Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Opens 2009-10 at Iona Tip-Off Tournament
11/12/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2009
WHAT: Bucknell (0-0) at Iona Tip-Off Tournament (Miami (Ohio), Arizona, Iona)
WHERE: Hynes Athletics Center, New Rochelle, N.Y.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 14-Sunday, Nov. 15
RADIO: WVBU 90.5 FM, SportsJuice.com
TV: None
STREAMING VIDEO: None
LIVE STATISTICS: ICGaels.com
Complete Tournament Notes in PDF Format 
About the Tournament
Bucknell, which is coming off a 16-12 season a year ago, opens the two-day Iona Tip-Off Tournament with the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Saturday. The RedHawks also had a winning season last year, finishing 16-15.
Bucknell will then take on either the host Iona Gaels (18-13) or Arizona Wildcats (12-19) on Sunday. Tipoff is slated for either 1 p.m. or 3:30, depending on the first day's results.
With a Victory Over Miami (Ohio), Bucknell Would...
► Win its second consecutive season opener. The Bison also defeated George Mason 62-51 in the first game of 2008-09.
► Improve to 16-21 in program history in season openers.
► Win its eighth game in program history when opening the season on the road. The Bison are 7-18 when starting the season away from Lewisburg.
Bucknell-Miami (Ohio) Series
This will be the first meeting between the Bison and the RedHawks.
Bucknell-Iona Series
Iona leads in the all-time series with Bucknell, 3-2. The two teams last played three years ago with the Bison taking their second consecutive loss to the Gaels. Bucknell is 1-1 against Iona in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Last Meeting - Jan. 3, 2007
► Iona 45, Buckell 44 (Sojka Pavilion)
► Lindsey Hollobaugh scored a game-high 18 points, and Hope Foster recorded a Bison-best nine rebounds and five blocks in the close loss. The rebounding battle was not as close as the score, however, as Iona grabbed 47 boards compared to Bucknell's 28.
► Only three players who took part in the last meeting return in 2009. Now seniors, Bucknell's Le'Le' LeSeur and Iona's Thazina Cook and Anna McLean remain on the rosters. LeSeur posted a rebound and two steals against the Gaels, while Cook and McLean combined for five points and six rebounds.
Bucknell-Arizona Series
Should the Bison and the Wildcats meet in Sunday's game, it will be the teams' first meeting.
Quick Facts
Trisha Krewson was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year last season ... in addition to Krewson's All-Rookie Team selection, former teammates Amanda Brown (First Team) and Lauren Schober (Second Team) were honored by the Patriot League ... Cosima Higham (36) and Joyce Novacek (33) both rank in the top 10 at Bucknell for single-season blocked shots in 2008-09 ... Higham and Novacek are also on the verge of breaking into the top 10 for career blocks with both needing fewer than five rejections to join the list ... Bucknell has finished with an overall record of .500 or better in 17 of the program's 36 years ... the Bison were ranked among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense, scoring defense, blocked shots, rebounding margin and assist/turnover ratio in 2008-09.
History vs. Iona
► The first time Bucknell and Iona met, it also was at the Gael's home tournament in 1992. Iona came away with the 66-48 win after it outscored Bucknell 40-22 in the second half.
► Former Bison Lindsey Hollobaugh had her share of scoring success against the Gaels, averaging 16.8 points in four games and helping Bucknell to wins during her freshman and sophomore seasons. Hollobaugh ranks sixth in all-time career scoring at Bucknell with 1,386 points.
► Bucknell has outrebounded Iona in three of their five meetings. The Gaels have the overall series edge, however, averaging 40 rebounds compared to 35.4 for the Bison.
| Past Results | |
| Dec. 4, 1992: | Iona, 66-48 |
| Jan. 6, 2004: | Bucknell, 86-76 |
| Jan. 3, 2005: | Bucknell, 90-66 |
| Nov. 11, 2005: | Iona, 75-58 |
| Jan. 3, 2007: | Iona, 45-44 |
400 Program Wins
Bucknell women's basketball recorded the 400th win in program history against Lafayette on Feb. 18, 2009. In their 36 years, the Bison have accumulated a 402-481 record. Bucknell began a varsity team in 1973-74 and, since its inaugural season, the Orange and Blue have made two trips to the NCAA Tournament, won two Patriot League regular-season titles and recorded three 20+ win seasons. Bucknell is the sixth team in the Patriot League to hit the 400-win mark, following Holy Cross (615 wins), Army (467), Navy (454), Lafayette (417) and Lehigh (414).
PL Postseason Honors
A trio of Bison earned Patriot League postseason honors prior to the league tournament last year. Former Bison Amanda Brown was named First Team All-Patriot League, while classmate Lauren Schober was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection. Trisha Krewson started off her career in the Orange and Blue with a bang, adding Rookie of the Year to her All-Rookie Team nod. Krewson is the fifth Bison to be named the Patriot League's top rookie.
Bucknell has now placed 15 players on the league's first team, including one in each of the last four years in Hope Foster (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08) and Brown (2006-07). The Orange and Blue have also had 15 Second Team selections and 15 All-Rookie selections. Schober is the first Bison named to the Second Team since Lindsey Hollobaugh in 2005-06, while Krewson is the first member of the All-Rookie Team since current teammate Le'Le' LeSeur was chosen in 2006-07 and the first Rookie of the Year since Hollobaugh in 2003-04.
250 Wins for Fedorjaka
With the win over Colgate on Jan. 24, 2009, head coach Kathy Fedorjaka earned her 250th career victory. In 16 years as a head coach, Fedorjaka has amassed a 256-196 (.566) record and is 189-158 (.544) in 12 seasons at Bucknell. Prior to Bucknell, Fedorjaka coached at Connecticut College and Bloomsburg. She returned to Lewisburg after serving as a Bucknell assistant from 1990-93 to take over as head coach in 1997. Since then, she has led two teams to the NCAA tournament and twice earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors.
