Chris Slack

Women's Basketball 2/4/2019 1:53:00 PM Trey Staunch, Sports Information Intern

Edinboro in Search of Fifth Straight Win in Final Game of Homestand vs. Pitt-Johnstown

Edinboro wraps up a four-game homestand on Wednesday, as they host Pitt-Johnstown. The Fighting Scots have played their last non-conference game of the season and now wrap up the 2018-19 campaign with eight straight PSAC West contests. On Saturday, the backcourt duo of Michaela Barnes and Jontay Walton were too much for the Salem Tigers, as they scored 32 and 31 points, respectively, in an 86-77 victory. The win improved the Fighting Scots to 14-5 overall and 10-4 in the PSAC West.
The Fighting Scots enter Wednesday's game riding a four-game winning streak. They rank third in the Western Division standings and are ninth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll. Pitt-Johnstown comes into the contest ranked seventh in the Western Division standings. The Mountain Cats are 10-11 overall and 6-8 in the PSAC West following Saturday's 59-40 loss to Gannon.
Four of the top 11 scorers in the PSAC will be on the floor Wednesday night. Michaela Barnes comes in ranked fifth at 20.1ppg, with her backcourt partner Jontay Walton ranked sixth at 18.6 ppg for the Fighting Scots. For UPJ, Gabrielle Smith ranks fifth in scoring at 20.1 ppg., while Alli McGrath is 11th at 17.4 ppg.
With the 86-77 victory over Salem Saturday afternoon, first-year head coach Callie Wheeler has now matched the record for most wins by a first-year coach at Edinboro. Stan Swank's 1988-89 team won 14 games. In addition, the victory was a nice present on Wheeler's birthday.
On the career-scoring list, Michelle Jahn ranks 15th with 1,308 points, Walton is 27th at 1,171, Ciara Rosten stands 31st with 1,037, and Barnes joined the group recently with 1,055. All told, the foursome have combined for 4,571 career points at Edinboro.
A year ago, the Fighting Scots finished with a 27-4 record, winning the PSAC championship and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. Four starters return from that squad. All-American Ciara Rosten leads the way. The 6'2" senior was an honorable mention WBCA All-American, while also being named the PSAC West Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Rosten, Jontay Walton was a first-team All-PSAC West choice, while Michelle Jahn and Michaela Barnes were second-team selections.
Edinboro ranks second in the PSAC and 12th in Division II in scoring offense, averaging 79.4 ppg., and is ninth in the conference in defense at 69.3 ppg. In addition, the Fighting Scots lead the PSAC in 3-point field goals made (8.0 per game) and free throw percentage (76.6 pct.) while ranking second in 3-point field goal percentage (35.3 pct.).

On the Radio/Video

The Edinboro-Pitt-Johnstown game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9. The game can also be viewed live as part of the PSAC Network.

All-Time Series vs. Pitt-Johnstown
Edinboro leads 17-10
First Meeting: 1978-79 – Edinboro 89, Pitt-Johnstown 58
Last Meeting: 2018-19, Edinboro 68, Pitt-Johnstown 63
Current Streak: Edinboro has won the last 12 contests
Wheeler vs. Pitt-Johnstown: 1-0

LAST MEETING
January 12, 2019 – Edinboro 68, Pitt-Johnstown 63 at Johnstown, Pa. -- Box Score | Recap

In a game that featured 14 lead changes and seven ties, Edinboro rallied from an eight-point deficit at 52-44 early in the fourth quarter behind a huge performance from Jontay Walton.
Walton scored the first 22 points of the quarter for the Fighting Scots before Michaela Barnes clinched the win with a pair of free throws, the only points not scored by Walton in the quarter.
Edinboro started the period on a 9-0 run, on a traditional Walton 3-point play, followed by back-to-back 3-pointers. The second three put Edinboro on top at 53-52. It was the Fighting Scots' first lead since 17-16 early in the second quarter.
UPJ would retake the lead at 57-56 with 1:47 left on Gabrielle Smith's basket, but a minute later Walton gave the Scots the lead for good at 59-57 with a 3-pointer.
Walton finished with a career-high 38 points plus eight steals. Bridgette Shaffer added 12 points. Smith paced UPJ with 20 points and eight rebounds.

