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SEASON COMPLETED
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Monday, March 19, 2007
Ashley Marble Named Women's DIII News Player of the Year
GORHAM, Maine -- University of Southern Maine Huskies senior forward
Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland HS) has been named the Women's DIII
News Player of the Year. Gary Rubin, editor of Women's DIII News, made the
announcement Sunday night.
Recently named the D3hoops.com National Player of the Year and a 2007
Kodak/WBCA All-American, Marble also was named to the Women's DIII News All-
American first team. She is joined on the first team by senior Eileen Flaherty
of Bowdoin College, senior Taryn Mellody of University of Scranton, senior Lisa
Winkle of Calvin College and senior Kelsey Duoss of the University of Wisconsin-
Stout.
"Ashley had a great senior year and was a tremendous leader on the court
for her team," said Rubin. "There were many outstanding candidates for this
award, but as our Preseason Player of the Year she really stood out. She is
most deserving."
Marble led USM to a 27-3 overall record and 13-1 mark in Little East
Conference play while recording 22 double-doubles during the season. Averaging
23.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, the 5-foot-9 forward was named the
Little East Conference Player of the Year for the third consecutive season after
leading USM to the conference's regular season and tournament crowns.
Among the numerous awards she received for her outstanding play, Marble was
named the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) and the New
England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Player of the Year. Marble was
also a first-team All-LEC, All-State and NEWBA All-New England selection.
Excelling in the classroom, Marble was named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA
Academic All-America® of the Year for the College Division and a first team
Academic All-American®.
Marble completed her stellar four-year career with 1,981 points and 1,157
rebounds, becoming the first USM women's basketball player (playing her entire
career at USM) to surpass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound plateaus in her
career. She is ranked second all-time in career points and holds the school
record for rebounds.
2007 Women's DIII News All-Americans
First Team
Player Institution Class Position
Ashley Marble Southern Maine Senior Forward
Eileen Flaherty Bowdoin Senior Center
Taryn Mellody Scranton Senior Guard
Lisa Winkle Calvin Senior Forward
Kelsey Duoss Wisconsin-Stout Senior Center
Second Team
Player Institution Class Position
Liz Bondi DePauw Senior Forward
Kelly Peters Wilmington Senior Center
Jessica McEntee New York University Sophomore Forward
Lindsay Ippell Millikin Junior Forward
Jess Vadnais Gustavus Adolphus Junior Guard
Third Team
Player Institution Class Position
Nikki Lobach Messiah Junior Guard
Staci Humphrey Greensboro Senior Guard
Elizabeth Hickey Mary Washington Junior Center
Tori Huggins Hendrix Senior Guard
Crystal Hoewisch Carroll Junior Guard
Fourth Team
Player Institution Class Position
Lacey Kennedy Mississippi College Senior Forward
Courtney Cunningham Drew Senior Guard
Allison Matt Scranton Senior Guard
Luci Custis William Paterson Senior Guard
Kristen Sheffield Denison Senior Forward
Fifth Team
Player Institution Class Position
Deborah Bruen Mary Washington Senior Forward
Meghan Courtney Muhlenberg Senior Center
Blair Ernst Luther Sophomore Forward
Bri Monahan Gustavus Adolphus Senior Center
Sara Cavanaugh Cortland Junior Forward
2007 Women's DIII News Player of the Year
Ashley Marble, University of Southern Maine
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Sunday, March 18, 2007
Ashley Marble Named D3hoops.com National Player of the Year
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) of the University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball team has been
named the 2007 D3hoops.com National Player of the Year. The announcement was
made by D3hoops.com publisher Pat Coleman Saturday night (March 17).
A 5-foot-9 forward, Marble also repeated as a D3hoops.com first-team All-
American. Marble was also an honorable mention selection following her
sophomore season in 2005. Joining Marble on the first team are seniors Taryn
Mellody of Scranton, Kelsey Duoss of Wisconsin-Stout and juniors Crystal
Hoewisch of Carroll and Lindsay Ippell of Milliken.
"Ashley Marble represented the heart and soul of a Division III basketball
player," said Coleman. "Not only was she a phenomenal player from a statistical
perspective this season, but she played with the highest levels of energy and
emotion in willing her team to a conference championship and NCAA appearance.
She is a very worthy selection for player of the year honors."
Recently named a Kodak/WBCA Division III All-American, Marble played in all
30 games this season averaging 23.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. She shot
49.6 percent (224-of-452) from the floor, including 36.8 percent (28-for-76)
from three-point range.
"I am very happy for Ashley," noted USM veteran head coach Gary Fifield.
"She has had a tremendous career capped by one of the best single-season efforts
ever by a Southern Maine women' s basketball player. She has been a great
leader by example on and off of the court and is very deserving of this honor."
Among the numerous awards she received this season for her outstanding
play, Marble was named the Little East Conference Player of the Year for the
third consecutive season and the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association
(MWBCA) Player of the Year and the D3hoops.com Northeast Region Player of the
Year for the second straight season. Marble was also named the New England
Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Player of the Year and was selected to
the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic. She was also named a first team all-star by
all four organizations.
Excelling in the classroom, Marble was named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA
Academic All-America® of the Year for the College Division and a first team
Academic All-America®.
Marble completed her stellar four-year career with 1,981 points and 1,157
rebounds. She is ranked second all-time in career points and holds the school
record for rebounds.
Averaging 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in her career, she is in
the top 15 in 12 career statistical categories. She is ranked first all-time in
games played (128), free throws made (608), free throws attempted (847) and
rebounds. She is second in point scored, fifth in scoring average, and fourth
in rebounding average, field goals made (650) and field goals attempted (1,290).
Marble is also ranked seventh in career field goal percentage (50.6) and 12 in
free throw percentage (71.8).
This season, she set USM single-season records in points (693), scoring
average (23.1) and free throws made (217). Her 367 rebounds is second all-time
for a single-season at USM.
During Marble's career, the Huskies posted a remarkable 119-10 overall
record and a dominating 67-1 mark against Little East Conference opponents. In
that four year span (2003-2007), the Huskies captured four consecutive LEC
regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Division
III Women's Basketball National Championship tournament each year. USM advanced
twice to the NCAA Division III Final Four, finishing third in 2006 and as the
national runner-up in 2006. This season Southern Maine advanced to the NCAA
Division III "Sweet Sixteen" and finished with a 27-3 overall record and a 13-1
record in the LEC.
2007 D3hoops.com Women's All-America Team
First Team
Player Institution Class Position
Taryn Mellody Scranton Senior Guard
Crystal Hoewisch Carroll Junior Guard
Ashley Marble Southern Maine Senior Forward
Lindsay Ippell Millikin Junior Forward
Kelsey Duoss Wisconsin-Stout Senior Center
Second Team
Player Institution Class Position
Meia Daniels Howard Payne Junior Guard
Staci Humphrey Greensboro Senior Guard
Jessica McEntee New York University Sophomore Forward
Liz Bondi DePauw Senior Forward
Tarra Richardson McMurry Junior Center
Third Team
Player Institution Class Position
Jess Vadnais Gustavus Adolphus Junior Guard
Christina Gaard Luther Senior Guard
Eileen Flaherty Bowdoin Senior Forward
Lisa Winkle Calvin Senior Forward
Liz Hickey Mary Washington Junior Center
Fourth Team
Player Institution Class Position
Symbri Tuttle McMurry Senior Guard
Luci Custis William Paterson Senior Guard
Nikki Lobach Messiah Junior Forward
Lacey Kennedy Mississippi College Senior Forward
Julie Leach Transylvania Sophomore Center
Honorable Mention
Player Institution Class Position
Naomi Guise Aurora Senior Guard
Jade Paez Emmanuel Junior Guard
Trenecca Jones La Verne Sophomore Forward
Debbie Bruen Mary Washington Senior Forward
Kelly Peters Wilmington Senior Center
2007 D3hoops.com Player of the Year
Ashley Marble, University of Southern Maine
2007 D3hoops.com Coach of the Year
Kris Huffman, DePauw University
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Friday, March 16, 2007
Ashley Marble Repeats as Kodak/WBCA All-American
GORHAM, Maine -- For the second consecutive year, senior forward Ashley
Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland HS) of the University of Southern Maine
Huskies women's basketball team has been named to the ten-member Kodak/WBCA
Division III All-America squad. The squad was announced Thursday night by WBCA
CEO Beth Bass at a banquet for the four teams participating in the 2007 NCAA
Division III National Championship Finals this weekend at Springfield College in
Springfield, Mass.
Just the fifth individual in the storied history of the Southern Maine
women's basketball program to receive WBCA All-American honors since the awards
began in 1983, Marble is the second USM player to earn the award twice. Marble
joins former Husky standout Maureen Burchill '85, who earned the honor in 1983
and 1985, as two-time All-Americans. The other WBCA All-Americans from USM
include Dianna Duff in 1989, Laura Pate in 1991 and Joanna Brown in 1998.
Joining Marble on the 2007 All-American team are seniors Liz Bondi of
DePauw University, Deborah Bruen of University of Mary Washington, Kelsey Duoss
of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Eileen Flaherty of Bowdoin College, Taryn
Mellody of the University of Scranton, Lisa Winkle of Calvin College, juniors
Nikki Lobach of Messiah College, Jess Vadnais of Gustavus Adolphus College and
sophomore Jessica McEntee of New York University.
Marble, a 5-foot-9 forward, played in all 30 games this season and averaged
23.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.6 percent (224-of-452)
from the floor, including 36.8 percent (28-for-76) from the three-point range.
From the foul line, Marble shot 72.3 percent (217-of-300).
Among the numerous awards that Marble has received for her outstanding play
during the 2006-07 season, she was named the Little East Conference Player of
the Year for the third consecutive season, and the Maine Women's Basketball
Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player of the Year and the D3Hoops.com Northeast
Region Player of the Year for the second straight season. Marble was also named
the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Player of the Year and
was selected to the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic. She was also named a first
team all-star by all four organizations.
During her senior campaign Marble was named the Little East Conference
Player of the Week on nine occasions while earning ECAC Division III New England
Player of the Week and MWBCA Player of the Week six times.
In addition to her prowess on the court, Marble was named the ESPN the
Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year for the College Division and
a first team Academic All-America®.
Marble completed her stellar four-year career with 1,981 points and 1,157
rebounds. She is ranked second all-time in career points and holds the school
record for rebounds.
Averaging 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in her career, she is in
the top 15 in 12 career statistical categories. She is ranked first all-time in
games played (128), free throws made (608), free throws attempted (847) and
rebounds. She is second in points scored, fifth in scoring average, and fourth
in rebounding average, field goals made (650) and field goals attempted (1,290).
Marble is also ranked seventh in career field goal percentage (50.6) and 12th in
free throw percentage (71.8).
This season, she set USM single-season records in points (693), scoring
average (23.1) and free throws made (217). Her 367 rebounds is second all-time
for a single season at USM.
