FAIRMONT — Women’s Division II Bulletin magazine has selected Fairmont State University’s Ashley Vavrek and West Liberty University’s Tori Hansen as preseason honorable mention All-Americans.
Vavrek, a 5-8 senior guard from Bellaire, Ohio, ranked among the national leaders with 91 made 3-pointers in 2008-09 and her 44.6 percent accuracy from long distance topped the West Virginia Conference and was 10th in the nation. She averaged 17.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per outing as the Falcons finished 18-11 last year.
“It’s nice to be recognized now, but right now it doesn’t really mean anything because it’s the preseason and I feel like both myself and our team has a lot to prove,” said Vavrek. “Our team needs to come together, but we’ll see what happens at the end of the year. That’s when I’d really like like to be recognized.”
Hansen, a native of McKean, Pa., led the Hilltoppers to a 24-7 campaign last season by averaging 18.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game. The 5-8 junior guard earned WVC Player of the Year accolades after helping to lead West Liberty to WVC runner-up regular season and tournament finishes.
Women’s Division II Bulletin picks West Liberty and Fairmont State to finish atop this season’s West Virginia Conference standings. Seton Hill, which returns five starters from an 18-11 squad, and defending league champion Charleston are slotted third and fourth.
FSU lost three starters from last season and may have as many as four new starters when its begins play this fall.
“I’m very excited to get the season started,” said Vavrek. “As a team we’re looking okay, but we’ve still got lot of stuff to do. There’s times when I think we look pretty good, but I know we’re young. Still, I think we are pretty talented. I think it’s going to be important for us to get a couple of wins early. That’ll help our confidence and help us come together as a team.”
The league’s women’s basketball regular season tips off on Sunday, Nov. 15 as eight of the conference’s 16 squads are in action. The league’s annual coaches’ poll will be released next week.
Vavrek and the Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons will open play Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. against Bluefield (Va.) College in the annual Concord University Lady Lions’ Tip-Off Classic. FSU will then face Milligan (TN.) College Monday, Nov. 16 in the classic at 4 p.m.
Duane Cochrane
FSU’s Vavrek garners preseason All-America honors
- Duane Cochrane
-
-
Chasing a dream
Fairmont State University senior defensive end Luke Black has had a whirlwind few months since his college career ended last November.
This past weekend things for the talented 6-5, 280-pound youngster from Marietta, Ohio, got a whole lot more interesting. -
Spring smearing: PHOTOS
Fairmont State’s Maroon defense set the tone early, forcing four turnovers on the first seven drives of the White offense, and as a result rolled to a 53-32 victory in the Falcons’ annual Maroon-White spring game here Saturday afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field.
-
Fisher inspires at annual FSAA Banquet: VIDEO
Clarksburg native and current Florida State University head football coach Jimbo Fisher had an inspiring, heartfelt and informative message for those in attendance Saturday evening at the 50th annual Fairmont State Athletic Association Scholarship Banquet which was held at the Falcon Center.
-
Shepherd eliminates Lady Falcons, 83-58
Less than eight minutes into its quarterfinal round West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament basketball game with fifth-seeded Fairmont State here at the Charleston Civic Center, one got the feeling it was going to be fourth-seeded Shepherd University's day.
-
Lady Falcons top OVU in tourney opener: SLIDESHOW
The last two times Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons have won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, FSU has struggled at home in its opening-round game.
-
Champs crowned: PHOTOS
For 33 minutes, Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons gave league-leading West Virginia Wesleyan all it wanted and more here Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams at the Joe Retton Arena.
-
Late surge helps Bobcats upend FSU: PHOTOS
With the West Virginia Conference’s leading scorer Steve Custis on the bench nursing a badly sprained ankle and second-leading scorer Isaac Thornton dealing with a heavy heart, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team wrapped up the regular season here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena with a hard-fought 70-67 loss to visiting West Virginia Wesleyan.
-
Buzzer bummer: PHOTOS
Veteran Concord University coach Kenny Osborne and his Lady Mountain Lions could have been arrested Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena for thievery.
That’s because third-place Concord literally stole a victory away from fourth-place Fairmont State, ending the Lady Falcons’ winning streak at seven games. -
Mountain Lions use rally to topple FSU: PHOTOS
Fairmont State lost the services of senior leading scorer Steve Custis for much of the second half here Saturday afternoon and as a result lost the lead and eventually the game, 77-66, to visiting Concord University at the Joe Retton Arena.
-
Snyder scores 42 as Lady Falcons roll
Fairmont State All-American candidate Kaitlin Snyder followed up arguably her poorest game of the season Saturday with her best Monday night at the Joe Retton Arena.
- More Duane Cochrane Headlines
-