Head Coach: Callie Wheeler (Edinboro '06) -- 14-5, 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

The Fighting Scots wrap up a four-game homestand against Pitt-Johnstown. They have made the most of that stretch, winning the first three contests after starting a four-game winning streak with a win at Clarion. The fourth win was an 86-77 triumph on Saturday against Salem. The victory allowed head coach Callie Wheeler to celebrate her birthday. In addition, she tied Stan Swank's record for most wins by a first-year coach with her 14th victory.
Saturday's win featured 32 points by Michaela Barnes and 31 from Jontay Walton. With post players Ciara Rosten and Allison Thompson sitting out the game with injuries, Michelle Jahn and Bridgette Shaffer stepped up to do a yeoman's job on the boards. Facing a much bigger Salem lineup, Edinboro actually outrebounded the Tigers, 42-38. Jahn pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds while recording her second double-double of the season with 13 points. Shaffer added 11 rebounds, the sixth time this season the 5'8" swingman has had 10-or-more rebounds in a game this year.
Edinboro showcases two of the top six scorers in the PSAC in Michaela Barnes and Jontay Walton. Barnes comes into the game ranked fifth at 20.1 ppg., while Walton is averaging 18.6 ppg., good for sixth. Both have been frequent visitors to the free throw line, with Barnes making 105-of-127 and Walton 111-of-130. Walton is second in the conference in free throw percentage (85.4 pct.), with Barnes sixth (82.7 pct.). A 5'5" guard, Barnes is shooting 52.8 percent from the field (133-of-252), tied for fifth in the PSAC. Walton, a 5'6" guard, stands fourth in the PSAC in steals (2.7 per game), fourth in assists (4.5 per game), fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (37.0 pct.), and is tenth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0). Walton has scored in double figures in all 19 games this season, and Edinboro's last 35 games dating back to last season.
Michelle Jahn provides Edinboro with a third standout at guard. The 5'7" senior is averaging 12.6 ppg. and is the team's top 3-point threat with 46 in 122 attempts. She is first in the PSAC in 3-point field goal percentage (37.7 pct.) and fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.4). In addition, she stands sixth in free throw percentage (83.3 pct.). Jahn ranks second in career 3-pointers made (242) and career 3-pointers attempted (671), and is sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.361).
Ciara Rosten has battled injuries this season, missing four contests, but comes in averaging 12.7 ppg. and a team-leading 7.8 rpg., good for sixth in the PSAC. She stands 13th in career rebounds (686) and second in career blocked shots (205). 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 (37).
Bridgette Shaffer provides the Fighting Scots with another deadly outside threat, and though just 5'8", is averaging 7.5 rpg., good for 11th in the PSAC. The redshirt junior is averaging 8.5 ppg. and has made 35-of-84 3-pointers.

Scouting the Mountain Cats

Pitt-Johnstown has suffered three straight losses following Saturday's 59-40 setback to Gannon. Scoring has been an issue for the Mountain Cats, as they come in averaging 65.0 ppg., 14th in the PSAC. They rank seventh in the conference in scoring defense (66.5 ppg.). UPJ has a 10-11 overall record.
Head coach Mike Drahos looks to lead UPJ to its second appearance in the PSAC Tournament. The Mountain Cats are currently 6-8 in the Western Division, just one game back of the final spot for the PSAC Tournament. They last appeared in the tournament in 2014.
Former Fighting Scot standout Dr. Reneé Brown serves as UPJ's assistant coach. Playing at Edinboro from 2008-12, Brown was a three-time PSAC West selection, earning first team accolades two times and second team recognition once. She was also named the 2008-09 PSAC West Freshman of the Year. Brown finished her career scoring 1,430 points, good for eighth all-time, and grabbed 735 rebounds, which ranks seventh.
Like Edinboro, UPJ features a solid one-two scoring punch. Gabrielle Smith ranks fifth in the PSAC in scoring at 20.1 ppg., while Allie McGrath is 11th at 17.4 ppg. Smith, a 6'0" junior, adds 6.6 rpg, as she is currently ranked 17th in the PSAC. She has been to the free throw line an incredible 207 times, making 164 (79.2 pct.).
McGrath is a 5'10" junior who began her career at the Univ. of Maryland-Baltimore County. A year ago, she was UPJ's first first-team All-PSAC West selection. She leads the team with 46 3-pointers on 134 attempts.

Next for the Fighting Scots

After playing their last four games at home, Edinboro will head to nationally-ranked California(Pa.) on Saturday, February 9. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. The Fighting Scots hosted the Vulcans in their contest of 2019, Edinboro knocked off then-No. 12 California(Pa.), 99-92.

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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

Edinboro in Search of Fifth Straight Win in Final Game of Homestand vs. Pitt-Johnstown

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