During Marble's career, the Huskies posted a remarkable 119-10 overall
record and a dominating 67-1 mark against Little East Conference opponents. In
that four-year span (2003-2007), the Huskies captured four consecutive LEC
regular season and tournament championships, and advanced to the NCAA Division
III Women's Basketball National Championship tournament each year. USM advanced
twice to the NCAA Division III Final Four, finishing third in 2005 and as the
national runner up in 2006. This season Southern Maine advanced to the NCAA
Division III "Sweet Sixteen" and finished with a 27-3 overall record.
2007 Kodak/WBCA Division III All-America Team
Player Institution Class Position
Liz Bondi DePauw University Senior Forward
Deborah Bruen University of Mary Washington Senior Forward
Kelsey Duoss University of Wisconsin-Stout Senior Center
Eileen Flaherty Bowdoin College Senior Center
Nikki Lobach Messiah College Junior Guard
Ashley Marble University of Southern Maine Senior Forward
Jessica McEntee New York University Sophomore Forward
Taryn Mellody University of Scranton Senior Guard
Jess Vadnais Gustavus Adolphus College Junior Guard
Lisa Winkle Calvin College Senior Forward
2007 WBCA Division III Player of the Year
Eileen Flaherty, Bowdoin College
2007 Russell Athletic/WBCA Division III Coach of the Year
Deena Applebury, University of Mary Washington
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Ashley Marble Named Northeast Region Player of the Year by D3hoops.com
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) of the University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball team has been
named the Northeast Region Player of the Year by D3hoops.com as voted by the
region's Division III sports information directors. This is the second
consecutive year that Marble has earned the honor which was announced Wednesday.
In addition to being named the Northeast Region Player of the Year, Marble
was also selected to the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region First Team. Joining
Marble on the first team are senior Amy Dodd of Gordon College, senior Joeanna
Silvey of Mount Holyoke College, senior Eileen Flaherty of Bowdoin College and
junior Colleen Feeney of Bridgewater State University
A 5-foot-9 forward, Marble led USM in scoring, rebounding and steals,
averaging 23.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.13 steal per game, and recorded 22
double-doubles during the season. Marble shot 49.6 percent from the floor (224-
of-452), including 36.8 percent (28-of-76) from three-point range. From the
free throw line, Marble converted 72.3 percent of her attempts (217-of-300).
This season, Marble became the first USM women's basketball player (playing
her entire career at USM) to surpass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound plateaus
in her career. She finished her career ranked second in career scoring with
1,981 points and is the all-time leader in rebounds with 1,157. She had 49
career double-doubles.
Among the numerous awards she has received this season, Marble, a 2006
Kodak/WBCA All-American, was recently named one of the 40 finalist for the 2007
All-America team. She was named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA College Division
Academic All-America® of the Year. Marble was voted the Little East
Conference (LEC) Player of the Year (for the third consecutive season) and the
Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player of the Year, and
also earned first team All-LEC and MWBCA All-State recognition. A 2007 LEC All-
Defensive team selection, Marble was named the Little East Conference
tournament's Most Outstanding Player after leading the Huskies to their 11th
consecutive crown.
Southern Maine finished the season with a 27-3 overall record and advanced
to the NCAA Division III "Sweet Sixteen." During Marble's career at USM, the
Huskies posted a remarkable 119-10 overall record and a dominating 67-1 mark
against Little East Conference opponents.
During that four-year span (2003-2007), the Huskies captured four
consecutive LEC regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship tournament each year.
USM advanced twice to the NCAA Division III Final Four twice, finishing third in
2005 and as the national runner-up in 2006.
D3hoops.com Women's All-Northeast Region Team
First Team
Player Institution Class Position
Amy Dodd Gordon Senior Guard
Joeanna Silvey Mount Holyoke Senior Guard
Ashley Marble Southern Maine Senior Forward
Eileen Flaherty Bowdoin Senior Forward
Colleen Feeney Bridgewater State Junior Center
Second Team
Jen Dabrowski Western New England Junior Guard
Jaime Capra Brandeis Junior Guard
Alyssa Burns Maine Maritime Senior Forward
Meghan DePatsy Anna Maria Senior Forward
Sarah Cox Trinity (Conn.) Senior Forward
Third Team
Jade Paez Emmanuel Junior Guard
Bonnie Hirtle Curry Junior Guard
Noelle Surette Colby-Sawyer Junior Forward
Cheyenne Noble Wentworth Tech Senior Forward
Maggie Miller Williams Senior Forward
Player of the Year: Ashley Marble, Southern Maine
Coach of the Year: Walter Paschal, Fitchburg State
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Friday, March 9, 2007
Calvin Edges Southern Maine 60-56
BOSTON -- Senior center Lisa Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich.) notched a
double-double with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to lead the Calvin
College Knights to a 60-56 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in
a third round game of the 2007 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Friday night
at the Jean Yawkey Center on the campus of Emmanuel College.
With the win, Calvin improves to 28-2 overall and advances to the Sectional
Final Saturday evening (7:00 p.m.) against the winner of the Emmanuel
College/DePauw University game. Southern Maine, bidding to advance to the Final
Four for the third straight year, concludes its season with a 27-3 mark.
Winkle, who finished the game shooting 4-for-5 from the floor, was one of
three Knights in double-figures. Freshman forward Brook VanEck (Lowell, Mich.)
led Calvin with 14 points off of the bench, while junior guard Nikki Zimmerman
(Traverse City, Mich.) added 12 points and five assists.
Southern Maine senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine) had a game-
high 32 points shooting 12-for-24 from the field. Marble finished one rebound
shy of a double-double grabbing a team-high nine. Junior forward Angela Santa
Fe (Derry, N.H.) and sophomore forward Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H.) each added
eight points for the Huskies, while junior guard Dawn Ross (Gray, Maine) chipped
in with six points off of the bench.
Despite a tepid 37.5 percent (9-for-24) performance from the floor in the
first half for the Huskies, Marble scored 17 of her 32 points in the first half,
converting 6-of-11 from the field, including a three-pointer as the Huskies
trailed the Knights by nine, 33-24, at the half-time break.
Southern Maine clawed its way back into the game in the second half, tying
the score at 40-40 with 10:37 on the clock. The Huskies outscored Calvin 20-11
in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, led by eight points from Marble
and six from Santa Fe. Southern Maine took its largest lead of the second half
on back-to-back baskets from Santa Fe and Marble to go ahead 48-44 with 8:57
remaining.
Both teams were scoreless over the next two minutes before Calvin rattled
off a quick five points on a three-pointer from sophomore forward Marissa Walker
(Cedar Springs, Mich.) and a lay-up form VanEck to take a one-point, 49-48 lead
with 6:07 showing.
The teams exchanged baskets over the next three minutes and the score was
tied at 54-54 with 2:49 on the clock on following a pair of free throws from
Winkle. The Knights took the lead for good at the two-minute mark when junior
forward Rachael Willett (Rockford, Mich.) scored on a lay-up.
Southern Maine was within two of the Knights, 58-56, with 1:20 remaining
after Marble converted a lay-up on a pin-point feed from Kent, but the Knights
held on for the win over the final minute of play making 2-of-4 free throws.
USM finished the game shooting a solid 43.1 percent (22-for-51) from the
field and 43.8 percent from the three-point line (7-for-16). Calvin ended the
game shooting 40.4 percent (21-for-52).
Southern Maine's senior class of Marble, guards Lindsey Welch (Newport,
Maine), Meg Patti (Towanda, Ill.), and Katie Sibley (Boothbay, Maine), and
forward Lauren Samuelson (Southbury, Conn.) finished their playing careers with
a remarkable 119-9 overall record and a 67-1 mark against Little East Conference
foes.
During the four-year span (2003-2007), the Huskies captured four
consecutive LEC regular season and tournament championships, and advanced to the
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship tournament each year.
USM advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four twice, finishing third in 2005
and as the national runner-up in 2006.
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Thursday, March 8, 2007
Southern Maine's Marble Named WBCA Kodak/All-America Finalist
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
of the University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball team is among the
40 finalists announced Thursday (March 8) by the Women's Basketball Coaches
Association (WBCA) for its 2007 Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team for NCAA
Division III.
The finalists, who are voted upon by the WBCA member coaches in each of the
eight WBCA geographic regions, are now in the running for selection to the 10-
member All-America team that will be announced next Thursday (March 15) at the
NCAA Division III Banquet of Champions in Springfield, Mass.
Joining Marble as finalists from Region One are Jaime Capra and Caitlin
Malcolm of Brandeis University, Maggie Miller of Williams College and Eileen
Flaherty of Bowdoin College.
A 5-foot-9 forward, Marble earned 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America honors as a
junior. Recently she named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA College Division
Academic All-America® of the Year. Marble has been awarded numerous honors
this season, including Little East Conference (LEC) Player of the Year honors
for the third consecutive season. Marble, who also was named the Maine Women's
Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player of the Year, also earned first
team All-LEC and MWBCA All-State recognition.
A 2007 LEC All-Defensive team selection, Marble was named the Little East
Conference tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading the Huskies to their
11th consecutive crown. She led Southern Maine to a pair of wins last weekend
in the NCAA tournament to help the Huskies earn their fifth consecutive trip to
the NCAA Division III "Sweet Sixteen".
Marble leads USM in scoring, rebounding and steals, averaging 22.8 points,
12.3 rebounds and 2.13 steal per game. She has recorded 22 double-doubles
during the season while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor (212-of-428),
including 34.7 percent (25-of-72) from three-point range. At the free throw
line, Marble is converting 73.1 percent of her attempts (212-of-290). This
season, Marble became the first USM women's basketball player to surpass the
1,000-point and 1,000 rebound plateau in her career. She currently has 1,935
career points and a school-record 1,134 rebounds.
Southern Maine is 27-2 overall and will play Calvin College (Mich.) on
Friday (5:30 p.m.) at Emmanuel College in Boston.
NCAA Division III Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team Finalists
Region 1
Player Institution Class Position
Jaime Capra Brandeis University Jr. Guard
Eileen Flaherty Bowdoin College Sr. Center
Caitlin Malcolm Brandeis University Sr. Forward
Ashley Marble University of Southern Maine Sr. Forward
Maggie Miller Williams College Sr. Forward
Region 2
Amanda Baker Medaille College Jr. Forward
Sara Cavanaugh SUNY at Cortland Jr. Forward
Jessica McEntee New York University So. Forward
Danielle Muller University of Rochester Sr. Forward
Katie Palmer Saint Lawrence University So. Forward
Region 3
Melissa Beyruti Kean University So. Guard
Deborah Bruen University of Mary Washington Sr. Forward
Luci Custis William Paterson University Sr. Guard
Elizabeth Hickey University of Mary Washington Jr. Center
Stephanie Machin Montclair State University Sr. Forward
Region 4
Meghan Courtney Muhlenberg College Sr. Center
Courtney Cunningham Drew University Sr. Guard
Nikki Loach Messiah College Jr. Guard
Allison Matt University of Scranton Sr. Guard
Tarn Melody University of Scranton Sr. Guard
Region 5
Media Daniels Howard Payne University Jr. Guard
Erin Hanson Roanoke College Jr. Forward
Tory Huggins Hendrix College Sr. Guard
Stacy Humphrey Greensboro College Sr. Guard
Sybil Tuttle Curry University Sr. Guard
Region 6
Liz Bond DePauw University Sr. Forward
Kelly Peters Wilmington College Sr. Center
Kristen Sheffield Denison University Sr. Guard
Katie Struck Wilmington College Jr. Forward
Lisa Winkle Calvin College Sr. Forward
Region 7
Catherine Chappell Milwaukee School of Engineering Sr. Forward
Tamaqua Curtis Benedictine University (Ill.) Jr. Center
Kelsey Duos University of Wisconsin, Stout Sr. Center
Crystal Hogwash Carroll College Jr. Guard
Lindsay Appall Milliken University Jr. Forward
Region 8
Blair Ernst Luther College So. Forward
Trenecca Jones University of La Verne So. Forward
Bri Monahan Gustavus Adolphus College Sr. Forward/Center
Jess Vadnais Gustavus Adolphus College Jr. Guard
Katelyn Whiton Simpson College Jr. Forward
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Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Sweet Sixteen Tickets On Sale Thursday at USM
GORHAM, Maine -- A limited number of tickets for the NCAA Division III
Women's Basketball Championship Sectional Round games being held at Emmanuel
College in Boston on Friday (March 9) will go on sale Thursday (March 8) at 12
p.m. in the lobby of the Costello Sports Complex located on the Gorham campus of
the University of Southern Maine.
