sports news Once Again, Saints’ Season Highlighted by GNAC Title, NCAA Berth The 2007-08 season proved to be the same story, different chapter for the Emmanuel women’s basketball team, which claimed the program’s 12th Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship and earned another trip to the NCAA Division III tournament.
about heading to upstate New York to play SUNY Brockport,” he said. “We didn’t know much about them, but we saw it as a good draw.” Unfortunately, a slow Saints’ start, mixed with an opening 18-4 Golden Eagles’ run, placed Emmanuel in a tough spot from the get-go, with their opponents expanding their lead to 25-7 with 7:39 to go before halftime. Captains Paez and Pannell played a big part in getting the Saints back into the fray, igniting the team on a quick 10-3 run and eventually cutting Brockport’s lead to 34-24 before the buzzer.
The top-seeded Saints tore through the conference championship tournament in dominant fashion, defeating their opponents by an average of more than 25 points per contest. In the finals, Emmanuel faced-off against secondseeded Suffolk University, which only three weeks prior had defeated the Saints 66-55, ending their eight-game win streak. Storming out of the gates quickly, the Emmanuel women refused to let the Rams stay in the hunt, taking over the lead for good just four-anda-half minutes into the game and cruising to their second-straight league title with a 70-51 decision. In the first half, the Saints utilized their sharp shooting and pressure defense to bury the Rams at both ends of the court, dropping six three-pointers and forcing 20 Suffolk turnovers to open up a 42-29 lead heading into the locker rooms. The second half was much of the same, with Emmanuel continuing to capitalize on turnovers, expanding their lead to as much as 28 points and coasting to the finish line for the team’s 13th invitation to the NCAA tournament. “The whole weekend we played the best basketball we have played all season long,” said Head Coach Andy Yosinoff. “We were operating on all cylinders and it was just a great team effort.” Jacque Pannell ’08 was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player
“We came out somewhat nervous, especially the younger players who had not been there before,” said Yosinoff. “I was proud of the way the team kept its composure and battled back.” Despite cutting the Golden Eagles’ lead to three and remaining within striking distance in the final minutes, the Saints’ season ultimately came to a close that night, with Brockport holding on to win 68-64. The Saints finished the winter with a 22-7 record.
Jacque Pannell ’08 was named this year’s GNAC tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
for her consistently stellar play during the weekend, totaling 38 points, 25 rebounds and seven steals throughout the three games. Iman Davis ’10, who earned the GNAC Player of the Year distinction, performed valiantly as well, chipping in 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a game-high seven steals in the title match to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. She was joined by teammate Jade Paez ’08, who averaged over 11 points per contest during GNAC postseason play.
Drawing SUNY Brockport, the Saints traveled to host William Smith College in Geneva, NY on March 3rd for the first round of the NCAA tournament. Excited to see his players peaking at the right time, Yosinoff saw great potential in their ability to bring the same commanding presence to the court once again – this time on the nation’s biggest stage. “With everything coming together at that time, I was extremely optimistic
With the season now officially drawn to a close, the Saints part ways with the largest graduating class during Yosinoff’s 31-year coaching career at Emmanuel, players the longtime head coach has especially enjoyed watching mature during their tenure in Blue and Gold. “They are great kids,” he said of the outgoing seniors. “They really came together as leaders at the end of the season and I was really proud of them. They will be missed.” Paez ends her collegiate career as one of the finest players to ever wear a ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Strong Season Earns Men’s Basketball an ECAC Tourney Bid The opportunity to participate in a national postseason tournament should prove valuable to an Emmanuel College men’s basketball team that will return all but one member of the 2007-08 squad to the court next season. Accepting the program’s second-ever invitation to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament, the second-seeded men were upset by seventh-seeded Western Connecticut State University at home on March 5th, 91-66. Despite the loss, the Saints came away from the game fueled to make good on their main goal next winter: Claiming their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title. “We were ecstatic to get a bid to the ECAC tournament,” said Head Coach
Jamahl Jackson. “It’s always good to get in because it recognizes that you have had a good year, and that can get lost sometimes when you don’t win a championship. Although the game was in no way indicative of how the team has played this year, hopefully ending on that note will motivate our guys to come back and ensure it doesn’t happen again next year.” The Saints’ pursuit of the GNAC crown ended in their semifinal contest against Lasell College, a game that Jackson thought was nothing short of an all-around great college basketball match-up. Playing in front of a capacity crowd at Lasell’s Laserdome, Emmanuel and the Lasers battled back and forth all night, switching leads eight times on top of eight ties, until ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Levi Smith ’08, pictured here with Head Coach Jamahl Jackson and Assistant Coaches Howie Harrison and Ted Cottrell, represents the lone player the Saints will be losing to graduation this year.