The Muhlenberg women’s basketball team was ranked second in the Mid-Atlantic Region and 14th in Division III in polls released today. The polls do not reflect last night’s 60-46 loss to King’s.

The Mules have a big game Wednesday against Centennial Conference rival Swarthmore (fifth in the region, receiving votes nationally). The Garnet handed Muhlenberg its first loss of the season in their earlier meeting.

NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic poll
(with in-region records through games of Sunday)
1. King’s (16-2)
2. Muhlenberg (18-2)
3. Scranton (14-3)
4. Messiah (16-2)
5. Swarthmore (14-2)
6. Lebanon Valley (17-3)
7. Franklin & Marshall (17-4)
8. Alvernia (17-3)

d3hoops.com Division III poll

	School	Record	Pts	Last
1	Washington (Mo.) (25)	22-0	625	1
2	Hope	22-1	567	3
3	Southern Maine	22-1	545	5
4	Bowdoin	18-1	509	6
5	Wilmington	21-1	507	7
6	Eastern Connecticut State	22-1	493	8
7	Hardin-Simmons	21-1	445	2
8	Messiah	20-2	436	9
9	Wis.-Stevens Point	21-2	424	10
10	King’s	20-2	422	4
11	DePauw	20-2	393	11
12	Wis.-Stout	19-4	339	13
13	St. Benedict	20-3	326	14
14	Muhlenberg	19-2	301	15
15	Emmanuel	21-2	284	16
16	St. Thomas	19-4	211	19
17	Scranton	19-4	195	21
18	St. Lawrence	20-3	170	23
19	Pacific Lutheran	18-3	131	rv
20	Webster	19-2	122	22
21	Wis.-Eau Claire	18-4	20	20
22	Case Western	16-5	96	18
23	Carleton	19-4	94	24
24	Springfield	19-3	82	25
25	Marymount	19-4	67	rv

Others receiving votes: Wheaton (Ill.) 53; New York University 35; Lebanon Valley 34; George Fox 32; Wartburg 20; Chapman 12; Franklin & Marshall 9; Salisbury 8; Franklin 7; Guilford 7; Wis.-Oshkosh 6; Bridgewater (Va.) 5; Gustavus Adolphus 3; Lakeland 3; Swarthmore 3; Baldwin-Wallace 2; Christopher Newport 2; Howard Payne 1; Johns Hopkins 1; New Jersey 1.

Muhlenberg basketball players Susan Marchiano and Mark Lesko were each named “Player of the Year” by the Lehigh Valley College Basketball Media Organization today.

Marchiano and Lesko were selected from among seven women’s and six men’s players named to the Team of the Year, which consists of one representative from each of the seven schools in the Organization. Voting was conducted by head coaches, sports information directors and media members at the Organization’s final luncheon of the 2001-02 season.

Marchiano is the leading scorer and rebounder for the 19-3 Mule women’s team, averaging 14.5 points and 9.2 boards. She also leads the team in field-goal percentage (.574), blocked shots (29) and steals (55) and ranks in the top seven in the Centennial Conference in all five categories.

“Sue is not only a great player, but she’s also a great person,” noted Muhlenberg head coach Ron Rohn. “And when your most talented player is also your most humble, your most modest and your most caring, you’re going to have a pretty good team.”

Lesko, who received the honor for the second straight year, leads the 17-5 Mules in scoring (20.3 ppg), rebounding (10.1 rpg), blocked shots (50), steals (36), field-goal percentage (.616) and free-throw percentage (.775). The program’s eighth all-time leading scorer, he has been named CC player of the week three times this season (including last week) and has scored in double figures in 45 straight games.

“In my 20 years at Muhlenberg as an assistant coach and head coach, Mark is hands-down the best player we’ve had,” said Dave Madeira. “As impressive as his numbers are, they come against special defenses that are thrown against him. Above all, Mark is a thoughtful, humble and caring individual who is loved by all his teammates.”