Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball 2/25/2019 1:36:00 PM Bob Shreve, Sports Information Director

Four Seniors to be Honored Prior to Showdown with No. 8 IUP

Allison Thompson is one of four seniors who will be honored on Senior Night.

No. 8 INDIANA(PA) Crimson Hawks (22-2, 17-2 PSAC West) at EDINBORO Fighting Scots (19-6, 14-5 PSAC West)
Wednesday, February 27, 2019, 7:30 PM | McComb Fieldhouse | Edinboro, Pa.
LINKS: LIVE STATS | AUDIO-WFSE 88.9 l WATCH

ADDITIONAL LINKS
EDINBORO: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
IUP: ROSTER | S CHEDULE | STATS

The Game Story

It's Senior Night at Edinboro, with the Fighting Scots hosting an Indiana(Pa.) squad that comes in ranked eighth in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and 12th in the D2SIDA Top 25. Edinboro has run off five straight wins to improve to 19-6 overall and have a 14-5 record in the PSAC West. First-year head coach Callie Wheeler has guided the Scots to a tenth straight PSAC Tournament berth. They now seek win number 20, which would be the ninth straight year with 20-or-more wins. IUP saw its seven-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 73-65 loss at 18^th-ranked California(Pa.). The Crimson Hawks are 22-2 overall and 17-2 in the PSAC, with both losses coming to California(Pa.). Edinboro was picked first in the PSAC West preseason poll, while IUP was second. The Crimson Hawks were ranked first in the initial NCAA Atlantic Region rankings, while Edinboro was sixth.
Five of the six spots in the PSAC Tournament have been determined. Indiana(Pa.) is first at 17-2, with California(Pa.) second at 16-3, and Edinboro third at 16-5. The Fighting Scots are the defending PSAC champions and have clinched a home playoff game. They can finish no worse than third in the PSAC West, and are assured of a home game, either in the first round or quarterfinals. The top two teams in each division receive first round byes, with the third and fourth place teams hosting first round contests. Edinboro needs to win its last two games, vs. IUP and at Mercyhurst, and Cal must lose its last two games at Seton Hill and at Clarion, to move up to second place. Edinboro swept the regular season series with the Vulcans. Seton Hill (10-9) and Pitt-Johnstown (9-11) have also clinched playoff berths. Gannon (8-11), Slippery Rock (8-12), and Mercyhurst (6-13) are battling for the final playoff spots.
Four seniors will make their final home regular season appearances at McComb Fieldhouse on Wednesday. The foursome of Michelle Jahn, Ciara Rosten, Allison Thompson, and Jontay Walton have enjoyed great success as a team and individually. Over the last four years, Edinboro has an 87-29 record, making the PSAC Tournament all four years. Jahn and Thompson have played all four years at Edinboro, while Rosten and Walton transferred in and have played three seasons. All told, they have combined for 3,976 points as Fighting Scots.
Edinboro's 'Fab Four' of Michaela Barnes, Jahn, Rosten and Walton once again led the way in Saturday's 88-69 win over Clarion. The Fighting Scots jumped out to a 50-23 lead and coasted to their fifth straight win and ninth in the last ten games. Barnes led the way with her first career double-double, with 24 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. She handed out eight assists to fall two assists shy of a triple-double. Rosten added 22 points.
Edinboro leads the PSAC in scoring offense at 79.2 ppg. with Indiana(Pa.) second at 78.3 ppg. The Fighting Scots have scored 80-or-more points on 14 occasions. They rank 12th in the conference in scoring defense at 69.2 ppg., while IUP boasts the top figure at 52.8 ppg., which ranks seventh in Division II. The Crimson Hawks are limiting opponents to an incredible 33.9 percent shooting, tops in the PSAC and fourth in Division II.

On the Radio/Video

The Edinboro-IUP game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Madi Gross and Chase Rowland providing the commentary. The game can also be viewed live as part of the PSAC Network.

All-Time Series vs. Indiana(Pa.)

