Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball 2/28/2019 3:56:00 PM Bob Shreve, Sports Information Director

Fighting Scots Will Prep for Postseason Action with Meeting at Local Rival Mercyhurst

EDINBORO Fighting Scots (19-7, 14-6 PSAC West) at MERCYHURST Lakers (10-17, 7-13 PSAC West)
Saturday, March 2, 2019, 1:00 PM | Mercyhurst Athletic Center | Erie, Pa.
LINKS: LIVE STATS | AUDIO-WFSE 88.9 l WATCH

ADDITIONAL LINKS
EDINBORO: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
MERCYHURST: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS

The Game Story

Edinboro will look to start another winning streak, hopefully one that reaches deep into the postseason, after seeing its five-game winning streak snapped by eighth-ranked Indiana(Pa.) on Wednesday. The Fighting Scots come into the regular season finale at 19-7 overall and have a 14-6 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. The Fighting Scots are ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings, with the top eight teams following the conference tournaments making the NCAA Division II Championships. Mercyhurst will wrap up the season on Saturday, and currently has a 10-17 overall mark, along with 7-13 in league play.
The six spots in the PSAC Tournament have been determined, although the final two seeds are still to be determined. Indiana(Pa.) will be the number one seed with an 18-2 record, with California(Pa.) second at 16-4, Edinboro third at 14-6, and Seton Hill fourth at 11-9. Gannon (9-11) and Pitt-Johnstown (9-12) have clinched the final two spots, but their seeds will depend on the outcome of Gannon's game at Slippery Rock on Saturday. A Gannon win secures the fifth seed, with UPJ seeded sixth. Should Gannon lose, the Lady Knight fall to sixth and UPJ captures the fifth seed. The Fighting Scots are the defending PSAC champions and have clinched a home playoff game. They will host the sixth seed, either Gannon or Pitt-Johnstown, in a PSAC First Round Playoff game on Monday, March 4. That contest will tip off at 5:30 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse. The winner moves on to Wednesday's PSAC Quarterfinal at California(Pa.).
Edinboro is led by the Fab Four of Michaela Barnes, Michelle Jahn, Ciara Rosten, and Jontay Walton. All four have scored 1,000 points in their careers at Edinboro, with Barnes, Rosten, and Walton reaching the plateau this year. It marks the first time an Edinboro team has had four 1,000-point scorers on the same team. All told, the foursome has combined for 4,994 career points.
Edinboro ranks second in the PSAC and 14^th in Division II in scoring offense at 78.5 ppg. The Fighting Scots have scored 80-or-more points on 14 occasions. They rank 12th in the conference in scoring defense at 69.9 ppg. Mercyhurst comes in at 67.1 ppg., ranking 11^th in the PSAC. The Lakers rank 14^th in scoring defense at 70.9 ppg.

On the Radio/Video

The Edinboro-Mercyhurst game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Chris Rosato and Tommy Taylor providing the commentary. The game can also be viewed live as part of the PSAC Network.

All-Time Series vs. Mercyhurst

Edinboro leads 52-12
First Meeting: 1970-71 – Edinboro 64, Mercyhurst 57
Last Meeting: 2018-19 – Edinboro 80, Mercyhurst 70
Current Streak: Edinboro has won 14 of the last 15 meetings.
Wheeler vs. Mercyhurst: 1-0

Last Meeting
January 30, 2019 – Edinboro 80, Mercyhurst 70 at Edinboro, Pa. - BOX | RECAP

The night belonged to Michaela Barnes. The junior guard dropped in 35 points, in the process becoming the fourth player on this year's team with 1,000 career points, to lead Edinboro to a win over Mercyhurst for the 14^th time in the last 15 meetings. Barnes made 10-of-15 field goals, with a 3-pointer, and went 14-of-15 at the line.
The Fighting Scots almost needed every one of those points, as Mercyhurst closed a 13-point deficit (70-57) with 2:45 remaining to four points at 72-68 a minute-and-a-half later. Edinboro would run off the next six points, with Barnes and Jontay Walton each making 3-of-4 free throws.
Walton would finish with 14 points, while Ciara Rosten added 11. Edinboro would end the game shooting 48.0 percent from the floor (24-of-50), including 8-of-23 on 3-pointers.
The Fighting Scots were 24-of-28 from the charity stripe. Mercyhurst came in at 39.3 percent from the floor (24-of-61), making 6-of-17 3-pointers, and went 16-of-19 at the line.
Mercyhurst had five players in double figures, led by Eliza Oswalt and Amber Renz with 11 points apiece. Emily Shopene, Lauren Lapertosa, and Jenna Kunst added 10 points each.

