THREE EAGLES NAMED ALL-PSAC-WEST; PARSONS CHOSEN COACH OF THE YEAR

Cigich, Godwin first team; Melton second team

            Three Clarion University women’s basketball players have been chosen All-PSAC-West, and Golden Eagle head coach Gie Parsons is the PSAC-West Coach of the Year.

            Senior forwards Heather Cigich (Johnstown/Conemaugh Twp.) and Shay Godwin (Dayton, Ohio/Colonial White) are first-team PSAC-West, while junior guard Melba Melton (North Muskegon, Mich./North Muskegon) is second-team PSAC-West.

PARSONS WINS THIRD PSAC-WEST COACH OF THE YEAR HONOR

            Parsons has earned her third PSAC-West “Coach of the Year” award and her first since 1992. She also won the award in 1991.

She has led the Golden Eagles to a 23-6 overall mark and a berth in the NCAA D-II playoffs for the first time since 1995. Clarion faces Charleston (W.Va.) in the NCAA’s at 1 p.m. Friday in Anderson, South Carolina.  

The Golden Eagles also went 10-2 in the PSAC-West this season finishing in second place, and Clarion was the only league team to defeat defending national champion California during the regular season. The 23 wins are the most since the 1994 team won 26 games, and they are the fifth most wins in a season in Clarion history.

            In her 16 years at Clarion, Parsons is 249-196 including 100-92 in PSAC-West play. She has a career record of 359-269 in her 24h season overall.

CIGICH, GODWIN NAMED FIRST TEAM

            Cigich and Godwin are both first-team selections for the second consecutive season.

Cigich, a four-time PSAC-West selection (3 first team, 1 second team) is the second leading scorer in the PSAC (17.4 ppg) and the fourth leading rebounder (10.0 rpg). She is also adding 81 assists and 63 steals.

            The second leading rebounder (1,119) and third leading scorer (1,826) in school history, Cigich also ranks third at Clarion in blocks (82), fifth in steals (250) and eighth in assists (243).

            Godwin is the eighth leading scorer (14.3 ppg) and fifth leading rebounder (9.8 rpg) in the PSAC while leading the conference in shooting percentage (58.2).

            In two seasons at Clarion, she has 807 points, 563 rebounds, 58 assists, 72 steals and 59 blocks and ranks fourth in school history in blocked shots.

MELTON EARNS SECOND-TEAM RECOGNITION

            Melton earned second-team PSAC-West in her first year at Clarion and is averaging 11.9 ppg, 4.79 apg and 2.21 spg. She ranks fifth in the PSAC in assists per game, and her 139 assists on the season are the third most in Clarion history.

            GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES – Clarion returns to action at 1 p.m. Friday when it faces Charleston (W.Va.) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Anderson, SC … Clarion is one of two PSAC-West teams with three members of the all-conference team … California is the other … The Golden Eagles are also one of just two PSAC-West teams with two first-team selections … Shippensburg also had two.

Head coach Gie Parsons

Sr. Heather Cigich

Sr. Shay Godwin

Jr. Melba Melton