BETHANY BISON (21-8 Overall, 7-1 PAC in 2001-02)
New faces, and lots of them, will highlight the 2002-03 basketball season for the Bethany Bison. One new face will be at the top, as Head Coach Aaron Huffman takes over after Rob Clune’s seven-year stint at the College.

After serving as a men’s assistant at West Liberty State last season, Huffman will have to try to replace three-fifths of the starting line-up and 73 percent of his offense from last season. Gone is Bethany’s all-time leading scorer and two-time PAC MVP Keith Schubert (2,127 career points) and six other seniors that guided the Bison to back-to-back PAC titles and a second round appearance in last year’s NCAA Tournament.

But Huffman will have the services of two starters from last year’s squad in G/F Mike Majzun (14.2 ppg.; 41.3% 3-point) (right) and C Derek Hoffman (8.2 ppg., 5.6 rpg.). Sophomore guard Josh Davis (nine games) and senior guard Adam Checton (eight games) also return and will be joined by one transfer (Cory Boyle from Hiram) and seven freshmen on the Bison roster.

The last time the Bison looked this young was when last year’s senior class were freshmen in 1998-99. Bethany will hope for a better outcome, as the Green and White posted a 5-20 mark that season.
 
 

GROVE CITY WOLVERINES (17-10 Overall, 4-4 PAC in 2001-02)
In 2001-02, four Wolverine starters averaged at least 10 points per game as Grove City posted a 17-10 mark. Three of those starters are back this winter as the Wolverines aim for their second Presidents' Athletic Conference title under head coach Steve Lamie (57-44 career record) and a return to post-season play.

Junior Tanner Prosser (left) led Grove City in scoring, assists and steals last season and returns for his third year as a starter. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 11.6 points and four assists per game while his seven rebounds per night ranked second on the squad. Meanwhile, senior guard Andy Vlajkovich led the Wolverines in three-point goals and three-point percentage last season. Vlajkovich averaged over 11 points per game as a junior while starting all 27 games. The third returning starter is 6-7 junior center Phil Bushre. Bushre averaged 10 points and six boards per game last season despite missing six games to injury last season. Bushre also sank nearly 60 percent of his shots from the floor last season.

Numerous other veterans return this winter and will play increased roles. Sophomore Nate Maurer has the inside track toward a starting spot after a solid freshman season. At 6-6, the versatile Maurer can play four positions and will likely see time at all three frontcourt spots as well as at shooting guard. He made six starts as a freshman and averaged nearly seven points per game. Also back in the frontcourt is PAC Freshman of the Year Ryan Eller. Eller's playing time increased as the season progressed. At Thiel last year, the 6-2 Eller collected 22 points on 8-for-8 shooting from the floor. In addition, sophomore guard J.D. Collar will see extensive time in the backcourt while 6-6 sophomore Matt O'Brien  is battling for time up front. Lanky senior Jeb Schreiber is also involved in the Wolverines' frontcourt plans. Schreiber, who won the PAC's track and field MVP award in the spring, played in 25 games last season. Sophomore newcomer Mike Lukcic will likely start at point guard while senior Geoff Gehring looks to figure in the backcourt, also.

The Wolverines open the 2002-03 season in the West Penn Classic against Allegheny at Washington and Jefferson on November 22.
 
 

THIEL TOMCATS (11-15 Overall, 5-3 PAC in 2001-02)
The Thiel College men's team returns four starters and eight letter winners from last year’s squad that finished 11-15 overall and second (5-3) in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) regular-season play. Mike Snell, in his first year with the Tomcats, becomes the school’s 23rd head coach in the program’s 86-year existence.  Snell comes to Thiel from West Liberty State College, where he served as an assistant since 1998.

Senior forward A.H. Davis leads the returnees.  An All-PAC First Team selection last season, he needs 457 points to become the college’s all-time leading scorer (1607, Vic Harp, ’81-’85).  Davis finished fourth in the PAC last season in scoring (17.1 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (6.4 rpg).  He also proved to be one of the conference’s most durable players, starting all of the Tomcats’ 26 games.

Senior Eddie Mathews and junior Mike Banach (right) also return as starters in the front court.  Mathews started 25 games for the Tomcats and averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds.  Banach started 20 games last season and averaged 7.4 points and 3.7 rebounds.  He finished the season tied for sixth in the PAC in steals, averaging 1.33 per game.

Junior point guard Justin Townsend returns as the lone starter in the Tomcat backcourt.  Townsend averaged 4.7 points and 3.7 assists last year.  Townsend will be joined by senior guard Shane Manley, who saw action in 24 games last season.  Manley averaged 7.2 points and 2.5 rebounds a year ago, and finished third in the PAC with a 41.6 three-point field goal percentage.

Three other returning letter winners will look to provide Snell with vital minutes.  Junior forwards D.J. Gambridge (26 games, 5.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and Dennis Bott (24 games, 2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) will be counted on to contribute early on. Sophomore point guard Daryl Moore will join the team after a great season as the starting quarterback for the Tomcat football team.

Some freshmen looking to provide depth to the Tomcat bench are forward Matt Dracup, forward Damien Williams, forward Stephen Laird and guard Chris Sheehan.
 