Edinboro leads 49-44
First Meeting: 1970-71 – Indiana(Pa.) 62, Edinboro 48
Last Meeting: 2018-19 – Indiana(Pa.) 97, Edinboro 73.
Current Streak: IUP has won 10 of the last 11 contests.
Wheeler vs. Indiana(Pa.): 0-1

Last Meeting
January 21, 2019 – No. 1 IUP 97, Edinboro 73 at Indiana, Pa. - BOX | RECAP

The contest featured the top two scoring teams in the PSAC, with Indiana(Pa.) ranked first and Edinboro in second. The top-ranked Crimson Hawks came out on fire, making seven 3-pointers in the first quarter and jumping out to a 31-15 after 10 minutes.
IUP would hold a 50-33 lead at the half, but Edinboro would trim IUP's lead to 13 points at 59-46 midway through the third period. That's as close the Fighting Scots came the rest of the game as IUP responded with the next six points.
Edinboro shot 40.6 percent from the floor (26-of-64), making 8-of-30 3-pointers, and was 13-of-18 at the free throw line. Indiana(Pa.) ended the night at 51.9 percent overall (41-of-79), including 10-of-23 from behind the arc, and made 5-of-11 free throws.
The Crimson Hawks won the battle on the boards, 44-36. They also scored 27 points off 16 Edinboro turnovers, compared to seven points for the Fighting Scots on six giveaways.
Michaela Barnes paced Edinboro with 23 points, while Ciara Rosten and Jontay Walton scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Lauren Wolosik paced the Crimson Hawks with 33 points, 10 assists, and four steals. She shot 14-of-18 from the floor and was 5-of-9 on 3-pointers. Carolyn Appleby contributed 23 points, and Kendall Hunter came off the bench to add 10 points.

Head Coach: Callie Wheeler (Edinboro '06) -- 19-6, 1st year

Callie Wheeler was officially named Edinboro's fifth head coach on May 23, 2018, replacing long-time head coach Stan Swank. The former Edinboro standout served as Swank's assistant coach for the previous 11 years before assuming the head coaching duties. Edinboro enjoyed great success during Wheeler's 11 seasons at Swank's side, posting a 239-86 record in her 11 seasons on the bench. That includes a string of eight straight 20-win seasons, including last year when the Fighting Scots ended the season with a 27-4 record. Edinboro won its fourth PSAC Championship in her 11 years and went on to reach the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional semifinals. It marked the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in her tenure as assistant coach, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2013-14.
Any doubts of Wheeler's ability to take over as head coach were alleviated when Wheeler filled in for a pair of games in late January last year. With Swank away from the team for his father's funeral, Wheeler guided the Fighting Scots to a 74-52 win at Slippery Rock, followed by a 73-54 victory over a Mercyhurst team, which had defeated California (Pa.) in its previous game.
Wheeler played for the Fighting Scots from 2002-06, and ranks as one of the all-time greatest players in Edinboro history. She became Edinboro's sixth Kodak/WBCA All-American as she earned honorable mention All-American honors. That capped a brilliant senior season in which she was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and was a first-team All-PSAC West selection. In addition, she was selected as the Nancy Acker Award winner in 2006.
The 5'5" guard finished as Edinboro's second-leading scorer at 12.5 ppg. as a senior, and also added 5.1 rpg. More importantly, she set a school record with 249 assists while turning the ball over just 89 times. She led the PSAC in both assists and steals, finishing with 95 in the latter category.
Edinboro had had just one triple-double in its history prior to 2005-06 when Wheeler accomplished the fete twice. The first came against Seton Hill (20 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists), followed by 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in her final home appearance vs. Shippensburg.
As a junior, Wheeler earned second-team All-PSAC West accolades, after averaging 10.4 ppg. and handing out 225 assists, along with recording 91 steals. The assists rank third all-time. She led the Fighting Scots to a 21-10 record that season, along with the team's first berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 1998.
Wheeler likely ranks at the top in a long line of standout point guards at Edinboro. While not taking over as the starter until her junior season, she concluded her career with 682 assists, despite missing the final seven games of the 2003-04 campaign due to an injury. That figure is second all-time in the PSAC. In addition, Wheeler finished with 283 career steals, a figure which ranks fourth all-time at Edinboro. She fell just shy of reaching 1,000 points for her career, finishing with 932.
The Iorfido name (Wheeler's maiden name) is well known in Edinboro Athletics, where her family has had quite an impact. Her father, Rich, was a standout linebacker for the Edinboro football team from 1970-72 and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in April 2007. Callie joined her father as a member of the Edinboro Hall of Fame in October 2016. Younger sister Mandie was a standout catcher on the softball team, and a two-time All-PSAC West performer.

