A STORM IS BREWING: 2004-2005 GOLDEN EAGLES LOOK TO REIGN IN SECOND STRAIGHT PSAC PLAYOFF BERTH

A storm is brewing inside Clarion University’s Tippin Gym, and Golden Eagle women’s basketball fans are hoping to see a lot of Thunder and Lighting during the 2004-2005 season that gets underway at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 when the Golden Eagles host Pitt-Johnstown.

That’s because Clarion, under 16^th year head coach "Gie" Parsons, have two of the best returning players in the country in Heather Cigich (Lighting to her teammates) and Shay Godwin (Thunder to her teammates) who plan on making it rain on their opponents day.

Cigich and Godwin led the Golden Eagles to a 15-12 overall and 7-5 PSAC-West (2^nd place tie) record last season, Clarion’s best PSAC-West finish since winning the last of five consecutive PSAC-West titles in 1995.

Cigich is a DII Bulletin Pre-Season Honorable Mention All-America for the second consecutive year and for good reason. Last season she earned three All-America awards (3^rd team Daktronics, Honorable Mention WBCA/Kodak and Honorable Mention DII Bulletin) and was also named first-team Daktronics All-Region and first-team PSAC-West. She averaged a double-double (20.0 ppg, 12.1 rpg) ranking first in the PSAC in both categories while ranking 15^th in the nation in scoring and fourth in rebounding. An all-around player, she was second in the PSAC and 41^st in the nation in steals (3.1 spg) and fourth in the PSAC in blocks (1.1 bpg). She currently ranks No. 1 in school history in points per game (16.9) while averaging a career double-double (10.6 rpg) and ranking fifth in school history in points (1,355), third in rebounds (850), seventh in steals (187) and third in blocks (63). Last season she recorded 21 double-doubles, 3 30-point games (twice hitting 31), 13 20-point games, 1 20-rebound contest (21) and seven 15-rebound games.

Godwin, a senior who was in her first year at Clarion, was a great compliment to Cigich earning first-team PSAC-West honors after averaging 15.6 ppg and 11.2 rpg. She ranked seventh in the conference in scoring and second in rebounding while finishing 11^th in the nation in rebounding.

"Heather and Shay compliment each other well," Parsons said. "Heather is more of a finesse type player and Shay is more of a banger. It is the perfect compliment of two inside people."

As good as Clarion’s inside duo is, the Golden Eagles are going to need strong play from its guards to be successful.

"Heather and Shay are huge as far as what we want to do," Parsons said. "But our guards are going to need to do their part as well. Our success will depend on the whole team. Our guards need to play well enough to open up the inside."

The Golden Eagles have two returning guards who saw starting time last year in seniors Amelia Harris and Tiffany Peacock.

Harris is a four-year player for the Golden Eagles who averaged 11.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.6 spg last season. She hit a team-high 62 three-pointers while shooting 39 percent from long-range. In her career, she has scored 553 points, grabbed 141 rebounds, dished out 123 assists and come up with 75 steals. She has 102 career long bombs and is hitting 40 percent of her career three’s (102-255).

Peacock, in her first season at Clarion, contributed 10.3 ppg, 2.3 apg and 2.8 rpg.

While Clarion has two experienced guards, the Golden Eagles will be looking to a couple of newcomers to contribute as well.

True freshman Ashley Grimm from Hazleton High School will be handed the keys to the car as the starting point guard. Grimm helped Hazleton to a 27-2 mark, the District 2 title and the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs last year averaging 10.5 ppg and 6.9 apg. "She seems to handle the point guard role very well," Parsons said. "She has great composure, she makes good decisions and she is a good competitor. She, like all freshman, still needs to improve her game, but we are very confident she can handle it."

Junior Melba Melton comes to Clarion from Kalamazoo Valley Community College where she helped her team to a 34-3 record last season by averaging 10.4 ppg and 3.9 apg.

"She is very, very quick and fast," Parsons said. "We have people who are quick and fast on the team, and she blows them out of the water. Her strengths are penetrating and finishing. She has long arms, plays great defense and has good court vision. She can play any of the three guards spots."

Another newcomer expected to contribute for the Golden Eagles is freshman forward Jessica Albanese from Crescent Springs, KY. Albanese scored 421 points last season, including a game-high 30 points while averaging 14 ppg and 5.2 rpg.

Additional players who will provide depth for Clarion include sophomores Jessica Skeggs (9 games, 7 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists) and Shelah Bolyard (16 games, 23 points, 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals), red-shirt freshman Michele Johnson and true freshman Jessica Saul and Jessica Smith, from nearby Clarion-Limestone high school.

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES: Have qualified for the PSAC Playoffs in two of the past three seasons ... Lost to Shippensburg in the first round of the playoffs last year 65-36 ... Will be road warriors for most of the season ... 11 of the first 16 games are on the road and 4 of the final 5 are away from Tippin Gym ... Clarion does play 5 of 6 at home between Jan. 19 and Feb. 7 ... PSAC-West play starts Jan. 12 at Shippensburg with the first home West game being Jan. 19 with Lock Haven ... Parsons took Clarion on a unbelievable 5-year ride frim 1991-95 that included the five straight PSAC-West titles, three PSAC titles (1991, 93, 94), two East Region titles (1991, 94) and two trips to the NCAA Division II "Elite 8". Clarion was 117-33 (78 percent) during that stretch including 50-10 (83.3 percent) in the PSAC-West.