By Duane Cochran
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.
