After the best season in program history, the Hilbert College women's basketball team claimed their first regular season title and hosting rights to the 2018 AMCC Women's Basketball Championship Tournament. First round games tip off Wednesday night with #3 Pitt-Bradford hosting #6 La Roche College and #4 Medaille College hosting #5 Penn State Behrend. #1 Hilbert and #2 Mount Aloysius College each earned first round byes. The semifinals and finals will take place Saturday, February 24 and Sunday, February 25.
The top-seeded Hawks have their sights set on their first women's basketball title in program history. They lay claim to the best defense in the AMCC, giving up only 54.6 points per game and average a conference-best 4.6 blocks per game. The Hawks are led by a balanced offensive attack, as senior guard Kelsi Ebert leads the way with 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Sophomore guard Emily Gawlak contributes 12.6 points and 7.4 rebounds, while Taylor Corts and Ashley Repine also average double figures with 10.8 and 10.4 points per game, respectively. Repine also leads the team with 8.0 rebounds a game.
As the #2 seed, Mount Aloysius has also completed their best regular season in program history by earning their highest seed heading into the conference tournament. Defending AMCC Newcomer of the Year, sophomore forward Jessa Wright, has been the backbone of the Mounties team all season. Wright leads the Mounties, and is third in the conference, with 17.9 points per game, while also leading the conference with a 42.2 shooting percentage from long range. Wright also leads her team with 7.8 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Alexia Servello adds 10.7 points and 3.2 assists per game.
Pitt-Bradford enters the postseason tournament as the #3 seed, boasting the defending AMCC Player of the Year in senior guard Ali Rinfrette. Rinfrette, who recently eclipsed the 2,000 point mark, leads the conference with 22.0 points per game, while also grabbing 7.5 rebounds a game. Junior forward Jennifer Isenberg averages a double-double, as she ranks third in the conference with 10.1 rebounds a game, and also adds 14.0 points per contest.
#4 Medaille College is the top rebounding team in the AMCC as they grab 45.8 boards per game. The Mavs are led by senior forward Dani Reinwald whose 19.0 points per game is third in the AMCC while her 16.3 rebounds per game tops the conference. She also averages 4.0 steals, 2.5 blocks, and 2.1 assists per contest. On November 28, Reinwald was named the USBWA Division III Women's Basketball National Player of the Week. Freshman forward Morgan Kennedy averages just under a double-double with 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
Penn State Behrend earned the #5 seed and is led by the consistent play of senior guard Erika Woll who averages 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 4.1 steals per game. Junior forward Emily Kinecki and freshman forward Autumn Byes also average in double figures with 12.6 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, while Byes also pulls in a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. In addition to their balanced offense, the Lions pride themselves on their defense, as they are tops in the league with 15.1 steals per game.
Rounding out the field is seven-time defending AMCC champion La Roche as this year's #6 seed. Senior guard Darrian Johnson leads the Redhawk offense with 16.3 points and 2.7 assists per game, while sophomore forward Jenna Cole adds 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET
First Round: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
#6 La Roche at #3 Pitt-Bradford
#5 Penn St. Behrend at #4 Medaille
Byes: #1 Hilbert and #2 Mount Aloysius
Championship Round at #1 Hilbert College
Semifinals: Saturday, February 24, 2018
1pm: #1 Hilbert v. winner of 5v4
3:30pm: #2 Mount Aloysius v. winner of 6v3
Finals: Sunday, February 25, 2018 - 1pm