BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University women's basketball team will host the 19th Steel Club Classic in Johnston Hall on Friday and Saturday, December 30-31. The tournament was held for 13 consecutive years before taking two years off after a change in the Landmark Conference schedule.
The tournament resumed in December 2016 but was cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic. For just the third time in tournament history, there will not be a consolation and championship game in 2022. The other two tournaments that did not have set contests were the first one in 2002 when weather forced a schedule change, and last season when five teams participated due to COVID issues with originally scheduled programs. This year also marks the first time the tournament has been held twice in a calendar year with last season's tournament taking place in January,
The host Greyhounds are 27-5 all-time in the Steel Club Classic with 11 tournaent titles. The other three squads - City College of New York, DeSales University and University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) - are all making their tournament debuts. With the Hounds and the Bulldogs already playing this year, they will not face-off but instead will both play the Beavers and the Blue Jays with DeSales playing the early games both days at noon on Friday versus Saint Joseph and 11:00 a.m. Saturday against CCNY. Moravian will play the Beavers on Friday at 2:00 p.m. and the Blue Jays at 1:00 p.m.
Moravian heads into the tournament with a record of 5-5 and a 0-1 slate in Landmark Conference action. Greyhounds' Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk is in her 36th season with the Greyhounds and is bringing a career record of 630-321.
The Greyhounds are being led by graduate student forward Tessa Zamolyi, who is averaging 14.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in her first year with the program. Zamolyi has also contributed 15 assists, 12 steals, eight blocked shots and six three-pointers. Graduate student forward Kayla Yoegel is netting 14.5 points per contest to go along with 5.4 rebounds per outing, 14 steals, 13 assists, nine three-pointers and a trio of blocked shots while junior forward Sam Osorio has averages of 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to go along with 14 blocked shots and 10 steals.
Senior guard Morgan Amy is tossing in 7.6 points per outing while leading the Hounds with 45 assists to go along with 28 rebounds, 10 steals and eight three-pointers. Sophomore forward Brielle Guarente is contributing 6.3 points per outing with 35 rebounds, 22 assists, 13 steals and five blocked shots while senior forward Emily Markowski is netting 5.1 points per game with 38 rebounds, 18 assists, 13 steals and five blocked shots.
Senior guard Ashley Robinson has added 30 points, 17 rebounds and six assists this season while junior guard Reganne Flannery has 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Freshman guard Jayda Cartagena has 16 points, five boards and five assists while sophomore guard Mikayla Anderson has added eight points and eight reounds for Moravian.
City College New York from New York, New York comes to Bethlehem with a 2-7 record after playing on Wednesday to end an 16-day break. The Beavers compete in the City University of New York Athletic Conference and are 0-1 in conference action this season. CCNY is headed by Varrell Eddie, who is in his first season.
Junior forward Monae Laing leads the Beavers with averages of 10.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game to go along with 14 assists, 14 steals and three blocked shots while sophomore guard Masia Morrison is adding 9.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest with 14 steals, 12 three-pointers and nine assists. Freshman guard/forward Anna Vikatos is contributing 8.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per outing to go along with 24 blocked shots, 23 assists, 16 steals and eight three-pointers while freshman Joscelyn Ramos is scoring 5.6 points per game with 17 rebounds, 10 steals and eight assists.
Sophomore guard Leondra Craig has averages of 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest with 15 steals, eight assists and three three-pointers while sophomore guard/forward Fatoumata Nantoume has added 15 points, 13 rebounds and a pair of steals. Freshman forward Noemy Santan has recorded nine rebounds, eight points and three steals while freshman guard Eyoni Mayes has six points, six rebounds and four assists and freshman guard Odalis Garcia has five points and three boards for the Beavers.
DeSales University, located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania enters the tournament with a 10-0 record and ranked 12th in the nation in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. The Bulldogs compete in the MAC Freedom Conference and are 4-0 in conference action this season. DeSales is headed by Fred Richter, who is in his 33rd season.
Senior guard/forward Megan Bealer leads the Bulldogs with averages of 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game to go along with 32 steals, 29 assists, eight three-pointers and four blocked shots while junior forward Mikaela Reese is contributing 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per outing with 29 blocked shots, 26 steals and 16 assists. Junior guard Lindsey Welsh is adding 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per outing with 27 steals, 25 assists, 16 three-pointers and four blocked shots while junior forward Abigail Rafferty has averages of 9.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game with 25 assists, 14 steals and 14 blocked shots.
Junior guard Amelia Saunders is scoring 6.2 points per outing to go with 39 rebounds, 22 steals, 17 assists and 12 three-pointers while freshman guard Mikaili Donmoyer is netting 5.1 points per contest with eight three-pointers, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Senior guard Maria Newsome is adding 5.0 points er game with 27 assists, 18 steals, 14 rebounds and six three-pointers while junior forward Olivia Scotti has 44 points, 35 rebounds, six steals and five assists. Freshman guard Emily Evans has 30 points, 21 rebounds and eight steals in her debut season while senior guard Grace Kelleher has added 24 assists, 19 points, 10 steals and nine rebounds.
The University of Saint Joseph from West Hartford, Connecticut comes to Bethlehem with 6-2 record, and the Blue Jays have had the longest break, last competing on December 10. The Blue Jays compete in the Great Northwast Athletic Conference and are 2-1 this winter. USJ is led by Wendy Davis, who is in her fifth season.
Junior guard/forward Jordan Ouellette leads the Blue Jays with averages of 16.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game to go along with 21 assists, seven steals and five blocked shots while sophomore guard Maya Slisz is contributing 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest with 14 steals and 11 assists. Senior guard Amanda Fudge is netting 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing with 14 assists and seven steals but she has been limited to three games.
Senior guard Taylor Verboven is adding 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with 25 assists, nine steals and four three-pointers while freshman guard Jordan Farrell is scoring 7.5 points per contest with 11 assists and six steals. Junior forward Olivia Heslin has averages of 6.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per outing with 17 assists, 10 steals and six blocked shots while sophomore guard/forward Janai Oliver has 30 points, 24 rebounds, seven steals, four assists and four blocked shots. Junior guard Jelly Frigo has 32 points, 36 rebounds, 18 assists, 11 steals, four three-pointers and a trio of blocked shots while junior guard Khalise Harris 24 rebounds, 18 points, five assists and five steals in two games due to injury.