 

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (6-19 Overall, 1-7 PAC in 2001-02)
Washington & Jefferson looks to inject a new attitude and enthusiasm into the program for the 2002-2003 season as Karel Jelinek becomes the eighth head coach in the college’s history.

Jelinek, who comes to W&J from Thiel College, inherits three starters from last season’s 6-19 squad, including senior guard Nolan Larry (left), who can become the all-time leading scorer in W&J history with 343 points. Larry has poured in 1,209 points in his career, including a school-record 576-point performance last year.  He was named to the Street & Smith’s Preseason All-America squad as an honorable-mention selection after averaging 23.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game last season.

Accompanying Larry in the backcourt is another returning starter in senior point guard Mike Drevitch.  Drevitch played in all 25 games a year ago, starting 17.  He averaged 4.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals, while shooting over 33 percent from three-point range (24-for-72).

Jelinek will look to a host of players to help fill out the small and power forward positions.  Sophomores Steve Button, Chris Houser, Marcellino Manilla and Michael Chicone all will battle for two open starting spots during the preseason.  Button is a transfer from Walsh, while Houser showed flashes of brilliance last year after playing in 20 contests, including an eight-point performance late in the second half in the PAC Tournament at Waynesburg.  Manilla, who played football at W&J last season, and Chicone are versatile wingmen who Jelinek believes can help out early on.

Junior 6-foot-10 center Tony Franz returns after finishing third on the team in scoring a year ago with 11.6 points.  He was also the team’s leading rebounder at 7.1 board per game.  Jelinek believes that used in the proper situations, Franz can be a dominate force in the PAC.
 
 

WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS (18-9 Overall, 3-5 PAC in 2001-02)
Rudy Marisa has instilled a high standard of winning over the years. While entering his 34th season at Waynesburg, Marisa’s tenure is 23 years more than all the coaches in the PAC combined, three of which are entering their first years.

With a 549-291 all-time record, Marisa will impress upon the league a skilled backcourt and homegrown talent. Second Team All-PAC guard and Uniontown native Ray Robinson (right), ranked third in the conference last year with a 20-point scoring average, is back for the Jackets as one of three returning starters. Robinson, who enters the season as the school’s 13th all-time leading scorer with 1,513 points, is on pace to join former NAIA All-American Darrin Walls as the only 2,000-point scorers in school history.

Another local talent is Waynesburg Central grad and co-captain Aaron Ankrom. The 6-foot-5 senior center returns to the Jackets’ lineup after leading the team in blocks (32) and rebounds (8.2 rpg), while averaging 13.3 points per game last season. Six-foot-three senior Mike Pamepinto will be called upon, along with 6-4 sophomore David Quay, to add height to the Jackets’ frontcourt.

The team’s fourth senior, co-captain Beau Henderson, was an alternate starter at point guard for regular starter Mike King, who returns this year after averaging 8.9 points per game and leading the team with 102 assists. Joining them in the backcourt will be sophomore guards Ray Gillespie and Mark Gates. The backcourt will need a significant scoring boost with 1,000-point scorer and First Team All-PAC guard Rob Strcula graduating last year.

Despite not winning a road conference game last season, the fourth-place Jackets posted an 18-9 overall record and was the only team to defeat PAC Champion Bethany.
 
 

WESTMINSTER TITANS (10-15 Overall, 3-7 vs. PAC teams in 2001-02)
The Westminster men's basketball program returns 11 of 13 letterwinners from last year's 10-15 squad, each with an extra year of experience and maturity. Just as important, for the first time in several years, the program will be playing for more than pride. The 2002-03 academic year also marks the first season for all Westminster sports teams as an active member of NCAA Division III and the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), with the Titan cagers now eligible for conference and national recognition.

Fifth-year head coach Jim Dafler boasts a 19-player Titan roster which features a four-player senior class, followed by three juniors, five sophomores and seven freshmen.

The senior class is led by 6-8 center Greg Foster, one of the pleasant surprises to come out of last season. After playing little in his first two years, Foster entered the starting lineup in the sixth game of 2001-02 and never looked back. He finished the year averaging 7.6 points and team-best totals of 8.0 rebounds per game and 37 blocked shots en route to PAC Coaches Honors. Joining Foster for their final seasons are guards Rick Giordano (7.5 ppg) (left) and Jeff Simmons (7.7 ppg), along with forward Joe Wilson, who averaged a team-high 9.3 points per game but was limited to nine games due to injury.

Three juniors return, all contributors on last year’s team. Point guard Mike Hill took over the team’s starting point guard position last year and averaged 6.4 points per game while dishing out a team-high 63 assists, while post players Tom Freed (3.3 ppg) and Greg Scott (2.8 ppg) each recorded solid minutes under the basket.

Several players who were instant contributors as freshmen return, with a year of experience under their belts. Guards Craig Bohyer (6.7 ppg) and Chris Hatch (6.0 ppg) and forward Pat O’Connor (5.0 ppg) each led the team in scoring at least once during the season. Guard Justin Crum (4.8 ppg) also saw significant minutes, while guard Andy Krawchyk also returns after seeing limited playing time a year ago.

The freshman class includes local products Brian Fadden (Mohawk), Shane McCullough (Neshannock) and Quay Rosengarth (Wilmington), along with Jason Bedillion, Micah Delo, Nate Luce and David Soda.