WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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Mike Strong, Head Coach
21st Season
Career Record: 484-110
.814 Winning Percentage
Mike Strong has certainly left his mark on The University of Scranton women's basketball program.
Since taking over as head coach in 1979, he has led the Lady Royals to a record of 484-110, including an NCAA Division III national title (1985), seven Final Four appearances (1980 {AIAW}, 1985, 1987, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000) and 17 AIAW/NCAA tournament berths. Overall, The University of Scranton has made 20 AIAW/NCAA tournament appearances in the program's 25-year history.
A 1967 graduate of Concord College in West Virginia, Strong came to Scranton as an assistant men's basketball coach in 1972 after a successful three-year career as head basketball and head soccer coach at then Keystone College in nearby LaPlume, Pennsylvania. He was an assistant coach when the Royals won the NCAA Division II national championship in 1976 under current head basketball coach Bob Bessoir.
Strong, who also holds master's degrees from West Chester University and The University of Scranton, is third on the NCAA Division III all-time list for coaching victories with 484 wins and is seventh in winning percentage. He has led the Lady Royals to eight straight 20-or-more win seasons and 15 times in his 20-year tenure. He has also recorded two 31-win seasons (1985, 1987) and one 30-win campaign (1993). He also serves as head coach of the Lady Royals women's tennis team and was men's tennis coach for ten years (1973-1982).
His impressive list of accolades include the 1985 Kodak NCAA Division III Coach of the Year award and is a three-time Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year recipient (1996, 1998, 2000). A member of the university's prestigious Wall of Fame, Strong has led the Lady Royals to an NCAA tournament-record 35 wins (against 17 losses, .673) and an overall national playoff record of 37-19 (.661).
Feelin 'Strong'er Every Day
Overall Record: 484-110 (.814)
NCAA Championships: 1 (1985)
AIAW/NCAA Final Four Appearances: 6 (1980 {AIAW}, 1985, 1987,
1993, 1997, 1999, 2000)
NCAA Tournament Record: 35-17 (.673)
AIAW Tournament Record: 4-2 (.667)
Overall Post-Season Tournament Record: 39-19 (.672)
20-or-more win seasons: 15
30-or-more win seasons: 3
All-Americans: Denise Capoocia (1980), Fran Harkins (1981,
1983), Deanna Kyle (1985), Una Espenkotter (1986), Shelley Parks (1987),
Laura Pikulski (1992), Lynne Kempski (1993), Jackie Dougherty (1994), *Jennifer
Nish (1996, 1997), Kelly Halpin (1998, 1999, 2000)
*Please note: Jennifer Nish earned all-America honors in 1995 under head coach Sue Serafini when Mike Strong was on sabbatical.
NCAA Player of the Year selections: Deanna Kyle (1985), Shelley Parks (1987)
The University of Scranton All-Time Women's Basketball Coaching Records
| Name | Year(s) | Record | Pct. |
| Donna Zimmerman
|
1975-1979
|
80-25 (vs. all opponents)
73-21 (vs. 4-year opponents |
.762
|
| Sue Serafini | 1994-95 | 24-2 | .923 |
| Mike Strong | 1979-1994; 1995-present | 484-110 | .814 |
| TOTALS | 25 Seasons | 588-137 | .811 |
2000-2001 Season Outlook
Mike Strong has certainly seen his share of challenges during his distinguished 20-year tenure as head coach of The University of Scranton women's basketball program.
The upcoming 2000-2001 season should be no exception.
Strong bids farewell to four letter-winners, including three starters, who led the Lady Royals to a four-year record of 103-20 (.837) and three NCAA Final Four berths. The most notable loss is guard Kelly Halpin, the university's second-only three-time all-American and the second all-time leading scorer and career assist leader in Lady Royals' history. Scranton will also miss guard Heather Mohrman's defensive prowess and leadership ability, center Shannon Milder's rebounding and low post presence, and center Deirdre Walsh's help off the bench in the pivot.
Despite the heavy losses, Strong can still rely on a number of key returnees to keep the Lady Royals' tradition of excellence in tact. Two-year starter Gillian McGovern, a second-team all-MAC Freedom League selection, returns at small forward after starting all 31 games and contributing 11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Joining her on the frontline will be sophomore power forward AnneMarie Russo, the 1999-2000 Northeastern Pennsylvania Basketball Media Newcomer of the Year who started every game and led Scranton in rebounding.
Senior Lisa Harris, returning to the lineup after a one-year absence, will take over Halpin's position at the point-guard position, while fellow seniors Sarah Rooney and Jaime Eilbacher battle it out for the starting berth at off-guard. Harris is a solid all-around performer who averaged 6.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists during the Lady Royals' 28-4 and Final Four season in 1999. Rooney and Eilbacher are long-range bombers who have the ability to spread the opposition's defense and open things up inside for McGovern and Russo.
Junior Colleen Fullerton, sophomores Amy O'Rourke and Laurel Saville, and freshman Erin Bates are just some of the candidates in line for Milder's spot at center. Of the four, Fullerton and O'Rourke have seen the most action and could have an inside track to the position.
Another highly competitive schedule awaits the Lady Royals. In addition to its Freedom Conference games, Scranton will take part in tournaments at the College of New Jersey and in Las Vegas. Other non-conference games including Messiah, an NCAA tournament team in 2000, along with Ithaca and Cabrini.
2000-2001 Women's Basketball Roster
| No. | Name | Pos | Ht | Yr. | Hometown/High School |
| 5 | Christine DeSimone | G | 5-3 | So. | East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay |
| 12 | Sue Firestone | G | 5-7 | So. | E. Brunswick, NJ/E. Brunswick |
| 13 | Gillian McGovern | F | 5-9 | Jr. | Floral Park, NY/Christ the King |
| 20 | Lisa Crawford | G | 5-9 | Jr. | Havertown, PA/Villa Maria |
|
24
|
Lisa Harris |
|
|
Sr. | Scranton, PA/Dunmore |
| 30 | Jaime Eilbacher | G | 5-7 | Sr. | Mendham, NJ/Mendham |
| 33 | Sarah Rooney | G | 5-8 | Sr. | Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee |
| 40 | Jessica Agnello | G | 5-10 | So. | Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls |
| 44 | AnneMarie Russo | F | 5-10 | So. | Brooklyn, NY/Kearney |
| 53 | Colleen Fullerton | F | 5-10 | Jr. | Havertown, PA/Merion Mercy |
| 55 | Laurel Saville | F | 5-11 | So. | Floral Park, NY/Lady of Mercy |
| -- | Alicia Lavelle | C | 6-3 | So. | Lodi, NJ/Immaculate Heart |
| -- | Michelle Murphy | G | 5-2 | So. | Scranton, PA/Bishop Hannan |
| -- | Amy O’Rourke | F | 5-10 | So. | Newtown, PA/Mount St. Joseph’s |
| -- | Suanne Stanco | G | 5-7 | So. | Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross |
| -- | Katie Stiles | F | 5-11 | So. | Great Bend, PA/Blue Ridge |
| -- | Erin Bates | F | 6-1 | Fr. | Massapequa, NY/Kellenberg Memorial |
|
--
|
Janelle Bergandino |
|
|
Fr. | Harleysville, PA/Souderton |
|
--
|
Meghan-Ann Collins |
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Fr. | Glendale, NY/St. Francis Prep |
|
--
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Katie Dougherty |
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|
Fr. | Philadelphia, PA/Nazareth Academy |
|
--
|
Judy Flounders |
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Fr. | Havertown, PA/Archbishop Carroll |
|
--
|
Kate Pierangeli |
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Fr. | Springfield, PA/Springfield |
| Head Coach: | Michael Strong (Concord College '67, 21st year, 484-110) |
| Assistant: | Marc Kudrich (Scranton '89, 2nd year) |
Please note: This roster is tentative and subject to change.