The University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball team will play
Calvin College (Mich.) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Jean Yawkey Center
Gymnasium at Emmanuel College.
Each person may purchase a maximum of four tickets. Ticket prices are $7
for adults and $4 for students (with identification), senior citizens and
children. All sales are CASH only. Phone sales will not be accepted.
More information regarding the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball
Championship Sectional Round games at Emmanuel College can be found at
http://www.emmanuel.edu/athletics
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Sunday, March 4, 2007
NCAA Division III Tournament - Second Round Game
Southern Maine Rallies to Defeat Fitchburg State 65-54
Huskies Outscore Falcons 21-3 Over Final Eight Minutes
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore forward Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown
Academy) scored a game-high 17 points to lead three players in double-figures as
the eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies rallied from a seven-
point, second-half deficit to down the Fitchburg State College Falcons 65-54 in
a second round game of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament
Sunday afternoon at Warren Hill Gymnasium on the USM Gorham campus.
With its fifth straight win, Southern Maine improved its overall record to
27-2 and advances to the NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" for the seventh consecutive
season, and for the 18th time since 1985. Fitchburg State, making its first
appearance in the NCAA tournament, completes its season with a 26-3 record.
Southern Maine travels to Emmanuel College in Boston for the Sectional
semifinals and finals, and will face Calvin College on Friday at a time to be
determined. Calvin (27-2) advanced to the "Sweet Sixteen" with a second round
win over Wilmington (Ohio) College 73-67.
Kent was clutch from three-point range draining 5-of-7 from the beyond the
arc to lead USM. Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
recorded her 22nd double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds,
and junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) tossed in 12
points and grabbed five rebounds. Freshman guard Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan,
Maine/Skowhegan) chipped in with nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from three-
point range to compliment two assists, a blocked shot and a steal.
Freshman guard Krystle O'Brien (Malden, Mass.) led three Falcon players in
double-digit scoring with 13 points on a solid 6-for-12 effort from the floor.
O'Brien added three rebounds, a team-high four assists and two steals as the
Falcons' point guard. Senior D'yana Delpero (Peabody, Mass.) and sophomore
forward Steph Payette (Townsend, Mass.) each scored 12 points, while Payette
recorded a team-high four steals.
Despite taking a 15-point lead (21-6) midway through the first half,
Southern Maine trailed the Falcons by a point at the halftime break, 31-30, and
found itself in a seven-point hole with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining in
the game.
Led by Payette (nine points), O'Brien (six points) and Delpero (six
points), the Falcons outscored the Huskies 25-9 over the final eight minutes of
the first half to surge ahead of the Huskies at the break.
Fitchburg State opened the second half with a 10-4 run to take a 41-34 lead
with 13:32 to play as five different players contributed points. The Falcons
held off any Husky runs over the next five minutes, and led, 51-44, with 8:33
remaining after Delpero connected on a deep three-point strike following an
assist O'Brien.
Southern Maine countered running off 11 unanswered points to retake the
lead and control of the game. Senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport,
Maine/Nokomis) ignited the USM run draining a three-pointer to cut the Fitchburg
State advantage to four, 51-47, with 8:13 on the clock. Marble scored the
Huskies' next four points to tie the score at 51-51, on a lay-up and a pair of
free throws. Santa Fe and Marble then combined to score four points, all from
the free throw line, to cap the run and give the Huskies a 55-51 lead with 3:42
showing.
O'Brien snapped the Falcons scoring drought with one-of-two free throws,
but Southern Maine received back-to-back threes from Kent and Paradis to push
the lead up to nine, 61-52, with 2:18 to play. USM outscored Fitchburg State
4-2 down the stretch for the 65-54 final.
Despite a tepid 8-for-20 performance from the field in the second half, USM
finished the game shooting 48.8 percent (20-for-41) from the field and was 72.7
percent (16-for-22) from the free throw line. Fitchburg State shot a solid 45.1
percent from the floor making 23-of-51 field goal attempts, but struggled from
the free throw line, making just 4-of-10 (40 percent). The teams combined for
51 turnovers as both played tenacious defense throughout the game.
################################################################################
Saturday, March 3, 2007
NCAA Division III Tournament - First Round Game
Southern Maine Holds Off Williams 68-62
GORHAM, Maine - Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
and sophomore forward Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown Academy) combined
to score 46 points to lead the eight-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies
to a 68-62 win over the Williams College Ephs in a first round game of the NCAA
Division III Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday afternoon at the Warren Hill
Gymnasium on the campus of the USM.
Making its 13th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, USM improves
to 26-2 overall, and advances to play Fitchburg State College on Sunday (2:00
p.m.). Fitchburg State defeated Norwich University 79-60 earlier in the day at
USM. Williams concludes its season at 20-7.
Marble scored 26 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, both game-high totals, to
record her 21st double-double of the season. Kent added 20 points, five
rebounds, four assists and two steals as the only other USM player in double-
figures.
Junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) chipped in
with seven points and six rebounds, while senior forward Lauren Samuelson
(Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) gave the Huskies 20 solid minutes off of the bench
with six points, four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.
Senior guard Meghan Stetson (Clinton, N.Y.) led three Williams players in
double-figures with a team-high 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting. Senior forward
Maggie Miller (Wellesley, Mass.) added 17 points, five rebounds, three blocked
shots and a pair of steals, while senior forward Beth Lorge (North Adams, Mass.)
was 5-for-9 from the field to score 10 points.
Ahead by as many as 13 in the opening stanza and eight at the break, 35-27,
thanks in part to Kent's 13 points, including 3-for-3 shooting from three-point
range, Southern Maine found itself in a battle in the latter stages of the
second half.
Trailing by seven, 60-53, with 5:00 remaining in the contest following a
three-ball from Kent, Williams ran off a 7-0 run over the next 3:12 to knot the
score at 60-60. Stetson scored six of the Ephs seven points in the run on a
lay-up, a mid-range jumper and a pair of free throws.
Southern Maine was able to counter, however, as freshman guard Nicole
Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan) scored all four of her points, a set of
free throws and a lay-up in traffic, to spot the Huskies a four-point cushion
with 1:01 remaining. Stetson tried to cut into the USM lead with a three-point
attempt on Williams' following possession, but Kent grabbed the rebound. Forced
to foul, Williams put Kent on the line and she made 4-of-6 free throws down the
stretch to help USM seal the win.
Southern Maine shot 37.5 percent from the field for the game making 21-of-
56 attempts, including 6-for-15 from three-point range (40 percent). Led by
Marble and Kent's combined 17-for-21 accuracy from the free throw line, USM shot
a solid 71.4 percent (20-for-28) from the charity stripe. USM also held a
decisive 46-31 advantage on the boards over the taller Williams' squad led by
Marble and senior guard Lindsey Welch's (Newport, Maine/Nokomis Regional)
career-high eight caroms.
Williams finished the game shooting 40.6 percent (26-for-64) from the
field. Williams struggled from the free throw line, making just 42.9 percent
(6-for-14) of its attempts
################################################################################
Saturday, March 3, 2007
NCAA Division III Tournament - First Round Game
Fitchburg State Advances, Downs Norwich 79-60
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore Steph Payette (Townsend, Mass.) scored a game-
high 18 points to lead four players in double figures as the Fitchburg State
College Falcons defeated the Norwich University Cadets 79-60 in a first round
game of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday afternoon.
The game was played at the Warren Hill Gymnasium on the campus of the University
of Southern Maine.
Fitchburg State, making its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament,
moves into a second round game against the winner of the Williams College-
Southern Maine game on Sunday (2:00 p.m.). Fitchburg State improved its record
to 26-2. Norwich finished its season at 24-4.
Payette converted 7-of-11 shots from the field and all four of her free
throws to account for her 18 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds.
Other Falcons in double figures were senior Jen Fontaine (Dracut, Mass.)
with 16 points, junior Diana Doyle (Springfield, Mass.) with 13, and senior
D'yana Delpero (Peabody, Mass.) with 10. Fontaine shared game-high rebounding
honors with Norwich junior Caitlin Bailey (Barre, Vt.) as each had nine boards.
Senior Kristi Powlovich (Jericho, Vt.) led the Cadets with 15 points.
Senior Sarah Chap (Stockbridge, Vt.) added 14 and freshman Natalie Marchese
(Rutland, Vt.) chipped in 13.
Tied at 9-9 seven minutes into the game, Fitchburg State used a 13-2 run
over a five-minute span to take control. Freshman Michelle Ridge (Milton,
Mass.) ignited the run with a basket, followed by four straight points from
Payette. After a basket by Chap, Payette scored another four points, and
Delpero capped off the stretch with a three-pointer to give the Falcons a 22-11
advantage.
The Falcons increased the lead to as many as 15 before the Cadets went on
an 8-2 spurt to close within nine (30-21) on a bucket by Powlovich. The Falcons
responded over the final four minutes to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room.
A 12-2 Fitchburg State run early in the second half expanded the margin to
56-32. Ridge sparked the run with a three-pointer, and Fontaine finished the
surge with another three.
Norwich clawed back to within 15 (58-43) with 9:12 to play on the heels of
an 11-2 run. Powlovich (7 points) and Chap (4 points) accounted for the Cadets
scoring. Norwich would get no closer than 14 over the final nine minutes.
Fitchburg State finished the game shooting 41.7 percent (28-of-67) from the
field, including 32 percent (8-of-25) from beyond the three-point arc, and
converted 15-of-16 free throws. Norwich shot 39.7 percent (23-of-58), but was
hurt by 25 turnovers.
03/03/07 1:00 p.m. at Warren Hill Gymnasium, Gorham, Maine
FITCHBURG STATE 79, NORWICH UNIVERSITY 60
NORWICH UNIVERSITY (24-4)
Kristi Powlovich 4-12 5-6 15; Sarah Chap 7-13 0-1 14; Natalie Marchese 5-12 0-2
13; Kayleigh Shappy 4-12 0-1 9; Caitlin Bailey 3-5 1-2 7; Jess Jaggars 0-1 2-2
2; Erica Rate 0-1 0-0 0; Ally Daniels 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-58 8-15 60.
FITCHBURG STATE (26-2)
Steph Payette 7-11 4-4 18; Jen Fontaine 4-9 6-6 16; Diana Doyle 4-11 3-4 13;
D'yana Delpero 3-15 2-2 10; Michelle Ridge 4-6 0-0 9; Krystle O'Brien 3-10 0-0
7; Merry Donovan 3-4 0-0 6; Ashley Mayerjak 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-67 15-16 79.
Norwich University 25 35 60
Fitchburg State 37 42 79
3-point goals-Norwich University 6-20 (Natalie Marchese 3-8; Kristi Powlovich 2-
6; Kayleigh Shappy 1-5; Erica Rate 0-1), Fitchburg State 8-25 (Jen Fontaine 2-3;
D'yana Delpero 2-10; Diana Doyle 2-4; Krystle O'Brien 1-4; Michelle Ridge 1-3;
Ashley Mayerjak 0-1).
Fouled out--Norwich University-None, Fitchburg State-None.
Rebounds-Norwich University 38 (Caitlin Bailey 9), Fitchburg State 38 (Jen
Fontaine 9). Assists-Norwich University 11 (Kristi Powlovich 4), Fitchburg State
16 (Krystle O'Brien 5). Total fouls-Norwich University 19, Fitchburg State 17.
################################################################################
Friday, March 2, 2007
NCAA First Round Games at Southern Maine Postponed
GORHAM, Maine -- Due to the inclement weather, the 2007 NCAA Women's
Basketball National Championship first round games scheduled to be played at the
University of the Southern Maine's Warren G. Hill Gymnasium tonight (March 2)
have been postponed.
First round games scheduled for tonight will be played on Saturday (March
3) at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The second round game will be played on Sunday
(March 4) at 2:00 p.m. Previously purchased tickets for the games will be
honored.
Norwich University will face Fitchburg State College in the first game on
Saturday. Williams College will face Southern Maine in the second game.
Winners will advance to play on Sunday for the right to advance on to the
Sectional Finals next weekend (March 9-10).
Reminaing tickets will go on sale Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $7
for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.
################################################################################
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Marble, Kent and Paradis Earn MWBCA Honors
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
of the eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball
team was named the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player
of the Year for the second consecutive year to highlight three USM selections
among the MWBCA awards announced this afternoon following a vote of member
coaches.
Marble, who was recently named the Little East Conference (LEC) Player of
the Year for the third consecutive season (2005, 2006, 2007), was also named to
the MWBCA First-Team All-State. Sophomore forward Stacey Kent (Northwood,
N.H./Coe-Brown Academy) earned Second Team All-State honors while freshman guard
Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan) was named to a spot on the All-
Rookie Team.
Marble leads the Huskies in scoring and rebounding averaging 23.0 points
and 12 rebounds per game. The 5-foot-9 forward has posted 20 double-doubles
this season and has 47 in her career. Named the 2007 ESPN the Magazine College
Division Academic All-America® of the Year, Marble has earned numerous honors
in her final season with the Huskies. She has been named to the All-LEC first-
team and All-Defensive team. The first-ever USM women's basketball player to
crest the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound plateau in her career, Marble is the
all-time leader in rebounds at USM with 1,115 and is the program's second-
leading scorer with 1,909 points.
Kent is the Huskies' second leading scorer averaging 10.2 points per game
while shooting a solid 41.9 percent from three-point range. The 5-foot-9 small
forward recently set a USM single-game record for three-pointers in a game,
connecting on 8-of-11 long-range strikes in the Huskies' 97-59 win over the
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in an LEC quarterfinal game. Kent is
second on the team in rebounds, assists and steals, averaging 5.5 rebounds, 2.37
assists and 1.96 steals per game.
Paradis, a 2007 Little East Conference All-Rookie team honoree, has adeptly
moved into the starting point guard role for the Huskies. Averaging a solid 6.7
points per game while shooting 49.6 percent (69-139) from the field and a team-
leading 43.7 percent (31-for-71) from three-point range, Paradis leads Southern
Maine in assists with 72 (2.66 per game).
Southern Maine, currently 25-2, hosts Williams College in the first round
of the 2007 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship
tournament Friday night (8:00 p.m.).
2007 Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association Awards
All-State First Team
Ashley Marble, Senior, University of Southern Maine
Alyssa Burns, Senior, Maine Maritime Academy
Kari Simpson, Senior, University of Maine Farmington
Val Beckwith, Sophomore, Bates College
Sarah Barton, Junior, Bates College
All-State Second Team
Karen Sirois, Senior, University of Maine Farmington
Matia Kostakis, Junior, Bates College
Katie McCabe, Junior, Colby College
Caitlyn Laflin, Freshman, University of Maine Farmington
Stacey Kent, Sophomore, University of Southern Maine
All-Rookie Team
Caitlyn Laflin, Freshman, University of Maine Farmington
Nicole Paradis, Freshman, University of Southern Maine
Shelby Pickering, Freshman, Husson College
Alison Cappelloni, Freshman, Colby College
Stephanie Bossie, Freshman, University of Maine Farmington
Player of the Year
Ashley Marble, Senior, University of Southern Maine
Rookie of the Year
Caitlyn Laflin, Freshman, University of Maine Farmington
Coach of the Year
Jamie Beaudoin, University of Maine Farmington
################################################################################
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Ashley Marble Named ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America®
GORHAM, Maine -- University of Southern Maine women's basketball senior
forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland) heads up an impressive list of
student-athletes named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America® Women's
Basketball teams as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of
America (CoSIDA).
In addition to being named to a spot on the Academic All-America® first
team, Marble was selected as the Academic All-America® of the Year for the
College Division which includes all women's basketball teams competing at the
NCAA Division II and III and NAIA levels. CoSIDA announced the 2007 Women's
Basketball Academic All-America® team today.
Recently named the Little East Conference Player of the Year for the third
consecutive year (2005, 2006, 2007), Marble is the first USM student-athlete to
earn First Team Academic All-America® honors. Former USM standout student-
athletes Alison Drury (At-Large: Field Hockey) and Darryl Whitney (Men's Track
and Cross Country) earned third team and second team Academic All-America®
honors, respectively. Drury earned her honor in 1999, while Whitney was a 2003
selection.
Marble, a two-time Academic All-District One First Team selection (2006,
2007), carries an outstanding 3.71 grade point average and is studying for a
degree in health fitness. As a sophomore, the 5-9 forward earned third team
Academic All-District honors (2005).
"I am very honored to receive this award," commented Marble. "I take pride
in my academics and it is nice to see the extra effort and time studying pay
off. With my mother being an elementary school principal, education has always
been a priority in my family, and as a senior it is fulfilling to be rewarded as
a student-athlete."
The College Sports Information Directors of America selects Academic All-
America® teams in 12 programs: football, women's volleyball, men's soccer,
women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's
track & field/cross country, women's track & field/cross country, men's at-large
and women's at-large. A first team, second team and third team are selected in
both the University (Division I) and College (NCAA Divisions II & III and NAIA)
Divisions.
"Ashley has been an exemplary student-athlete," noted veteran USM head
coach Gary Fifield. "She has excelled both in the classroom and on the court by
dedicating herself and prioritizing her time. This is a tremendous honor for
her, her family and the USM women's basketball program and it illustrates what
hard work and perseverance can achieve."
A 2006 WBCA All-American, Marble leads Southern Maine in scoring and
rebounding, averaging 23.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. This season,
Marble has recorded 20 double-doubles, been named the Little East Conference
Player of the Week on nine occasions, and selected as the Maine Women's
Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player of the Week six times. Marble was
also named the Women's DIII News Player of the Month for the month of January.
Marble was named the 2007 Little East Conference Championship Tournament's
Most Outstanding Player posting three consecutive double-doubles to lead the
Huskies to their 11th consecutive LEC crown. It is the second straight year
that Marble has earned the honor. She averaged 27.3 points and 14.0 rebounds
during the championship tournament and set career-high marks with 37 points and
22 rebounds in a semifinal win over Eastern Connecticut State University.
Shooting a solid 50.2 percent from the field, Marble is ranked nationally
by the NCAA in three statistical categories: scoring (5th), rebounding (8th) and
field goal percentage (62nd). In her career, the Huskies have posted a
remarkable 117-9 overall record (.928 winning percentage) and a 55-1 mark in the
Little East Conference. The Huskies have advanced to the NCAA Division III
Final Four twice during her career (2005, 2006) and Marble was named to the 2006
NCAA Division III National Championship All-Tournament team in 2006.
Southern Maine, currently 25-2, is making its 13th straight appearance in
the NCAA tournament and its 21st trip in 22 years since joining the NCAA in
1985. The Huskies open play in the 2007 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball
National Championship Tournament at home on Friday (March 2) at 8:00 p.m. The
Huskies will face Williams College (20-6).
ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America® Women's Basketball Team
(College Division) as selected by CoSIDA
First Team
Name College/University Class Hometown
GPA Major
Allison Adamson Augustana College Sr. Willmar, Minn.
3.99 History
Lisa Winkle Calvin College Sr. Grand Rapids, Mich.
3.96 Mathematics/Secondary Education
Mary Moska Lewis University Sr. Cherry Valley, Ill.
3.96 Biology
Julie Anderson Mercyhurst College Sr. Verona, Ontario
3.98 Sports Medicine
Ashley Marble Southern Maine Sr. Topsfield, Maine
3.71 Health Fitness
Sarah Grab West Virigina Wesleyan Sr. Erie, Pa.
3.98 Elementary Education
Second Team
Name College/University Class Hometown
GPA Major
Tarra Richardson McMurry University Jr. Fort Worth, Texas
3.90 Finance
Stephanie Smith Olivet College Sr. Waldron, Mich.
4.0 Environmental Science & Biology
Nikki Lewis St. Francis (Ind.) Sr. Fort Wayne, Ind.
4.0 Biology
Lacey Kennedy Mississippi College Sr. Brookhaven, Miss.
3.59 Kinesiology
Danielle Dwello Northwest Nazarene Sr. Nampa, Ind.
3.98 Elementary Education
Jessica Zapf Pittsburgh-Johnstown Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa.
3.98 Elementary Education
Third Team
Name College/University Class Hometown
GPA Major
Leora Juster San-Diego California Sr. Los Angeles, Calif.
3.4 Mathematics/Secondary Education
Katie LaViolette Concordia University Jr. Manitowoc, Wisc.
4.0 Kinesiology & Sports Management
Sharon Prange M.I.T. Sr. Arlington, Va.
4.6 Mechanical Engineering
Abby DeBusk Mars Hill College Sr. New Tezewell, Tenn.
3.84 Chemistry
Academic All-America® of the Year (College Division)
Ashley Marble, Senior, Forward, University of Southern Maine
################################################################################
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Ashley Marble Named LEC Player of the Year for the Third Straight Year
Sibley, Paradis and Fifield Earn Little East Conference Recognition
GORHAM, Maine -- For the third straight year, University of Southern
Maine senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland) has been named
the Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year, and to a
spot on the All-Conference First Team and the All-Defensive team, following
voting by the conference's head coaches. The LEC announced its awards and all-
star teams Tuesday.
In addition, senior guard Katie Sibley (Boothbay, Maine/Boothbay Region)
earned second-team all-conference honors, freshman guard Nicole Paradis
(Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan) was named to the all-rookie team and veteran head
coach Gary Fifield was recognized as the LEC Coach of the Year.
The second USM player to win three straight Player of the Year awards
(Joanna Brown, 1996-98), Marble led the conference in scoring (23.0 ppg) and
rebounding (12.0 rpg). It is the third straight season that the 5-foot-9
forward was selected to the LEC first team, and the second consecutive year that
she has been picked to the all-defensive squad.
Marble is among the conference leaders in field goal shooting percentage
(50.2%), free throw shooting (72.6%), steals per game (2.23 spg) and assists
(2.00 apg). Marble has posted 20 double-doubles this season to help the Huskies
to a number eight national ranking and their 11th consecutive Little East
Conference tournament championship.
Averaging 27.3 points and 14.0 rebounds in three tournament games last
week, Marble was named the LEC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the
second straight year. During the season, Marble was named the LEC Player of
Week nine times.
Marble, who recently broke the career rebounding mark at USM with 1,115
caroms, is currently second in career scoring with 1,911 points.
Sibley is earning all-conference honors for the first time in her career.
Prior to suffering an injury, Sibley was the Huskies third-leading scorer
averaging 8.5 points per game while passing off a team-high 3.71 assists per
game. Sibley earned LEC player of the week honors once during the season after
leading USM to an 87-77 win over Bates College with a career-high 25 points.
Paradis, who has played in all 27 games, including 20 starts, as a
freshman, is averaging 6.7 points, 2.66 assists and 1.62 steals per game.
Shooting an outstanding 49.6 percent (69-for-132) from the field and a team-
leading 43.7 percent (31-for-71) from three-point range, Paradis earned LEC
rookie of the week honors on three occasions.
In his 20th season with the Huskies, Fifield earned his sixth consecutive
Coach of the Year honor, and 13th overall, after guiding the Huskies to a sweep
of the regular-season and conference tournament titles. Fifield's career record
now stands at 514-81 (.863 winning percentage) overall and 214-20 (.914 winning
percentage) against LEC opponents.
Southern Maine, currently 25-2, is making its 13th straight appearance in
the NCAA Tournament and its 21st trip in 22 years to the tournament since
joining the NCAA in 1985. The Huskies open play in the 2006 NCAA Division III
Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament hosting Williams College
Friday (March 2) at 8:00 p.m.
2006-2007 Little East Conference Women's Basketball Awards
Player of the Year
Ashley Marble, Senior, Forward, University of Southern Maine
Rookie of the Year
Kristin Degou, Freshman, Guard, Keene State College
Coach of the Year
Gary Fifield, University of Southern Maine
First Team All-Conference
Player Class Position Institution
Bri Barnes Senior Guard Keene State
Sarah Begnoche Senior Forward Keene State
Ashley Marble Senior Forward Southern Maine
Ashley McFetridge Sophomore Forward Eastern Connecticut
Sandy Mosely Senior Forward Eastern Connecticut
LaKeisha Tucker Junior Guard UMass Boston
Second Team All-Conference
Player Class Position Institution
Josalee Danieli Junior Forward Rhode Island College
Kari Geisler Senior Forward Rhode Island College
Ally Greenwood Junior Guard Western Connecticut
Katie Sibley Senior Guard Southern Maine
Mallory Stevens Senior Forward Western Connecticut
All-Defensive Team
Player Class Position Institution
Sarah Begnoche Senior Forward Keene State
Ally Greenwood Senior Guard Western Connecticut
Ashley Marble Senior Forward Southern Maine
Ashley McFetridge Sophomore Forward Eastern Connecticut
Sara Paradis Junior Guard Eastern Connecticut
All-Rookie Team
Player Class Position Institution
Kristin Degou Freshman Guard Keene State
Karly Gray Freshman Guard Plymouth State
Katie Moffo Freshman Forward Western Connecticut
Nicole Paradis Freshman Guard Southern Maine
Amanda Poniatowski Freshman Guard UMass Dartmouth
################################################################################
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
NCAA Women's Basketball Tickets On Sale Thursday
GORHAM, Maine -- Advanced sale tickets for this weekend's first and
second round NCAA women's basketball tournament games being played at the
University of Southern Maine will go on sale this Thursday (March 1) at the
Athletic Department Office in the Costello Sports Complex on the Gorham campus.
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. Tickets
will be on sale from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Thursday. All sales are cash
only and there will be a limit of eight tickets per person. No telephone orders
will be accepted.
Remaining tickets for Friday's first round games between Fitchburg State
College and Norwich University (6:00 p.m.) and the University of Southern Maine
and Williams College (8:00 p.m.) will go on sale at the Costello Sports Complex
beginning on Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Remaining tickets for the second round game (7:00 p.m.) go on sale
following Friday night's games and at 5:00 p.m. Saturday.
################################################################################
Monday, February 26, 2007
Ashley Marble Earns Multiple Player of the Week Honors
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Wood-
land) of the eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's
basketball team has been named the Player of the Week by both the Little East
Conference (LEC) and the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA).
The announcements were made Monday afternoon.
Marble is earning the MWBCA weekly honor for the sixth time this season,
and she has been named the LEC Player of the Week nine times this season. The
5-foot-9 forward led the Huskies to their 11h consecutive Little East Conference
tournament championship, averaging 27.3 points and 14.0 rebounds in three
games. Marble was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the second
consecutive year as Southern Maine secured its 13th straight trip to the NCAA
tournament and 21st in the last 22 years.
Marble opened the week scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the
Huskies 97-59 rout of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in the first
round of the LEC tournament. In Southern Maine's semifinal victory over Eastern
Connecticut State University, Marble recorded career-high marks of 37 points and
22 rebounds. In the championship game against Keene State, Marble tossed in 26
points and grabbed 10 rebounds to post her 20th double-double of the season, and
in the process she became the career rebounding leader at Southern Maine.
With 1,115 career rebounds, Marble surpassed the previous record of 1,108
rebounds held by USM alumnae Sue Joseph (1976-1980). Marble's 26 points pushed
her over the 1900-point plateau, and she currently ranks second all-time in
scoring with 1,911 points.
Southern Maine (25-2) hosts Williams College (20-6) in the first round of
the 2007 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship tournament
this Friday (March 2, 8:00 p.m.) at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on the Gorham
campus.
################################################################################
Monday, February 26, 2007
USM to Host First Two Rounds of NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Huskies Entertain Williams College, Norwich Plays Fitchburg State on Friday
GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Huskies, champions of
the Little East Conference, will host first and second round games in the 2007
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament this
Friday and Saturday (March 2 and 3) at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on the
Gorham campus.
Southern Maine (25-2) will play Williams College (20-6) of the New England
Small College Athletic Conference on Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the second of two
first round games. Fitchburg State College (25-2), championship of the
Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference, will face Norwich University
(24-3) of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference at 6:00 p.m. The two winners
will play at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday for the right to advance to the Sectional
Finals March 9-10.
Earning an at-large bid, Williams fell in the semifinal round of the NESCAC
tournament to eventual champion Bowdoin 66-46. Norwich University also earned a
Pool C bid advancing to the championship game of the GNAC tournament before
bowing out to Emmanuel College 63-55.
Pairings for the 63-team field were announced Monday morning by Shirley
Egner, Head Women's Basketball Coach and Senior Women's Administrator at the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and chairperson of the NCAA Division III
Women's Basketball Committee, and Donnie Wagner, Assistant Director of
Championships and NCAA liaison to the selection committee.
Other schools in the Northeast Region to earn automatic berths are Bowdoin
College (26-1), champion of the New England Small School Athletic Conference;
Emmanuel College (27-1), champion of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference;
the University of Maine Farmington (25-3), champion of the North Atlantic
Conference; and Mount Holyoke College (21-7), champion of the New England
Women's and Men's Athletic Conference.
At-large teams selected from the Northeast Region included Brandeis
University (19-5) of the University Athletic Association; Keene State College
(21-6) of the Little East Conference; Maine Maritime Academy (25-3) of the North
Atlantic Conference, Norwich and Williams.
NCAA Division III Regional Tournament
First Round, Friday, March 2 (at the University of Southern Maine)
Game One: Norwich (24-3) vs. Fitchburg State (25-2) 6:00 p.m.
Game Two: Williams (20-6) vs. Southern Maine (25-2) 8:00 p.m.
Second Round, Saturday, March 3 (at the University of Southern Maine)
Game Three: Game One Winner vs. Game Two Winner 7:00 p.m.
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament
Games: University of Southern Maine vs. Williams College
Fitchburg State vs. Norwich
When: Friday and Saturday, March 2-3, 2007
Where: Warren G. Hill Gymanisum, Gorham, Maine
USM Team Info: Southern Maine 25-2 overall, 13-1 Little East Conference (1st)
Little East Conference tournament champion (11th consecutive year)
Head Coach: Gary Fifield (Vermont '74, '82, 20th season)
13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, 21st in the last 22 years
since moving from NAIA to NCAA in 1985
All-time record in NCAA tournament play is 41-21 (.661 winning pct.)
Best Finishes: 2nd place 1998, 2000 and 2006; 3rd place in 2005; 4th
place in 1988
Last year: Defeated Maine Maritime 81-41 in first round; Defeated
Norwich University 72-42 in second round; defeated Bridgewater
(Va.) 68-55 in third round; Defeated Bowdoin College 56-53 in
fourth round; Defeated Hardin-Simmons 74-65 in National Semifinals;
Lost to Hope College 69-56 in National Championship Game.
Scoring Leaders: Ashley Marble, Sr., F, 23.0 ppg; Stacey Kent, So., F,
10.2 ppg; Angela Santa Fe, Jr., F, 8.6 ppg; Nicole Paradis, Fr., G,
6.7 ppg; Dawn Ross, Jr., G, 4.8 ppg
Rebounding Leaders: Marble, 12.0 rpg; Kent, 5.5 rpg; Santa Fe, 4.3 rpg
Assist Leaders: Paradis, 2.7 apg; Kent, 2.4 apg; Lindsey Welch, Sr., G,
2.3 apg, Ross, 2.0 apg; Marble, 2.0 apg
Pool A: Conference and Teams Receiving Automatic Qualification
Alleghany Mountain Conference Medaille
American Southwest Conference Howard Payne
Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference Notre Dame (Maryland)
Capital Athletic Conference Mary Washington
Centennial Conference Ursinus
City University of New York Athletic Conference Lehman
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Wheaton (Illinois)
Commonwealth Conference Messiah
Commonwealth Coast Conference Salve Regina
Empire 8 Ithaca
Freedom Conference Scranton
Great Northeast Athletic Conference Emmanuel (Massachusetts)
Great South Athletic Conference Piedmont
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Manchester
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Luther
Liberty League Hamilton
Little East Conference Southern Maine
Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Fitchburg State
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hope College
Midwest Conference Lake Forest
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference St. Benedict
New England Small College Athletic Conference Bowdoin
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Mount Holyoke
New Jersey Athletic Conference Kean
North Atlantic Conference Maine-Farmington
North Coast Athletic Conference Denison
North Eastern Athletic Conference Keuka
Northwest Conference George Fox
Ohio Athletic Conference Wilmington (Ohio)
Old Dominion Athletic Conference Randolph-Macon
Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Gywnedd-Mercy
Skyline Conference Mount St. Mary (N.Y.)