Head Coach: Callie Wheeler (Edinboro '06) -- 19-7, 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 saw its five game winning streak come to an end with an 88-60 loss to eigth-ranked Indiana(Pa.). The Fighting Scots are 19-7 overall and 14-6 in the PSAC West, and are 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 second NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings were released on Wednesday, with Edinboro remaining 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 4,994 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 tied for 16th, Barnes stands 22nd, 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 17.7 ppg., good for eighth in the PSAC. The two guards have been frequent visitors at the free throw line, with Walton making 125-of-149 (83.9 pct.) and Barnes making 145-of-170 (85.3 pct.). Barnes is first and Walton third in the conference in free throw shooting, with 145 made free throws tied for seventh at Edinboro. A 5'5" guard, Barnes is shooting 52.5 percent from the field (189-of-360), good for fifth in the PSAC. She has scored 20-or-more points in each of the last six games, and her 540 points is 11^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 (2.7 per game), fourth in assists (4.5 per game), and tied for ninth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0), making 51-of-139. Walton finished with eight points last Saturday 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 13.9 ppg., along with a team-leading 7.9 rpg., good for eighth in the PSAC. She stands eighth in career rebounds (743) 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 (2.4) and in total blocks (53).
Michelle Jahn provides Edinboro with a third standout at guard. The 5'7" senior is averaging 10.8 ppg. and has made 51-of-153 3-pointers. She is tied for ninth in 3-pointers made per game (2.0). Jahn ranks second in career 3-pointers made (247) and career 3-pointers attempted (702), 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 6.7 rpg., good for 17th in the PSAC. The redshirt junior is averaging 7.9 ppg. and has made 44-of-104 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 22nd (1,213)
Free Throws Made – 10^th (293)

Michelle Jahn

Scoring – 13th (1,350)
3-Point Field Goals Made – 2^nd (247)
3-Point Field Goals Attempted – 2^nd (702)
Games Played – T9th (116)

Ciara Rosten

Scoring – 29^th (1,153)
Rebounds – 8^th (743)
Blocked Shots – 2^nd (221)

Jontay Walton

Scoring – T16^th (1,278)
Free Throws Made – 7^th (331)
Free Throws Attempted – 10^th (414)
3-Point Field Goals Made – 11^th (123)
3-Point Field Goals Attempted - 13^th (336)
Assists – 16^th (293)
Steals – 15^th (205)

Scouting the Lakers

Mercyhurst has battled injuries throughout the year, leading to a reduced roster. The Lakers come in with an 10-17 overall record and 7-12 mark in the division after picking up a 60-57 win at Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday. Emily Shopene made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to clinch the victory. The Lakers have won just two of their last nine games, but those wins have come against Seton hill and Pitt-Johnstown.
Head coach Deanna Richard is in her 12th season at Mercyhurst, showing a 145-197 record. Richard previously spent six seasons as the head coach at Olivet, and has a career record of 198-289 in her 18th season as a head coach. In 2016-17, she led Mercyhurst to its best record in over 20 years at 24-8.
Two double-figure scorers remain on the team, led by Nicolette Newman at 12.2 ppg. A former transfer from Cleveland State, the 5'7" junior guard has made a team-high 39 3-pointers in 125 attempts. Newman is one of seven players who has made 10-or-more 3-pointers. Mercyhurst is fourth in the PSAC in 3-pointers made per game (6.9), with Edinboro third at 7.6. Newman is also fifth in the PSAC in steals per game at 2.4. Amber Renz, a 5'10" junior forward, adds 11.3 ppg.
Emily Shopene is the lone Laker to start all 27 contests. A 5'7" sophomore guard, she averages 8.8 ppg. with a team-high 107 assists. The latter figure ranks fifth in the PSAC (4.0 apg.).
Mercyhurst ranks 11th in the PSAC in scoring offense (67.1 ppg.) and is 14^th in scoring defense (70.9 ppg.).

Next for the Fighting Scots

Edinboro will host a PSAC Tournament first round game on Monday, March 4. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse. The Fighting Scots are the third seed, and will host the sixth, either Gannon or Pitt-Johnstown.
The Fighting Scots split the season series with the two schools. Oddly enough, the visiting team won on each occasion.
The winner of Monday's first round game will play at California(Pa.), the number two seed, on Wednesday, March 6.

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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

#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

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

Edinboro University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Fighting Scots Will Prep for Postseason Action with Meeting at Local Rival Mercyhurst

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#5 Jontay Walton

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#5 Jontay Walton