| Breakdowns
By Class |
|||||
| Seniors (3) | Juniors (3) | Sophomores (10) | Freshmen (6) | ||
| Jaime Eilbacher
Lisa Harris Sarah Rooney |
Lisa Crawford
Colleen Fullerton Gillian McGovern |
Jessica Agnello
Christine DeSimone Sue Firestone Alicia Lavelle Michelle Murphy |
Amy O’Rourke
AnneMarie Russo Laurel Saville Suanne Stanco Katie Stiles |
Erin Bates
Janelle Bergandino Meghan-Ann Collins Katie Dougherty Judy Flounders Kate Pierangeli |
|
| By Positions | ||||
| Centers (1) | Guards (13) | Forwards (8) | ||
| Alicia Lavelle | Jessica Agnello
Meghan-Ann Collins Lisa Crawford Katie Dougherty Christine DeSimone Jaime Eilbacher Sue Firestone |
Judy Flounders
Lisa Harris Michelle Murphy Kate Pierangeli Sarah Rooney Suanne Stanco |
Erin Bates
Janelle Bergandino Colleen Fullerton Gillian McGovern Amy O’Rourke |
AnneMarie Russo
Laurel Saville Katie Stiles |
| By Geographic Areas | |||
| Connecticut (1) | New Jersey (4) | New York (7) | Pennsylvania (10) |
| Suanne Stanco | Jessica Agnello
Jaime Eilbacher Sue Firestone Alicia Lavelle |
Erin Bates
Meghan-Ann Collins Christine DeSimone Gillian McGovern Sarah Rooney Anne Marie Russo Laurel Saville |
Janelle Bergandino
Lisa Crawford Katie Dougherty Judy Flounders Colleen Fullerton Lisa Harris Michelle Murphy Amy O’Rourke Kate Pierangeli Katie Stiles |
Lady Royal All-Americans
| Name | Year | |
| Denise Capoocia | 1980 | UofS Wall of Fame |
| Fran Harkins | 1981 | UofS Wall of Fame |
| Fran Harkins | 1983 | |
| Deanna Klingman | 1985 | National Player-of-the-Year
UofS Wall of Fame |
| Una Espenkotter | 1986 | UofS Wall of Fame |
| Shelley Parks | 1987 | National Player-of-the-Year
UofS Wall of Fame |
| Laura Pikulski | 1992 | |
| Lynne Kempski | 1993 | |
| Jackie Dougherty | 1994 | |
| Jennifer Nish | 1995 | |
| Jennifer Nish | 1996 | |
| Jennifer Nish | 1997 | |
| Kelly Halpin | 1998 | |
| Kelly Halpin | 1999 | |
| Kelly Halpin |
|
All-Time Season by Season Results
| Season | Record | Coach | Post-Season |
| 1975-76 | 16-7 | Donna Zimmerman | |
| 1976-77 | 21-2 | Donna Zimmerman | MAC*/AIAW Reg. |
| 1977-78 | 18-9 | Donna Zimmerman | MAC*/AIAW Reg. |
| 1978-79 | 25-7 | Donna Zimmerman
[Career Record:80-25/73-21 vs. four-year schools] |
MAC*/AIAW Reg. |
| 1979-80 | 26-7 | Mike Strong | MAC*/AIAW National (3) |
| 1980-81 | 27-5 | Mike Strong | AIAW Reg. |
| 1981-82 | 17-11 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Quarters |
| 1982-83 | 19-7 | Mike Strong | NCAA Regionals |
| 1983-84 | 19-8 | Mike Strong | NCAA Regionals |
| 1984-85 | 31-1 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Champions |
| 1985-86 | 23-6 | Mike Strong | NCAA Regionals |
| 1986-87 | 31-2 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA National (3) |
| 1987-88 | 19-8 | Mike Strong | MAC N.E. Champions |
| 1988-89 | 20-7 | Mike Strong | MAC N.E. Champions |
| 1989-90 | 26-5 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Quarters |
| 1990-91 | 18-8 | Mike Strong | MAC N.E. Champions |
| 1991-92 | 22-5 | Mike Strong | MAC N.E./NCAA Quarters |