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Maryville (Missouri)
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference La Verne
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference DePauw
State University of New York Athletic Conference Cortland State
University Athletic Association Washington U. in St. Louis
USA South Athletic Conference Christopher Newport
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Wisconsin-Stout
Pool B Berths: Chapman, Concordia (Wisconsin), Thomas More, Westminster
(Pennsylvania).
Pool C (at-large) Berths: Brandeis, Calvin, Carroll (Wisconsin), Dickinson,
Gustavus Adolphus, Illinois Wesleyan, Keene State, Maine Maritime, McDaniel,
McMurry, New York University, Norwich, Oglethorpe, Puget Sound, Rochester,
Simpson, St. Lawrence, Transylvania, William Paterson and Williams.
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Saturday, February 24, 2007
Southern Maine Downs Keene State 68-57 to Win 11th Consecutive LEC Championship
Marble Sets USM Record for Career Rebounds
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
recorded her 20th double-double of the season by scoring 26 points and grabbing
10 rebounds to lead the eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies to
their 11th consecutive Little East Conference championship with a 68-57 win over
the Keene State College Owls Saturday afternoon at the Warren Hill Gymnasium on
the Gorham campus.
With the win, the Huskies secured an automatic berth in the 2007 NCAA
Division III Women's Basketball Tournament. The Huskies improved to 25-2 and
avenged a regular season loss last weekend at the hands of the Owls. Keene
State drops to 21-6 with the loss and will await to learn of a possible post-
season berth.
Marble, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive
year, was 8-for-18 from the field and 9-for-12 from the charity stripe. The
5-foot-9 forward's game-high 10 rebounds gave her 1,115 for her career to set a
new USM record, surpassing the mark set by Sue Joseph '80 of 1108 rebounds.
Marble's 26 points pushes her over the 1,900-point plateau with 1,911 points.
Southern Maine senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) and
freshman guard Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan) joined Marble in
double-figure scoring. Welch tallied 13 points and grabbed a career-high seven
rebounds to compliment a pair of assists and steals. Paradis played a steady
floor game for the Huskies, netting 10 points with a team-high four assists and
three steals.
Keene State sophomore guard Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt./Drury) led
three KSC players in double-figures with 14 points, including a 4-for-9 mark
from three-point range. Freshman guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass./New-
buryport) added 12 points, and senior forward Sarah Begnoche (Millville,
Mass./Blackstone-Millville) was 5-for-8 from the floor for 11 points.
Southern Maine trailed Keene State, 32-29, at the half as Boudreau and
Degou combined to score 20 of the Owls 32 points before the break. Boudreau was
4-for-9 from the field in the opening stanza with three three-point field goals,
and Degou was 4-for-5 with one three. The Huskies, despite shooting a solid
41.7 percent (10-for-24) from the floor, were hampered by turnovers committing
eight their 12 miscues of the game in the first half.
Southern Maine quickly erased the deficit, outscoring Keene State 16-4 in
the first six minutes of the second half. Marble netted the first five points
of the pivotal run, while junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton
Academy) scored four of her eight points on a pair of powerful post moves.
Marble followed Santa Fe with a lay-up for her seventh point of the run which
was capped by three-pointers from Paradis and Welch as USM took a 46-36 lead
with 13:59 remaining. Keene State's Begnoche and sophomore forward Jenn Kinney
(Salem, N.H./Salem) each scored two points in the stretch.
Keene State was able to cut the lead to six with 12:06 to play on back-to-
back lay-ups from Kinney and freshman guard Alyssa Sapp (Hartford,
Vt./Hartford), but the Huskies countered with back-to-back three-pointers from
Paradis and junior guard Dawn Ross (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) for a 52-40
lead with 10:26 showing.
The Huskies outscored the Owls 11-6 over the next four minutes to take
their largest lead of the game, 63-46, with 5:53 to play. From there, USM held
Keene State at bay en route to the 68-57 final.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 47.1 percent from the field
connecting on 24-of-51 attempts from the floor, including a 9-for-21 effort from
three-point range (42.9 percent). Keene State shot a solid 44.0 percent (22-
for-50) from the floor, but struggled from the free throw line, making just 6-
of-14 tries (42.9 percent).
The Huskies automatic bid into the NCAA tournament is their 13th
consecutive, and 21st in the last 22 years. The NCAA will announce the teams
that have made the tournament Sunday night at approximately 10:00 p.m., and the
tournament pairings will be released Monday morning (February 26).
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Friday, February 23, 2007
Little East Conference Semifinal #2
Marble Leads Southern Maine Past Eastern Connecticut 77-61
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
scored 37 points and grabbed 22 rebounds - both career-high totals - to lead the
eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 77-61 win over the
Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in the second semifinal game of
the 2007 Little East Conference women's basketball tournament Friday night at
the Warren Hill Gymnasium in Gorham.
With the win, top seeded USM improves to 24-2 overall and advances to the
LEC championship game against the Keene State College Owls at 4:00 p.m. on
Saturday. The second-seeded Owls defeated the sixth-seeded Western Connecticut
State University Colonials 56-40 earlier in the evening. Eastern Connecticut,
the fifth seed in the tournament, concludes its season at 16-11.
Marble was 12-for-25 from the field en route to her 19th double-double of
the season. Marble is currently second in career points at USM with 1,885 and
second in career rebounds with 1105. The 5-foot-9 forward needs just four
rebounds to break the current USM career record of 1108 rebounds held by Sue
Joseph '80. Marble's 37 points ranks fourth all-time in single-game history,
while her 22 rebounds is third in single game records.
Senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, Maine/Nokomis Regional) was the only
other USM player in double-figures netting 11 points, including a trio of three-
pointers, to go along with four assists and a steal. Senior forward Lauren
Samuelson (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) chipped in with seven points, 10
rebounds, five assists, a blocked shot and a steal off of the bench. Freshman
guard Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan) and sophomore forward Sonya
O'Tash (Alfred, Maine/Massabesic) added six points each. Paradis played a solid
floor game for USM passing off five assists and grabbing to three steals.
Sophomore guard Nicky Morey (Columbia, Conn./Windham) led Eastern
Connecticut with 26 points. Morey was 7-for-18 from the field and 12-for-14
from the free throw. Senior forward Sandy Mosely (Goshen, Conn./Wamogo
Regional) added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, and sophomore Ashley
McFetridge (Canton, Conn./Canton) chipped in with nine points and seven
rebounds.
Marble scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the first half to
help the Huskies build a solid 42-30 lead at the break. Ahead by six, 25-19,
following a jumper from Mosely with 7:11 remaining in the half, Southern Maine
used a 8-0 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes to take a 14-point lead,
33-19, with 4:44 showing. Marble scored six points in the run, while Paradis
added a fast-break lay-up. Both teams traded points over the final minutes with
Eastern Connecticut cutting the Husky advantage to 12 on a pair of free throws
from Morey in the final minute of play.
In the second half, USM took its largest lead of the game, 52-35, on a
three-pointer from Marble with 15:57 remaining. Eastern Connecticut cut the USM
lead to eight on four occasions, including three times in the final 10 minutes
of action, but was unable to get any closer. The Warriors trailed USM 64-56
with 5:20 to play, following a jumper from Morey, but the Huskies responded by
outscoring the Warriors 11-2 over the next three minutes to pull ahead 75-58 and
seal the win.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 45 percent (27-for-60) from the
field, but struggled from the free throw line making just 17-of-29 attempts for
a 58.6 percent mark. Eastern Connecticut shot 31.3 percent from the field (20-
for-64) and was held to 1-for-11 from three-point range (9.1 percent). Led by
Morey, the Warriors were 20-for-24 (83.3 percent) from the charity stripe.
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Friday, February 23, 2007
Little East Conference Semifinal #1
Keene State Advances to LEC Championship Game
Owls Down Western Connecticut 56-40
GORHAM, Maine -- Freshman Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) scored a
game-high 14 points to lead three players in double figures as the Keene State
College Owls defeated the Western Connecticut State University Colonials 56-40
Friday night in the first semifinal game of the 2007 Little East Conference
Tournament. The tournament is being played at the Warren Hill Gymnasium on the
campus of the University of Southern Maine.
The win moves the second-seeded Owls, now 21-5 overall, into Saturday's
championship game against the winner of the second semifinal game between top-
seeded Southern Maine and fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University.
This will be the Owls second appearance in the title game since joining the
conference in 1997.
Sixth-seeded Western Connecticut, which routed the third-seeded University
of Massachusetts Boston, 87-52, Tuesday night to advance to the semifinals,
finishes the season 15-12.
Degou connected on 6-of-12 attempts, including 2-of-4 three-point tries,
for her 14 points. Senior Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) and freshman Alyssa
Sapp (Hartford, Vt.) each had 12 points. Begnoche had 10 of her points in the
second half, and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
Senior Mallory Stevens (Seymour, Conn.) led the Western Connecticut scoring
with seven points. She also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Leading 27-22 at the half thanks to 11 points from Sapp, who came off the
bench, the Owls maintained a 5- to 9-point lead through the first nine minutes
of the second half. The Owls used an 11-2 run over the next seven minutes to
expand their five-point advantage (36-31) into a comfortable 14-point spread
(47-33). Begnoche had the final six points for the Owls.
The Colonials responded with four straight points on a basket by sophomore
Jennifer Kancler (Columbia, Conn.) and two free throws from junior Nia Harmon
(Englewood, N.J.), but would get no closer in the final 3:35. Western
Connecticut's comeback effort was hampered by its cold shooting (26.9 percent in
the second half) and 12 turnovers.
In the opening half, both teams struggled with their shooting. Keene State
shot 32 percent (9-for-28) while Western Connecticut hit on 33 percent (8-for-
24). The Colonials grabbed an early 5-2 lead, but a seven-minute scoreless
drought allowed the Owls to take an 11-5 lead midway through the half. After a
three-pointer by freshman Katie Moffo (Southington, Conn.) broke the Colonials'
scoreless stretch, the Owls, paced by Sapp's two three-pointers, pushed the lead
to 11 (21-10).
A 5-0 Colonials' run over the final 1:43 of the half cut the margin to five
at the break.
Keene State finished the game shooting 37.7 percent (20-for-53) from the
floor. Western Connecticut, which had scored 87 points in each of the last two
games, connected on just 30 percent (15 for 50) of its shots and committed 26
turnovers.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Southern Maine Downs UMass Dartmouth 97-59
Kent Sets Single Game Record for Three-Pointers with Eight
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore forward Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown
Academy) drained a school record eight three-pointers en route to a career-high
27 points to lead the eighth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies to a
97-59 win over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs in the first
round of the 2007 Little East Conference women's basketball tournament Tuesday
evening at the Warren Hill Gymnasium on the Gorham campus.
