Muhlenberg College 2000-01 Winter Sports Preview

Muhlenberg College

2000-01 Winter Sports Preview

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• WOMEN’S HOOPS PICKED TO WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT
The Muhlenberg women’s basketball team was selected to win its sixth straight Centennial Conference East Division title in a preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. The Mules received 11 of 20 possible first-place votes to edge Swarthmore by five points. Johns Hopkins was a near unanimous choice to win the West and claim its third straight CC title. The complete poll, with first-place votes in parentheses:
EAST DIVISION
1. MUHLENBERG (11) — 100 points
2. Swarthmore (9) — 95 points
3. Washington — 75 points
4. Ursinus — 57 points
5. Haverford — 55 points
6. Bryn Mawr — 28 points
WEST DIVISION
1. Johns Hopkins (18) — 90 points
2. Franklin & Marshall (1) — 69 points
3. Gettysburg (1) — 58 points
4. Western Maryland — 44 points
8. Dickinson — 29 points

overall champion — Johns Hopkins

• MEN’S BASKETBALL TABBED TO REPEAT IN EAST
The Muhlenberg men’s basketball team was selected to repeat as East Division champion in the Centennial Conference preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. The Mules, who have won or shared the East title in six of the last seven seasons, received 10 first-place votes to finish seven points ahead of Ursinus. Franklin & Marshall was the choice to win the West and repeat as conference champ. The complete poll, with first-place votes in parentheses:
EAST DIVISION
1. MUHLENBERG (10) — 70 points
2. Ursinus (6) — 63 points
3. Washington (1) — 52 points
4. Haverford — 37 points
5. Swarthmore — 24 points
WEST DIVISION
1. Franklin & Marshall (14) — 74 points
2. Johns Hopkins (3) — 60 points
3t. Dickinson — 44 points
3t. Gettysburg — 44 points
5. Western Maryland — 25 points

overall champion — Franklin & Marshall

• TEAM PREVIEWS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MEN’S BASKETBALL

Jessica
Drennan Muhlenberg enters the 2000-01 season with high hopes. The Mules won their fifth straight Centennial Conference East Division championship last winter and return all 10 letterwinners. Juniors Jenn Risley (11.2 ppg, .528 shooting percentage) and Lindsay St. Lawrence (10.0 ppg, 72 assists) both had breakout seasons a year ago, earning All-CC second-team honors. Senior center Jessica Drennan (right) hopes to rebound from an injury-plagued campaign in which she averaged 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. The Mules will strive for their seventh Centennial Conference East Division title in eight seasons with a roster that is both youthful and experienced. The team has no seniors, but still returns 11 letterwinners from a strange 1999-2000 season in which several veteran players suffered injuries. Junior center Mark Lesko (13.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 53 blocks) was one of the top big men in the CC last year. Junior Michael Barletta (right, 7.4 ppg, 62 assists) and sophomore Anthony Strachan (5.7 ppg, 62 assists) return as the starting backcourt.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD WRESTLING

Muhlenberg will look to build on a 2000 indoor season that saw 11 school records broken, tied and established and a 2000 outdoor season that saw the men’s team score its most points ever at the Centennial Conference Championships. Senior Katrina Beck (above) has been a fixture at the medal stand at the CC Indoor Championships, winning the gold in the high jump each of her first three seasons. Among the men who will look to make a mark in the CC are junior Will Elson, the outdoor 800 champion, and sophomore distance runner Brendan Gallagher. Muhlenberg battled to an 8-14 dual-meet record and a fourth-place finish at the Centennial Conference Championships last year, despite numerous injury problems. With a larger squad in 2000-01, Muhlenberg hopes to lessen the impact of injuries. Junior Tyler Cathey, ranked eighth in Division III and a two-time NCAA qualifier, began the season on the shelf but is expected back for the second semester. Junior 149-pounder Bill Holsinger (below) went 27-11 and set a school record with 14 pins last season.

Questions or comments? Send mail to falk@muhlenberg.edu

Last updated November 14, 2000

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL	MEN’S BASKETBALL
Muhlenberg enters the 2000-01 season with high hopes. The Mules won their fifth straight Centennial Conference East Division championship last winter and return all 10 letterwinners. Juniors Jenn Risley (11.2 ppg, .528 shooting percentage) and Lindsay St. Lawrence (10.0 ppg, 72 assists) both had breakout seasons a year ago, earning All-CC second-team honors. Senior center Jessica Drennan (right) hopes to rebound from an injury-plagued campaign in which she averaged 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds.	The Mules will strive for their seventh Centennial Conference East Division title in eight seasons with a roster that is both youthful and experienced. The team has no seniors, but still returns 11 letterwinners from a strange 1999-2000 season in which several veteran players suffered injuries. Junior center Mark Lesko (13.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 53 blocks) was one of the top big men in the CC last year. Junior Michael Barletta (right, 7.4 ppg, 62 assists) and sophomore Anthony Strachan (5.7 ppg, 62 assists) return as the starting backcourt.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD	WRESTLING
Muhlenberg will look to build on a 2000 indoor season that saw 11 school records broken, tied and established and a 2000 outdoor season that saw the men’s team score its most points ever at the Centennial Conference Championships. Senior Katrina Beck (above) has been a fixture at the medal stand at the CC Indoor Championships, winning the gold in the high jump each of her first three seasons. Among the men who will look to make a mark in the CC are junior Will Elson, the outdoor 800 champion, and sophomore distance runner Brendan Gallagher.	Muhlenberg battled to an 8-14 dual-meet record and a fourth-place finish at the Centennial Conference Championships last year, despite numerous injury problems. With a larger squad in 2000-01, Muhlenberg hopes to lessen the impact of injuries. Junior Tyler Cathey, ranked eighth in Division III and a two-time NCAA qualifier, began the season on the shelf but is expected back for the second semester. Junior 149-pounder Bill Holsinger (below) went 27-11 and set a school record with 14 pins last season.