Three Roaring Lions Selected for PSUAC Honors; Mattern Named Coach of the Year

March 15, 2012

UNIONTOWN, Pa. - No. 14 Penn State Fayette raked in a host of women's basketball honors on Thursday as the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference announced its 2011-12 All-Conference teams.

The Roaring Lions placed three players on the All-Conference lists, and swept the PSUAC's three individual awards. Sophomore USCAA All-American Jill Guthrie (Uniontown, Pa.) was named the PSUAC Player of the Year, only a season after being selected the Newcomer of the Year, and also garnered PSUAC All-Conference First Team honors. Freshman teammate Caitlin Wontroba (Uniontown, Pa.) grabbed Fayette's second consecutive Newcomer of the Year award, and was also named to the conference's First Team, after already being named to the USCAA Honorable Mention list. Junior USCAA Honorable Mention award recipient Kasey Ruble (Fairchance, Pa.) was also named to the PSUAC Honorable Mention team.

Head coach Kurt Mattern was recognized as the PSUAC Coach of the Year after leading Fayette to their first conference regular season and tournament titles in the program's five-year history, setting a program record for wins with 15.

Guthrie finished second in the conference in scoring with 19.7 points per game, and averaged 21.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in conference play alone. She finished the season with 12 double-doubles, including seven in her last eight games. Guthrie averaged 9.9 rebounds per game on the season to lead Fayette, and collected a conference-best 3.8 steals per game. Arguably, her best performance came in the conference championship against Penn State Brandywine as she totaled 26 points, including the game winning shot, and 20 rebounds to lead the Roaring Lions.

Wontroba's Newcomer of the Year award comes after a stellar freshman campaign which included the USCAA Honorable Mention nod. Wontroba finished the season averaging 16.6 points per game and grabbing 3.4 steals per game. She was also one of the nation's best shooters, finishing in the top 21 in field goal, three-point and free throw percentage.

Ruble, a PSUAC First Team selection in 2010-11 and a 2011-12 USCAA Honorable Mention, gained her third overall conference honor (also named to PSUAC First Team in softball in 2011). Ruble averaged 11.7 points per game and dished out a program-record 4.7 assists per game, good for sixth in the USCAA. She also finished second on the team in rebounding with 6.5 boards per game.

Mattern, the only coach in Fayette women's basketball history, collects his first collegiate Coach of the Year honor. Mattern has overseen the program's development from its infancy to a third-place finish last season, and finally a conference championship in 2011-12.

The Roaring Lions return six players for the 2012-13 squad, including five with starting experience and all three postseason honorees.

2012 PSUAC All-Conference Team

Jill Guthrie - So. G/F, Penn State Fayette (Player of the Year)

Brooke Mulneix - Jr. F, Penn State Beaver

Tessa Vargas - Sr. G, Penn State DuBois

Caitlin Wontroba - Fr. G, Penn State Fayette (Newcomer of the Year)

Shari Harper - Sr. G/F, Penn State Brandywine

Amanda Temple - Fr. F, Penn State Beaver

Rachel Halaszynski - Sr. F, Penn State Greater Allegheny

Kierstin Steer - Jr. F, Penn College

Taylor Cannon - Fr. F, Penn State Hazleton

Megan Brinkos - So. G, Penn State Greater Allegheny

2012 PSUAC Honorable Mention

Cashae Hinton - Penn State Brandywine

Kasey Ruble - Penn State Fayette

Lauren Riggleman - Penn State York

Jessica Segilia - Penn State Worthington-Scranton

Christina Floyd - Penn State Greater Allegheny

Tiara Brathwaite - Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Anna Angle - Penn State Mont Alto

Karlee Cyphert - Penn State DuBois

Brittany Tomaselli - Penn State Beaver

Tiffany Donnelley - Penn State Hazleton

Brianna Valentine - Penn College

Laneesha Harrison - Penn State Schuylkill

Kurt Mattern - Penn State Fayette (Coach of the Year)