Scouting the Fighting Scots

Edinboro made it five straight wins and nine in the last ten games with an 88-69 win over Clarion on Saturday. It marked the 14^th time that the PSAC's top scoring team scored 80-or-more points. Edinboro is 19-6 overall and 14-5 in the PSAC West, and is one win shy of a ninth straight 20-win campaign. The Fighting Scots have qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the tenth straight year. The initial NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings were released last Wednesday, with Edinboro sitting in sixth place. The top eight teams in the region following the conference tournaments will comprise the Atlantic Regional.
The Fab Four of Michelle Jahn, Jontay Walton, Michaela Barnes, and Ciara Rosten have combined for 4,955 career points at Edinboro. It is the first time an Edinboro team has had four 1,000-point scorers at the same time. Jahn has 1,345 career points, with Walton at 1,274 points, Barnes 1,192, and Rosten 1,144. Jahn is 13th in career scoring, Walton is 17th, Barnes stands 23rd, and Rosten is 29th.
Edinboro showcases two of the top scorers in the PSAC in Barnes and Walton. Barnes ranks fourth in the conference and 16th in Division II at 20.8 ppg., while Walton is averaging 18.2 ppg., good for sixth in the PSAC. The two guards have been frequent visitors at the free throw line, with Walton making 124-of-147 (84.4 pct.) and Barnes making 137-of-162 (84.6 pct.). Barnes is first and Walton third in the conference in free throw shooting. A 5'5" guard, Barnes is shooting 53.0 percent from the field (183-of-345), good for fifth in the PSAC. She has scored 20-or-more points in each of the last five games, and her 519 points is 15^th in a season. Barnes picked up another honor last week, being named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America All-District 2 Team. Barnes is an HPE – Human Performance major with a 3.51 GPA. Walton, a 5'6" guard, stands third in the PSAC in steals (2.8 per game), fourth in assists (4.6 per game), second in 3-point field goal percentage (37.3 pct.), and tied for ninth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0), making 50-of-134. Walton finished with eight points vs. Clarion, the first time this season she did not score in double figures. It snapped a string of 40 games dating back to last season.
Ciara Rosten is once again a dominant player in the post despite battling injuries that have forced the 6'2" senior to miss four contests. She comes in averaging 14.1 ppg. after dropping in 22 points against Clarion, along with a team-leading 8.1 rpg., good for sixth in the PSAC. She stands eighth in career rebounds (740) and second in career-blocked shots (221). The reigning PSAC West Athlete of the Year and Defensive Athlete of the Year ranks second in the PSAC in blocks per game (2.5) and in total blocks (53).
Michelle Jahn provides Edinboro with a third standout at guard. The 5'7" senior is averaging 11.1 ppg. and has made 50-of-150 3-pointers. She is eighth in the PSAC in 3-point field goal percentage (33.3 pct.) and tied for ninth in 3-pointers made per game (2.0). Jahn ranks second in career 3-pointers made (246) and career 3-pointers attempted (699), and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (35.2 pct.).
• Bridgette Shaffer provides the Fighting Scots with another deadly outside threat, and though just 5'8", is averaging 6.9 rpg., good for 16th in the PSAC. The redshirt junior is averaging 8.1 ppg. and has made 43-of-101 3-pointers.

