The Clarion University women’s basketball team recently concluded the 2002-03 season with its best record since the 1994-95 season.

The Golden Eagles finished 15-12 overall their best mark since the 1995 team was 18-11. Clarion was also 5-7 in the always tough PSAC-West, and the Eagles were in the playoff race until the final week before missing the postseason by one game.

"We had a solid season," Parsons said. "We accomplished a lot, and we were one game away from attaining all of our goals. We worked hard and played hard all season, and I am proud of the effort we put forth."

Clarion compiled its winning record against one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Golden Eagles played eight games against seven teams that made the NCAA Division II or Division III Tournament including two games against Division II semifinalist California. Overall, Clarion went 4-4 in those games with wins over Division II qualifiers Millersville (72-70), West Chester (77-62) and Pitt-Johnstown (79-67) and Division III qualifier Pitt-Greensburg (69-53). The Golden Eagles fell twice to California and once each to St. Thomas Aquinas and Stonehill, both Division II qualifiers.

"I believe that playing good competition makes a team better," Parsons said. "You can also use it as a yard stick to see where your team is at."

As with any season, Clarion’s 2002-03 campaign had some peaks and valleys.

The Golden Eagles started the year fast winning four of their first five games with the wins coming over LaRoche (102-36) in the season opener at the Clarion Classic, Felician (89-83, OT) and PSAC-East foes and NCAA playoff qualifiers West Chester and Millersville.

After the 3-1 start, the Golden Eagles hit a rough spot dropping four of their next five with the win coming over East Stroudsburg (73-64).

The valley left Clarion with a 5-5 mark heading into January.

In January the Golden Eagles took flight winning four straight and six of their eight games during the month.

The month got off to an exciting start with an 83-80 overtime win at Mansfield which was followed by wins over Pitt-Greensburg (69-53), Cheyney (63-45) and Kutztown (61-44), with the latter two coming on the road.

After a bump in the road loss at California, Clarion returned to its winning ways knocking off regionally ranked Pitt-Johnstown (79-67) at home and Slippery Rock (71-66) at home.

The wins saw Clarion enter the NCAA Division II East Region rankings for the first time with a No. 6 showing.

But following the wins over UPJ and The Rock, Clarion suffered a heart-wrenching and controversial defeat to IUP, 95-92 in overtime, at the end of the month. The Golden Eagles trailed by 18 points with 10:10 left in the game only to rally and appear to win the game on a three-pointer by Allison Stodart with a ½ second left. But after IUP had inbounded the ball and failed to convert a Hail Mary shot, the Golden Eagles bench was called for a technical foul for leaving the bench area in celebration of Stodart’s three. IUP hit the ensuing two technical free throws after .5 seconds had been added to the clock to tie the game and ended up winning in overtime.

The Golden Eagles were able to rally from a game they believed had been taken from them by the officials by winning their next three contests (Lock Haven 77-73, Shippensburg 78-75 and Edinboro (92-69) to run their record to 14-7 overall and 4-2 in the PSAC-West.

The Shippensburg game at Tippin Gym Feb. 1 might go down as the greatest comeback in school history. The Golden Eagles trailed the Lady Raiders by 29 points in the first half and by 28 points (61-33) with 19 minutes left but preceded to go on a 22-0 run to get back into the game. Still trailing by 10 points (65-55) with 11:33 left, Clarion went on a 19-6 run to grab the lead for good on their way to the 78-75 win.

"That was unbelievable," Parsons said. "I don’t think I have ever coached that big of a turnaround win. The ladies rose to the challenge."

Unfortunately, Clarion wasn’t able to continue the momentum gained from the Shippensburg and Edinboro games dropping three in a row to IUP, Slippery Rock and California. But a 69-55 win over Lock Haven on Senior Day still left the Golden Eagles with a chance to make the PSAC playoffs if they could go on the road and beat either Edinboro or Shippensburg.

Edinboro was up first, and Clarion led the Fighting Scots by 15 points with 14:19 left in the game only to see Edinboro rally for a 74-69 win.

Three days later at Shippensburg the winner would go on and the loser would go home. This time it was the Lady Raiders coming out on top 82-69 to end the Golden Eagles season.

Sophomore forward Heather Cigich was the top scorer and rebounder for the Golden Eagles this season, and as a reward for her performance she was named first-team PSAC-West in a vote by the league’s coaches at the end of the season.

Cigich averaged 18.6 ppg and 10.4 rpg and ranked third in the PSAC in scoring and third in rebounding. She was also a three-time PSAC-West Player of the Week during the year.

"Heather is in line to do great things," Parsons said. "Records are made to be broken, and I think Heather has a chance to do that."

In two seasons at Clarion, Cigich has scored 814 career points while grabbing 522 career rebounds. She is 401 points shy of becoming the fifth leading scorer in school history and 242 rebounds short of becoming the fifth leading rebounder in school history. This season she scored 502 points and grabbed 281 rebounds ranking sixth and seventh respectively in a single season in school history.

The Golden Eagles will lose four seniors from this season’s team including guards Jen Duhnke, Allison Stodart and Tameka Washington and forward Courtney Willman.

Duhnke started her career as a walk-on for the Golden Eagles and finished it as the starting point guard on this season’s team. She averaged 4.7 ppg and 4.1 apg, which ranked seventh in the PSAC. In her career she scored 286 points while dishing out 207 assists.

"Jen was the heart and soul of the team," Parsons said. "We will miss her dearly."

Stodart had an outstanding four-year career for the Golden Eagles and became just the 11^th player in school history to top 1,000 career points when she hit the mark most fittingly on Senior Day. She finished her career with 1,022 points, which ranks 9^th in school history. Always a three-point threat, Stodart also hit 235 three-pointer in her career which ranks third all-time in school history and 7^th all time in PSAC history. Not just a scorer, Stodart also had 314 rebounds and 258 assists in her four years and ranks 6^th in school history in assists. This season Stodart was second on the team in points (11.4 ppg) while adding 2.4 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.9 spg.

"Ali was a solid all-around player," Parsons said. "She was a such a coachable player. We will miss her three-point ability and her tenacious defense."

Washington also had a solid career for Clarion scoring 944 career points while hauling in 391 career rebounds. This season she was third on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg) while adding 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg and 2.0 spg.

"Tameka finished her career very strong and was playing great basketball down the stretch," Parsons said. "She was a well-rounded student-athlete who was involved in a lot more than just basketball. She will be missed."

Willman, who was coming off an ankle injury that forced her to miss the final 12 games of her junior season, had a good season for the Golden Eagles averaging 8.8 ppg while being second on the team in rebounding with 6.1 rpg despite playing the second half of the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery after the season.. She scored 873 career points while pulling down 612 career rebounds which ranks 8^th in school history.

"Courtney was a steady performer for us and a great student-athlete," Parsons said. "She really battled through a lot, and we will miss her."

While Clarion will miss the four seniors who are graduating, the Golden Eagles do have strong nucleus returning led by Cigich, juniors Sher-ree Glover (5.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Lindsay Kostorick (1.4 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 rpg), sophomores Amelia Harris (5.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and Danielle Moseley (1.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg). and freshman Kate Bekelja (4.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg), who missed the final four games with an injury.

Clarion also could have the services of three players who sat out this season in senior forward Charissa Greene, freshman guard Dominque Kelly and junior guard Angela Phegley.

"We have some strong returning players that will set the foundation for next season’s team." Parsons said. "We are also looking to bring in some players who will help us get to the next level."

by Chris Rossetti