With the win, the Huskies improve to 23-2 and will host the semifinal and
championship games of the LEC women's basketball tournament. The semifinals
will be held on Friday (February 23) at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the
championship game will be played at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday (February 24). UMass
Dartmouth concludes its season at 5-21.
Kent was 8-for-11 from three-point range to lead four USM players in
double-figures. Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
recorded her 17th consecutive double-double scoring 19 points and grabbing a
game-high 10 rebounds. Marble's 19 points gives her 1,848 in her career and
moves her past Joanna Brown (1994-1998) into second place on the all-time
scoring list at USM.
Senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) added 11 points, three
assists and four steals for the Huskies while junior forward Angela Santa Fe
(Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) chipped in with 10 points, five rebounds and
four assists.
Sophomore guard Vicki Andruzkiewicz (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) and freshman
guard Amanda Poniatowski (Shelton, Conn./Bunnell) combined to score 46 of the
Corsairs' 59 points. Andruzkiewicz knocked down five three-pointers and was
9-for-18 from the floor, while Poniatowski was 6-of-14 from the field and
6-for-7 from the free throw line with four assists. Junior center Vasiliki
Palantzas (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) tossed in eight points and a team-high
seven rebounds.
The Huskies jumped out to a commanding 54-33 lead at the half as Kent
started the game on fire from long range, connecting on a perfect 6-of-6 three-
pointers to conclude the first half with 18 points. Ahead by 10 at the eight-
minute mark, 29-19, USM outscored the Corsairs 12-3 over the next two minutes to
expand the lead to 20, 41-21 with 5:48 to play. Kent made two threes in the
run, while Marble, Welch and senior forward Lauren Samuelson (Southbury,
Conn./Pomperaug) each made lay-ups.
In the second half, the Huskies continued to pour in the points outscoring
the Corsairs 16-5 in the first five minutes to lead 71-38 with 15:12 to play.
Marble and Kent scored six points a piece in the run, while Santa Fe added three
of her 10. From there, USM continued to roll and led by as many as 45 points
late in the second half.
Kent's eighth three-pointer of the game came with four minutes remaining in
the game. The 5-foot-9 forward broke the previous record of seven held by Mandy
King, Lorie Towle and Teel Anderson.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting a solid 51.5 percent (34-for-66)
from the field and 40 percent (10-for-25) from three-point range. The Huskies'
97 points was a season-high. UMass Dartmouth shot 32.8 percent (20-for-61) from
the floor.
USM will play fifth-seed Eastern Connecticut State University on Friday
(7:30 p.m.) Eastern upset fourth-seeded Rhode Island College 67-57 to advance.
Sixth-seeded Western Connecticut State University will play Keene State College
in the first semifinal (5:30 p.m.).
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Saturday, February 17, 2007
Keene State Upsets Southern Maine 62-50
KEENE, N.H. -- Senior guard Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) scored
a game-high 23 points, including four three-pointers, to lead the Keene State
College Owls to a 62-50 win over the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine
Huskies Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium on the KSC campus.
The win was the ninth in a row for the Owls, who improved to 19-5 overall
and 12-2 in the Little East. The loss snaps an 19-game win streak for Southern
Maine which dips to 22-2 overall and 13-1 in conference action. The loss ends
USM's 75-game winning streak over its conference opponents and marks the first
conference defeat for Southern Maine since the Huskies dropped a 77-66 decision
at Plymouth State University on January 21, 2003.
Barnes scored 14 of her 23 points in the first half to spot the Owls a
30-20 lead at the break. Keene State limited the Huskies to an abysmal 16
percent shooting from the field (4-for-25) in the half. Barnes was the only Owl
player in double-figures, connecting on 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from
three-point range. Freshman guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport,
Mass./Newburyport) added nine points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard
Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt./Drury) chipped in with eight points.
Senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) led the Huskies with 13
points and grabbed career-high five rebounds. Senior forward Ashley Marble
(Topsfield, Maine/Woodland) notched her 45th career double-double netting 12
points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds.
In a low-scoring first half, Keene State took control of the game in the
final three-and-a-half minutes of the opening stanza to roll to its seventh win
over the Huskies in the 29-game series. Ahead by three, 23-20, with 3:30 on the
clock, the Owls rolled off seven unanswered points to lead USM by 10, 30-20 at
the break. Barnes scored four of Keene State's points in the run on a free
throw and a three-pointer.
Southern Maine pulled to within six of the Owls four times in the second
half, but Keene State answered any attempts of a Husky run to seal the victory.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting a season low 26.4 percent from
the field (14-of-53) and committed 18 turnovers. Keene State, which shot a
solid 43.5 percent (10-for-23) in the first half, cooled in the second stanza to
end the game with a 39.1 shooting percentage (18-for-46), but were 43.8 percent
accurate from long range making 7-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Southern Maine, the top-seed in the LEC tournament, hosts the University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth, the eighth-seed, in the quarterfinal game Tuesday (7:00
p.m.). Keene State, the number two seed, will host seventh-seeded Plymouth
State University in the first round of the tourney on Tuesday. The semifinals
and finals of the tournament will be hosted at the highest remaining seed
following Tuesday's games on Friday and Saturday (February 23-24).
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Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Marble (33 Pts, 14 Reb) Leads Huskies Past UMass Boston 92-50
BOSTON -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland HS)
recorded her 15th consecutive double-double scoring 33 points and grabbing 14
rebounds to lead the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies to a
92-50 win over the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons Tuesday evening at
the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass Boston Harbor Campus.
With their 19th consecutive win, the Huskies clinched the Little East
Conference regular season title, and improve to 22-1 overall and 13-0 in the
LEC. The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for the Beacons who fall to
15-9 overall and 8-5 in conference action.
Playing just 24 minutes, Marble equaled her career-high scoring mark with
an outstanding 10-for-14 mark from the field and a 10-for-11 effort from the
charity stripe en route to her 44th career double-double. Marble's 33 points
pushed her over the 1800-point mark as the 5-foot-9 forward now has 1,815 career
points.
Junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) was the only
other USM player in double-figures with 12 points and six rebounds. Junior
guard Dawn Ross (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) added nine points, three
rebounds, two assists and a steal off of the bench for the Huskies. Senior
forward Lauren Samuelson (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) added eight points and
five rebounds in 11 minutes of action in a reserve role.
Junior guard Ashley Greene (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) led the Beacons
with 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting as the only UMass Boston player to reach
double digits in scoring. Junior guard LaKeisha Tucker (Pawtucket,
R.I./Providence Country Day) chipped in with seven points and sophomore forward
Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) added six points and a team-
high 11 rebounds.
Southern Maine jumped out to a double-digit lead, 18-5, in the opening
four-and-a-half minutes of the first half and never looked back. Limiting the
Beacons to just 24.0 percent shooting in the first half (6-for-25) and forcing
16 first half turnovers, Southern Maine held a commanding 45-17 lead at the
break. Marble, who scored 10 of the Huskies first 18 points, had a double-
double by the end of the half notching 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The Huskies continued to dominate in the second half and led by as many as
49 points, 84-35, with 7:23 remaining in the contest as it cruised to the win.
USM finished the game shooting 48.4 percent (30-for-62) from the field and
was solid from the free throw line knocking down 27-of-35 attempts (77.1
percent). The Huskies enjoyed a decisive 48-32 advantage on the boards and had
17 assists and 17 steals in the game. UMass Boston shot just 33.9 percent from
the floor making 20-of-59 field goal attempts.
The Huskies return to action on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) on the road against
Keene State College in their final regular season contest. UMass Boston plays
again on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) when it hosts Rhode Island College.
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Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Marble Earns ECAC Co-Player of the Week Honors
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) of the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women’s basketball
team has been named the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Division III
New England Co-Player of the Week for the week of February 5-11.
The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon by the ECAC office located in
Centerville, Mass. Marble shared the weekly honor with Brandeis University
junior guard Jaime Capra.
The award marks the sixth time this season that Marble, the 2006 ECAC
Division III New England Player of the Year, has either won or shared the honor.
The 5-foot-9 forward also earned Little East Conference (LEC), Maine Women’s
Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) and New England Women’s Basketball
Association (NEWBA) weekly honors.
Marble averaged 28.5 points and 15 rebounds in a pair of victories as the
Huskies posted their 27th straight season with 20 or more wins. Averaging a
point per minute played, Marble shot an outstanding 60.0 percent (21-for-35)
from the field and was steady from the free throw line making 15-of-18 attempts
(83.3 percent).
In a pair of Little East Conference games, she scored 29 points and pulled
down 15 rebounds at Plymouth State University, while registering 28 points and
15 boards against Rhode Island College. Marble’s performance against Rhode
Island College marked her 14th consecutive double-double and 16th of the season.
A 2006 WBCA All-American and two-time LEC Player of the Year (2005, 2006),
Marble leads the Huskies and the Little East in scoring and rebounding averaging
22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. She is shooting a solid 50.5 percent
(162-for-321) from the floor.
Recently named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District One first
team, Marble has 43 double-doubles in her career. She is third in career points
(1,782) and second in career rebounds (1,050) at USM.
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Monday, February 12, 2007
Ashley Marble Earns Three Weekly Honors
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) of the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball
team has earned weekly honors for the week of February 5-11 from the Little East
Conference (LEC), the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) and
the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA). The announcements were
made Monday afternoon by each organization.
Earning her eighth Little East Conference weekly honor of the season, and
14th of her career, Marble averaged 28.5 points and 15 rebounds in two victories
as the Huskies posted their 27th straight season with 20 or more wins. Recently
named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District One First team, Marble has
received the MWBCA Player of the Week honor four times and has been the
recipient of the NEWBA accolade on three occasions.
Extending her string of double-doubles to 14 consecutive games, Marble
scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 78-55 win at Plymouth State
University, and registered 28 points and 15 caroms in a 67-57 win over Rhode
Island College. For the week, the 5-foot-9 forward, shot an outstanding 60.0
percent (21-for-35) from the field and was steady from the free throw line,
making 15-of-18 attempts (83.3 percent).
Marble, a two-time Little East Conference Player of the Year (2005, 2006),
leads the Huskies and the LEC in scoring and rebounding, averaging 22.5 points
and 11.8 rebounds per game, She is shooting a solid 50.5 percent (162-for-321)
for the floor. She has 16 double-doubles this season and 43 in her career.
Currently, Marble, a 2006 WBCA All-American, is third all-time in career points
(1,782) and second all-time in career rebounds (1,050).
Southern Maine, currently 21-1 overall and undefeated in the Little East
Conference at 12-0, travels to the University of Massachusetts Boston on Tuesday
(5:30 p.m.) for its next game.
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Saturday, February 10, 2007
Southern Maine Rolls Over Rhode Island College 67-57
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) and junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) combined
to score 50 points as the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies
downed the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen 67-57 in a Little East Conference
game Saturday afternoon at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.
The win was the 18th straight for the Huskies as they improve to 21-1
overall and remain undefeated in the Little East with a 12-0 record. The loss
snapped a two-game win streak for the Anchorwomen who dip to 14-9 overall and
6-6 in the LEC.