The Fab Four

The foursome of Michaela Barnes, Michelle Jahn, Ciara Rosten, and Jontay Walton have all scored 1,000 career points at Edinboro. It's the first time an Edinboro team has had four 1,000-point scorers at the same time. All told, they have combined for almost 5,000 points. Here's where they rank in Edinboro's career statistics:

Michaela Barnes

Scoring 23rd (1,192)
Free Throws Made – 10^th (285)

Michelle Jahn

Scoring – 13th (1,345)
3-Point Field Goals Made – 2^nd (246)
3-Point Field Goals Attempted – 2^nd (699)
Games Played – T10 (115)

Ciara Rosten

Scoring – 29^th (1,144)
Rebounds – 8^th (740)
Blocked Shots – 2^nd (221)

Jontay Walton

Scoring – 17^th (1,274)
Free Throws Made – 7^th (330)
Free Throws Attempted – 10^th (412)
3-Point Field Goals Made – T11^th (122)
3-Point Field Goals Attempted - 13^th (331)
Assists – 16^th (290)
Steals – 15^th (204)

Scouting the Crimson Hawks

Indiana(Pa.) is 22-2 overall and 17-2 in the PSAC West, with both losses coming to California(Pa.). The second was a 73-65 setback on Saturday to the 18^th-ranked Vulcans, snapping a seven-game winning streak. After one point being ranked first in the WBCA Division II Top 25, the Crimson Hawks fell from third to eight this week, along with 12th in the D2SIDA Top 25. They were also first in the initial NCAA Atlantic Region rankings.
IUP head coach Tom McConnell is 140-36 in six seasons as head coach. He is two victories shy of becoming the program's all-time winningest coach with 142. Jan Kiger holds the record with 141 wins. McConnell has led the Crimson Hawks to one 30 and four 20- win seasons in six years, with four NCAA tournament appearances and two PSAC West regular season titles, along with a PSAC tournament crown. Last season, he guided the Crimson Hawks to a school record 30 wins, as IUP finished at 30-4. After advancing to the PSAC Final Four, they won their first Atlantic Region championship in program history. After punching their ticket to the Elite Eight, they fell in the semifinals to national runner-up Ashland, 92-68.
IUP features four players in double figures, led by senior Carolyn Appleby, The 5'5" guard averages 17.7 ppg. and also leads the team in steals (46), while ranking second in assists (90). She has ten 20-point games this season and ranks third in career scoring with 1,542 points. She is also seventh in 3-pointers made with 152, and eighth in career assists with 363. Appleby is a two-time All-PSAC West selection.
Lauren Wolosik adds 12.2 ppg. and a team-leading 122 assists with just 40 turnovers. The 5'9" redshirt senior leads the PSAC in assists per game (6.4). in nine games. She has 1,166 career points and 477 career assists, the latter figure ranking second at IUP.
Brittany Robinson adds 11.4 ppg., while Lexi Griggs boosted her scoring average to 11.3 ppg. thanks to a career-high 28 points against Cal. The two are tied for the team lead in rebounds at 6.3 rpg. Robinson, a senior forward, is third in program history with 162 blocks. Robinson and Griggs rank first and second in the PSAC in field goal percentage at 59.6 percent and 58.1 percent, respectively.

Next for the Fighting Scots

Edinboro concludes the regular season with a short trek up I-79 to face local rival Mercyhurst on Saturday, March 2. Tipoff at the MAC is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Fighting Scots won the first meeting between the two schools, 80-70, on January 30 at McComb Fieldhouse.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes: G; 5' 5"; Junior

#20 Michelle Jahn: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#15 Ciara Rosten: F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#1 Bridgette Shaffer: G/F; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

#32 Allison Thompson: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Jontay Walton: G; 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G

#20 Michelle Jahn
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#15 Ciara Rosten
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: F

#1 Bridgette Shaffer
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: G/F

#32 Allison Thompson
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#5 Jontay Walton
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student
: G

Edinboro University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Four Seniors to be Honored Prior to Showdown with No. 8 IUP

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton