HAMBURG, N.Y. – The 2016-17 women's basketball team makes the program's first AMCC post-season appearance since the 2005-06 season.   

Head coach Melissa Graham has turned the program around and guided them to new AMCC win-record at 8-10 and matched last season's 11-14 overall record.

#6 Hilbert will travel to #3 Pitt.-Bradford for the 7pm tip Wednesday February 22.  The other 1st Round play-off game that night is #5 Penn State Behrend at #4 Mt. Aloysius.   The winners of the 1st Round games advance to the Championship weekend which will be hosted by La Roche College for the seventh consecutive year. 

On Saturday, February 25, #1 La Roche will host either Mt. Aloysius or Penn State Behrend at 1pm.  #2 Medaille will square off against the winner of the Hilbert/Bradford game at 3:30pm.

The AMCC Championship title game is set for 1pm Sunday, February 26 in the Kerr Fitness Center.

Fans can follow the tournament results by clicking this (LINK).

News and Notes:

This, being the third time to face Pitt-Bradford in 2016-17, could be Hilbert's chance to knock off the Panthers (15-10, 12-6).  

The Hawks slipped at home, 67-62, in the opening game of the AMCC schedule on November 30th.   Freshman Taylor Corts was the only Hilbert players to post double figures when she collected 17 points.  Shannon Rogers, Katelyn Proy and Ashley Repine combined for 23 of Hilbert's 41 rebounds.  The Hawks held a five-board advantage on the glass and shot just under 42% from the field.  They were 4-of-18 behind the 3-point line and made only 6-of-11 at the charity stripe.   Bradford's Ali Rinfrette led all scorers with 22 points, many off penetration to the paint.  Brittany Watts chipped in 20 points and nine rebounds.  Bradford shot 41% from the floor, hit only 3-of-15 3-point shots and made 16-of-21 from the foul line.

Bradford had Hilbert's number (99-70) when the Hawks traveled to Pa. January 18.  Hilbert committed 27 turnovers but finished with seven blocks and 13 steals.  The Hawks struggled from the foul line (51.7% - 15/29) and shot 34% from the floor.  Ashley Repine led four players who reached double figures.  The freshman post went 7-for-13 from the floor, collected 18 points along with 13 rebounds, and three blocks.  Emily Galwak and Taylor Corts, two freshmen guards, tossed in 14 and 12 points, respectively.  Shannon Rogers added 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  Bradford's Rinfrette was on-fire as she converted 13-of-18 from the floor, 8 (of 9) 3-point shots for 35 points.  The Panthers pressed the full 40-minute game and closed with 18 steals.

The Hawks are led in scoring by Kelsi Ebert who averages 16.4 points per game and is ranked 9th in the AMCC leaders.  The graduating point guard averages 33 minutes a game and is third in the league in both assists (3.9) and steals (3.1) per game.

Ebert has already become the basketball program's All Time leader in steals – 153, and she continues to climb the ladder in several other categories.  The third-year senior is currently ranked #7 in scoring - 839 (27 points away from becoming the program's 6th), #2 in free throws made – 245; #4 in free throws attempted – 360 (10 away from moving into third place); #2 in career assists (199).  She posted back-to-back 30-point games this year, earned three double doubles – two in points and rebounds with the third in points and assists; she was one assist shy of a reaching another points/assist double-double.

Senior Shannon Rogers averages 8.2 rebounds per game which ranks her 6th in the league;  she also averages 9.6 points per game.  Rogers, too, is climbing up the All Time list.  She needs 37 more points to jump to 4th in scoring.  The third-year player has tallied 900 points in 70 games.  She can claim the #5 spot in field goals if she collects just five more buckets which would push her over the 349 number.  Rogers currently has made 212 free throws, and four more makes, lifts her to the program's #4 all-time scorer from the charity stripe.  And if Rogers can do it, she only needs eight more steals to move to 106 which would place her at #7.

Emily Speidel is the only four-year player graduating from the program this year.  The shooting guard is currently ranked #2 in 3-point field goals and she needs eight more makes from beyond the arc to move to #1.