Marble recorded her 14th consecutive double-double, and 16th of the season,
grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with her game-high 28 points.
Marble was 10-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe, She
also added four assists and two steals.
Santa Fe notched a career-best 22 points with an 8-for-15 mark from the
floor and chipped in with seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Stacey Kent
(Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown Academy) tossed in 10 points and snagged a game-high
five steals.
Senior forward Kari Geisler (Deerfield, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) led Rhode
Island College with 20 points and nine rebounds. Junior forward Josalee Danieli
(New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Marble started hot from the floor, shooting an impressive 7-for-11 from the
field, and was just one rebound shy of a double-double in the first half as she
scored 18 points and grabbed nine boards, helping USM jumped out to a 36-22 lead
at the half. Santa Fe tallied 11 of her 22 in the opening half.
Marble and Santa Fe continued to click in the second half as Southern Maine
increased its advantage to 17, 39-22, on the opening play of the stanza. Santa
Fe drained her lone three-pointer of the game off of an assist from Marble. The
Huskies maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half and led by as
many as 16 points with under three minutes to play before Rhode Island College
was able to creep with eight of USM, 63-55, in the final minute of action.
Trailing by 16, 63-47, with 2:51 to play, Rhode Island College scored eight
unanswered points as the Huskies misfired on its next five shots to pull to with
striking distance with 50 seconds remaining. Geisler and senior forward
Brittany Rosen (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) scored four points each in the
run. However, it wasn't enough for the Anchorwomen as the Huskies held off the
attack outscoring them 4-2 in the final 30 seconds.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 41.4 percent (24-for-58) from the
field and 73.9 percent (17-for-23) from the free throw line. Rhode Island
College shot 45.2 percent from floor making 19 of 42 field goal attempts, but
was hampered by 32 turnovers. The Huskies made 17 steals in the contest.
Southern Maine returns to action on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) when it travels to
the University of Massachusetts Boston. Rhode Island College plays on Tuesday
(5:30 p.m.) when it hosts the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
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Thursday, February 8, 2007
Ashley Marble Named to Academic All-District One Team
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland
HS) of the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball
team has been selected to the 2007 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District One
first team as voted upon by members of the College Sports Information Directors
of America (CoSIDA).
As a first-team Academic All-District One selection, Marble, a 2006 WBCA
All-American, will be in consideration for ESPN the Magazine Academic All-
America(r) honors. The 5-9 forward and two-time Little East Conference Player of
the Year (2005-2006), carries a 3.71 grade point average and is studying for a
degree in health fitness. This is the second consecutive year that Marble has
earned Academic All-District One accolades. In 2005, Marble was named to the
Academic All-District One third team.
The College Sports Information Directors of America selects Academic All-
America(r) teams in 12 programs: football, women's volleyball, men's soccer,
women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's
track and field/cross country, women's track and field/cross country, men's at-
large and women's at large. A first team, second team and third team are
selected in both the University (Division I and I-AA) and College (Division II,
III and NAIA) Divisions.
Marble leads Southern Maine in points and rebounds averaging 22.2 points
and 11.7 rebounds per game. This season, Marble has tallied 15 double-doubles,
including a string of 13 consecutive. She has led the Huskies in scoring in 17
of the Huskies 21 games. She has been named the Little East Conference Player
of the Week seven times and has won or shared the ECAC Division III New England
Player of the Week honors on five occasions. Marble has also been honored by
the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association earning its Player of the Week
honors five times.
Recently, Marble was named the Women's DIII News Player of the Month for
the month of January. It is the second time in her career that Marble earned
the accolade also receiving the honor in January of 2006. During the month,
Marble averaged 24.4 points and 13.4 rebounds a game, recording a double-double
in each of the Huskies nine contests. Marble recorded her 40th career double-
double in a 70-57 win against Husson College (January 31) scoring 14 points and
grabbing 14 rebounds en route to becoming the first-ever USM women's basketball
player to surpass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound milestone.
Marble also established a career-high with 33 points in the Huskies' 77-59
win over LEC rival Keene State College on January 13. On January 9, Marble
scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Huskies earned a 75-63 road-win
over LEC opponent Rhode Island College and helped deliver USM veteran head coach
Gary Fifield his 500th career victory.
Southern Maine, 20-1 overall, returns to action on Saturday (1:00 p.m.)
when it hosts Rhode Island College in its final regular season home game.
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's Basketball Teams
College Division
FIRST TEAM
Name School Class Hometown
GPA/Major
Ashley Marble Univ. of Southern Maine Sr. Topsfield, Maine
3.71/Health Fitness
DeCarol Davis U.S. Coast Guard Academy Jr. Woodbridge, Va.
3.95/Electrical Engineering
Mickala Henson Clarkson University Sr. Waverly, N.Y.
3.96/Aeronautical Engineering
Bonnie Hirtle Curry College Jr. Quincy, Mass.
3.90/Business Management
Sharon Prange M.I.T. Sr. Arlington, Va.
4.6/Mechanical Engineering
SECOND TEAM
Michal Ruchelsman M.I.T. Sr. West Orange, N.J.
5.0/Mechanical Engineering
Stephanie Czajkowski Hobart & Wm. Smith Colleges Jr. Syracuse, N.Y.
3.57/Chemistry; Writing & Rhetoric
Matia Kostakis Bates College Jr. Andover, Mass.
3.75/Economics, Mathematics
Jevy Rayner Saint Michael's College Sr. Westminster, Vt.
3.90/Business Administration
Catie Furtado Bridgewater State College Sr. Taunton, Mass.
3.7/English
THIRD TEAM
Jaime Capra Brandeis University Jr. Old Bridge, N.J.
3.53/American Studies
Lindsay Wilson Hartwick College Sr. Oneida, N.Y.
3.59/English with a concentration in Education
Adrienne Rochetti New York University Sr. Vineland, N.J.
3.75/Sports Management
Kristi Baranowski Rensselaer Polytechnic Sr. Liverpool, NY
3.55/Biophysics/Biochemistry
Jess Paulson Assumption College Sr. No. Providence, RI
3.82/Biology/Bio-Technology
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Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Southern Maine Pounds Plymouth State 78-55
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Wood-
land HS) and junior forward Angela Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy)
combined to score 47 points to lead the fourth-ranked University of Southern
Maine Huskies to a 78-55 win over the Plymouth State University Panthers in a
Little East Conference game Tuesday night at Foley Gym in Plymouth, N.H.
The win was the 17th consecutive for the Huskies who improve to 20-1
overall and 11-0 in the Little East, and was the Huskies 73rd straight win over
an LEC opponent dating back to January 2003. The loss drops Plymouth State to
6-15 overall and 2-9 in the LEC.
With its 20th win of the campaign, the USM women’s basketball team extended
its NCAA record for 20-win seasons to 27th consecutive seasons. The Huskies
have won 20 or more games every season since 1980-81.
Marble notched her 13th consecutive double-double scoring 29 points on an
11-for-16 effort from the field and hauling in 15 rebounds. Santa Fe tossed in
18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, both career-high totals, to record her first
career double-double. Sophomore Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H./Coe-Brown Academy)
added seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and five steals as 11 of the
14 USM players who entered the game scored at least a point.
Freshman guard Gretchen Fritch (South Boston, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) led
the Panthers with 11 points off of the bench on a 4-for-8 mark from the field,
including a pair of three-pointers. Junior guard Meghan MacDonald (Salem,
N.H./Salem) and sophomore guard Annie Alosa (Concord, N.H./Manchester Trinity)
chipped in with eight points each.
The Huskies limited Plymouth State to just five first half field goals to
jump out to a dominating 39-17 lead in the first half. USM did a bulk of its
damage outscoring the Panthers 17-2 over a nine-minute stretch in the first
half. Ahead by nine, 16-7, with 12:07 left in the half, USM rattled off eight
straight points to increase its advantage to 17, 24-7, before Plymouth State’s
MacDonald broke up USM onslaught with a lay-up at the 6:02 mark. USM then held
Plymouth State scoreless over the next four minutes while scoring nine answered
points for a 33-9 lead with 2:41 on the clock. Santa Fe scored six points in
the run and Marble added four. Marble reached double-double figures in the
first half tallying 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
USM opened the second half with a 15-7 run and cruised to the win, shooting
an outstanding 74 percent (14-for-19) from the field in the second stanza. The
Huskies finished the game shooting 52.8 percent (28-for-53) from the field and
held Plymouth State to just 26.1 percent (18-for-69) from the floor. Southern
Maine also enjoyed a decisive 51-28 advantage on the boards.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) when it hosts
Little East Conference rival Rhode Island College in its final regular season
home game. Plymouth State hosts the University of Massachusetts Boston on
Saturday (1:00 p.m.).
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Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Ashley Marble Named ECAC Division III New England Co-Player of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
of the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball
team has been named the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Division III
New England Co-Player of the Week for the week of January 29 through February 4.
The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon by the ECAC office. Marble shared
the honor with Springfield College sophomore center Lauren O'Connor.
It is the fourth time this season that Marble, the 2006 ECAC Division III
New England Player of the Year, has won or shared the accolade. Marble also was
recently named the Women's DIII News Player of the Month for the month of
January, and was named the Little East Conference Player of the Week (February
5).
Marble, a 2006 WBCA All-American, became the first Southern Maine women's
basketball player to eclipse the 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound benchmark
accomplishing the feat on January 31 against Husson College. Marble registered
14 points and 14 rebounds, while blocking a season-high three shots in a 70-57
win over the Eagles.
Against Little East Conference foe Western Connecticut, Marble recorded her
12th straight double-double, and 14th of the season, with 22 points and 15
rebounds. For the week she averaged 18.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists,
2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.
The 5-9 forward leads the LEC in scoring (21.9 ppg), rebounding (11.5 rpg),
steals (2.45 spg) and double-doubles with 14. She currently ranks second all-
time at USM in career rebounds (1,020) and third in career points (1,725) and
has 41 career double-doubles.
Southern Maine is 19-1 overall this season and undefeated in the Little
East Conference at 10-0. Southern Maine is in action tonight at 5:30 p.m. at
Little East Conference for Plymouth State University.
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Monday, February 5, 2007
Ashley Marble Named Women's DIII News Player of the Month
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland)
of the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies women's basketball
team has been named the Women's DIII News Player of the Month for the month of
January. It is the second time in her career that Marble has earned the honor,
being selected as the publications' Player of the Month in 2006 for the month of
January.
Marble, a 2006 WBCA All-American, averaged 24.4 points and 13.4 rebounds a
game, recording a double-double in each of the Huskies nine contests. During
the month, the 5-9 forward was named the Little East Conference (LEC), ECAC
Division III New England and Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association
(MWBCA) Player of the Week three times (Jan. 8, Jan. 15 and Jan. 29).
A two-time LEC Player of the Year (2005, 2006), Marble recorded her 40th
career double-double scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds against Husson
College en route to becoming the first-ever USM women's basketball player to
surpass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound plateau.
She also established a new career high with 33 points in the Huskies' 77-59
win over LEC rival Keene State College on January 13. On January 9, Marble
scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Huskies earned a 75-63 road win
over LEC foe Rhode Island College a |