| 1992-93 | 30-2 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA National (3) |
| 1993-94 | 27-3 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Quarters |
| 1994-95 | 24-2 | Sue Serafini | MAC Freedom/NCAA Reg. |
| 1995-96 | 26-4 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Quarters |
| 1996-97 | 28-5 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA National (4) |
| 1997-98 | 21-6 | Mike Strong | MAC Freedom/NCAA-16 |
| 1998-99 | 28-4 | Mike Strong | MAC*/NCAA Nationals (4) |
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|
|
Mike Strong
[Career Record: 484-110/.814 Winning %] |
MAC* Freedom League Champions/
NCAA Nationals (4)
|
| TOTALS | 588-137 | 25 Seasons | *14 MAC Championships |
2000-2001 University of Scranton Women’s Basketball Schedule
| November | ||||
| Saturday | 18 | College of New Jersey Tournament | Away | 12:00 & 2:00 pm |
| Sunday | 19 | College of New Jersey Tournament | Away | 1:00 & 3:00 pm |
| TUESDAY | 21 | MESSIAH | HOME | 6:00 PM |
| Monday | 27 | Ithaca |
|
7:00 pm
|
| WEDNESDAY | 29 | *ALLENTOWN |
|
5:30 PM
|
| December | ||||
| Saturday | 2 | *Wilkes | Away | 1:00 pm |
| WEDNESDAY | 6 | *LYCOMING | HOME | 5:30 PM |
| Sunday | 17 | Las Vegas Tournament | Away | TBA |
| Thursday | 21 | Las Vegas Tournament | Away | TBA |
| January | ||||
| THURSDAY | 4 | CABRINI | HOME | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | 6 | Widener University | Away | 7:00 pm |
| Monday | 8 | Marywood | Away | 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 | *Delaware Valley | Away | 6:00 pm |
| SATURDAY | 13 | *DREW | HOME | 1:00 PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 17 | *FDU-MADISON | HOME | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | 20 | *King's | Away | 2:00 pm |
| Wednesday |
24
|
*Allentown |
|
6:00 pm
|
| SATURDAY |
27
|
*WILKES (WALL OF FAME) | HOME |
1:00 PM
|
| Wednesday |
31
|
*Lycoming |
|
6:00 pm
|
| February | ||||
| SATURDAY | 3 | ELIZABETHTOWN | HOME | 1:00 PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 7 | *DELAWARE VALLEY | HOME | 5:30 PM |
| Saturday | 10 | *Drew | Away | 1:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 14 | *FDU-Madison | Away | 6:00 PM |
| SATURDAY | 17 | *KING'S | HOME | 5:00 PM |
*Freedom Conference
HOME GAMES AT LONG CENTER IN CAPS
Please note: This schedule is complete as of June 29; it
is tentative and subject to change.
University of Scranton Quick Facts
- Founded: 1888
Location: Scranton, PA
Affiliation: Society of Jesus
President: Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J.
Enrollment: 3,600 Undergraduates - 5,000 Overall
Nickname: Royals
Colors: Purple and White
Athletic Affiliations: NCAA III, MAC, ECAC
Athletic Director: Toby Lovecchio: 570-941-7440
Head Coach: Michael Strong: 570-941-7605
Mailing Address: The University of Scranton, 209 Long Center, Scranton, PA 18510
Assistant Coaches: Marc Kudrich, Heather Mohrman
Sports Information Dir.:Kevin F. Southard: 570-941-7571/570-941-4223 (FAX)
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