Wins, Wins...
By finishing the 2008-09 season with a 16-12 record, Bucknell women's basketball put together four consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .500 or better for the first time in program history. During that stretch, the Bison are 70-49.
... and More Wins
Bucknell finished its 2008-09 Patriot League campaign with an 8-6 record, giving the team a .500 or better record in each of the last four seasons as well as 14 of the last 15. The Bison also posted an 8-6 record in 2007-08, a 12-2 tally in 2006-07 and a 10-4 record in 2005-06 to start the streak.
Taking the Nation by Storm
Bucknell was ranked in the top 100 nationally in three categories and nearly made it five for the second year in a row. The Bison were among the country's best teams in field goal percentage defense (.366), scoring defense (57.6) and blocked shots (3.8 bpg).
| National Ranking | |
| 35. FG% Defense: | .366 |
| 54. Scoring Defense: | 57.6 |
| 98. Blocked Shots: | 3.8 |
| 105. Rebounding Margin: | +2.1 |
| 119. Assist/Turnover Ratio: | 0.79 |
Fluid Lineup
For the second consecutive year, the Bison used nine different starting lineups. That total ranks second in program history, tying the 1981-82, 1983-84, 1992-93 and 2007-08 teams. They trail only the 1991-92 squad, which used 13 different lineups over the course of the year.
The 2008-09 team started its season with six different crews in the first eight games before settling in for the final stretch. After trying out some different combinations, Bucknell finished the season with the same lineup in each of its last 11 games, playing to a 7-4 record.
Strictly 40 Minutes
Two seasons ago, the Bison tied the program record with four overtime games played. A year later, Bucknell did not find itself in any such situations despite playing in eight games that were decided by six points or less. It was the first time since the 2004-05 season Bucknell did not take part in any extra periods.
Fifty or Fewer
Bucknell held its opponent to 50 points or fewer on eight occasions last season. The most recent instance came against Colgate on Feb. 21, 2009 when the Bison defeated the Raiders 53-35 at Sojka Pavilion. Bucknell also held Fordham (46 points), Drexel (44), Cornell (45), Navy (50), Army (50), Holy Cross (44) and Lafayette (40) to fifty or fewer during the season.
Block Party
Bucknell women's basketball hosted quite the block party in 2008-09. Cosima Higham and Joyce Novacek both joined the program leaders in single-season blocked shots. Higham completed her sophomore year tied for seventh with Marie Kocornik with 36, while Novacek finished tied for 10th with Anne Kirwin with 33. Interestingly, Kocornik and Kirwin also set those marks as teammates during the 1985-86 season.
Two More for the Club
For the second straight year, two Bison broke the 1,000-point barrier in the same season. Amanda Brown achieved the milestone in just the fifth game of the season at Loyola (Md.), while Lauren Schober followed suit against Army later in the season. Brown finished her career with 1,344 points, ranking her seventh all-time at Bucknell. At 1,129 points, Schober is 15th all-time.
| Teammates Who Reached 1,000+ Points During the Same Year | |
| 1. Jennifer Walz & Marie Kocornik (1987-88) | |
| 2. Jennifer Walz* & Lynne Walshaw (1988-89) | |
| 3. Molly Creamer & Vicki Quimby (2000-01) | |
| 4. Molly Creamer*, Desire Almind, Kate Franks (2002-03) | |
| 5. Hope Foster & Kesha Champion (2007-08) | |
| 6. Amanda Brown & Lauren Schober (2008-09) | |
| * Scored 2,000th point |
Patriot League Preseason Poll
Bucknell was picked fifth in the 2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were also picked fifth prior to the 2008-09 season on their way to finishing in a tie for third place by season's end. Bucknell has now finished at or better than predicted eight times in the last 11 years.
Lehigh was picked first in the 2009-10 poll with 97 points, including 13 first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks were trailed by American and Holy Cross, which tied for second with 76 points and Navy (54) in fourth place.
| 2009-10 Patriot League | Preseason Poll |
| Team (First-place votes) | Points |
| 1. Lehigh (13) | 97 |
| T2. American (3) | 76 |
| T2. Holy Cross | 76 |
| 4. Navy | 54 |
| 5. Bucknell | 52 |
| 6. Army | 50 |
| 7. Colgate | 22 |
| 8. Lafayette | 21 |
Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Michelle Kirk, American
Erin Anthony, Army
Briana McFadden, Holy Cross
Erica Prosser, Lehigh (Player of the Year)
Alex Ross, Lehigh
Connecting with the Community
Bucknell spent a lot of time in the community last winter. Among their activities, the Bison spent an afternoon playing basketball and other games with children at the Donald Heiter Community Center, and visited with families at the Danville Ronald McDonald House and residents at the RiverWoods senior living community. The team regularly officiates games for Upward Youth Basketball as well.
In the (Pink) Zone
The Bison will again be joining the national effort to promote the fight against breast cancer. Last season, Bucknell hosted a Pink Zone Night when it played Holy Cross on February 14. Bucknell players wore pink t-shirts during warm-ups, with two of those shirts being autographed by the team and auctioned on BucknellBison.com. More than 30 of the same shirts were also tossed into the stands during the game.
In 2009-10, those efforts will continue when the Bison welcome American on Feb. 10. Among the planned activities is another t-shirt giveaway, sponsored by Evangelical Community Hospital. The Bison are very pleased to be teaming up with Evangelical's Women's Resource Center to help spotlight breast cancer and promote women's health.
Up Next
Bucknell will return to Lewisburg for its home opener vs. Penn State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19. The contest at Sojka Pavilion will be an Orange Out Game.
