing in 22 games averaging 1.7 points in 5.3 minutes per game. After her first season with the Penguins, Pietropola realized she wasn't entirely happy with the curriculum offered at YSU and began searching for schools where she could study physical therapy

while playing basketball. According to McGraw, Duquesne stepped in and tried to entice her with its PT program in three academic years. Not wanting to fit that type of workload in while playing basketball on the side, she contacted McGraw and both parties figured Slippery Rock was the right and final destination for her.

"It pretty much came down to me telling her if she's interested then I'm interested in bringing her in," McGraw said. "I have to give all the credit to the physical therapy program. If it wasn't for that program, I'm not sure we could have brought her in."

Besides the flurry of D-I transfers, McGraw convinced forward Morgan Henderson to turn down all Division I offers and join The Rock. At SRU's exhibition game versus Division I Indiana University, (Ind.), a 9833 loss for The Rock, McGraw insists that her effort was

one of the few bright spots he and his staff were able to take away.

"I was extremely impressed with Morgan's debut because she was not afraid to step on the floor," McGraw said. "She is our first signature recruit to come here and pass up some big offers to get our program back on track."

With the four new players wearing Slippery Rock uniforms, McGraw believes there is no doubt that his team is going to shock the rest of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Of course, it won't be an easy

task, considering defending Division II national champion California University (Pa.) is in the same division.

Despite the noise surrounding Cal U's team, McGraw thinks his teams' depth will be enough to overcome a lot of adversity.

"We have role players on our squad that could probably start for a lot of other programs in our conference," McGraw said. "We should be much more competitive and I think we could contend for a league title.

That's been our goal since day one and I think we now have the fire power to do it."

PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

By Ryan Barlow

#15

Lexi Carpenter

NCAA DENIES ELIGIBILITY TO ROCK SENIOR

By Tyler Friel

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA DIETRICH

Frank Holloway

season of basketball in his collegiate career. The Longwood staff was Rock senior Frank Holloway played eventually fired and Holloway was three years of college basketball on the back at Garrett College for another floor. Most athletes expect to play four. season. For that reason, Holloway According to the NCAA, Holloway never got back his second year from his first stint at Garrett. will never have that chance.

Holloway, in his third year at Garret “He’s well respected in the locker but only his second on the court, led room and the classroom,” Garrett to its first national tournament Slippery Rock Head Coach appearance and was recruited by Kevin Reynolds said. “You Division I schools.

However, there wish things like this were rules that restricted Holloway to wouldn’t happen to go play Division I, and he eventually guys like Frank." found his way to Slippery Rock.

Holloway and “He had Division I suitors,” Reynolds were Reynolds said. “But because of NCAA told by the NCAA rules prohibited him from going that Holloway, after Division I, we were Frank’s choice, what was supposed which was something we were excited to be only his redshirtabout. ” junior year, would not be For good reason, Holloway eligible for the upcoming averaged 10.5 points per game and 6.2 season. The story dates rebounds last season, which helped back to Holloway’s years at propel Slippery Rock to a win in the Garrett College, a junior college in national tournament.

Maryland. Holloway suffered a foot The NCAA, though, delivered injury during his sophomore year, crushing news to Slippery Rock which didn’t allow him to step out earlier this year saying Holloway was onto the floor. But because he was ineligible for the upcoming season. planning on transferring and never The NCAA said Holloway did not played a game, Garrett College did have proper paperwork to cite the not seek to fill out a medical hardship medical year of absence from his form. second year at Garrett, and did not Holloway entered what would have grant him a sixth year of eligibility. been his redshirt-sophomore season The NJCAA (National Junior at his new school, Longwood. After Collegiate Association of America) two games, he injured his shoulder also had the same ruling. However, which ultimately led to Longwood after an appeal, the NJCAA rescinded medically redshirting him. At this its ruling, and claimed Holloway had point, Holloway had only played one

the proper paperwork and should not have lost a season of eligibility.

“When you read that ruling,” Reynolds said. “It’s mind-blowing how the NCAA could not overturn its ruling.”

The story did draw the attention of national media, including a story on the front page of the sports section in the USA Today, as well as ESPN’s Jay Bilas who said in a tweet, “The NCAA needs to reexamine its bad decision.

Or stop preaching ‘Athlete Welfare’ to us. This guy is getting jobbed.”

Holloway said he’s keeping his head high despite the unfortunate scenario.

“I have to embrace this situation,” Holloway said. “I try to be a role model for the guys on the team because I know what everyone on the team is going through and how they feel.”

The NCAA Division I board has a plan in place that is essentially a “common-sense” ruling, that Reynolds said would have made Holloway eligible at the Division I level. However, Division II does not have that rule in place. Reynolds expects the board to approve such a rule in January during their next rules meeting.

“It’s going to be known as the ‘Frank Holloway Rule’ unfortunately,” Reynolds said.

Holloway said that despite his absence, he believes in Slippery Rock this year.

“If everyone can embrace their roles on the team,” Holloway said. “They should win the PSAC.”

2015-2016 SRu Basketball special editorial board Reporting team - Jordyn Bennett,

Editor-in-chief - Cody McCullough

Zachary Bevilacqua, Jessica Bosh, Jackson Edge, Tyler Friel, Doug Gilghrist, Robert Graner, Quatrell Jones, Stephen McConahy, Zachary Morris, Jordyn Naggy and Michael Whittington

managing Editor - Ryan Barlow Head of design - Karleigh Santry Photo editor - Haley Barnes Faculty Adviser - Mark Zeltner