Capsule previews for Westmoreland County college basketball teams
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Men
Saint Vincent
Division: III
Conference: Presidents’ Athletic Conference
Coach: D.P. Harris
Last year’s record: 15-11, 11-9
Conference finish: 6th
Playoff finish: PAC quarterfinals
Key returnees: Jaden Gales (So., F), Mike Iuzzolino (Jr., G), Osyon Jones (Sr., G)
Notable: Gales (6-foot-6, 215) was the PAC Newcomer of the Year and ECAC Rookie of the Year last season, averaging 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. … Gales, Iuzzolino and Jones are returning starters, as was senior Tayler McNeal. … A player to keep an eye on is sophomore transfer Dev Ostrowski, a 6-2, 200-pound guard. The Haitian-born Ostrowski played previously at Miami Dade College. … Iuzzolino is the son of former NBA guard Mike Iuzzolino. … Harris is 369-153 in his 16-year career. He has coached the Bearcats over two stints.
Seton Hill
Division: II
Conference: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division
Coach: Ben Wilkins
Last year’s record: 16-13, 11-11
Conference finish: T-5th
Playoff finish: PSAC first round
Key returnees: Sean Dillon (Sr., G), Ryan Meis (Sr., G), Jimmy Moon (Grad, F)
Notable: The Griffins made the PSAC playoffs for the first time since 2018-19. They won 16 games after combining for that many wins in the previous three seasons. … Dillon averaged 14.7 points and made a team-high 58 3-pointers. … Wilkins, a Mt. Pleasant native with Division I coaching experience, begins his second season as coach. … The Griffins were picked to finish sixth in the PSAC West preseason coaches’ poll. … Last year’s leading scorer, Samuel Tabe (16.4 ppg), is playing a fifth year at Division I South Alabama.
Pitt-Greensburg
Division: III
Conference: Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
Coach: Chris Klimchock
Last year’s record: 12-14, 8-6
Conference finish: 4th
Playoff finish: AMCC quarterfinals
Key returnees: Micah Jones (Grad, F), Matthew Marinchak (So., G)
Notable: Marinchak (Ligonier Valley) is the top returning scorer at 9.1 points per game, and Jones averaged 8.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. … The Bobcats were picked by conference coaches to finish seventh. … JoJo France graduated last season as the second all-time leading scorer in the program (1,813 points). … Klimchock begins his third season with the Bobcats. The former Greensburg Salem standout guard is 22-29 overall and 16-14 in conference games.
Women
Saint Vincent
Division: III
Conference: Presidents’ Athletic Conference
Coach: Jimmy Petruska
Last year’s record: 22-5, 17-3
Conference finish: 2nd
Playoff finish: PAC champions, NCAA first round
Key returnees: Emily Cavacini (Sr., G), Emily Thompson (Jr., G-F), Madison Weber (Grad, F)
Notable: The Bearcats won the PAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth time. … Cavacini was the PAC Tournament MVP, scoring 22 points in the title-game win over Chatham. … SVC had the top defensive field-goal percentage in Division III (28.1%). … Cavacini (12.6) and Weber (11.2) averaged in double figures. … Senior Alana Winkler started 24 games last season. … Opponents averaged 50.4 points. … Petruska begins his 14th season leading the Bearcats.
Seton Hill
Division: II
Conference: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division
Coach: Maeve Gallagher
Last year’s record: 18-14, 11-11
Conference finish: 6th
Playoff finish: PSAC first round
Key returnees: Hallie Cowan (So., G), Helene Cowan (So., G), Christiane Frye (Sr., G)
Notable: This is the first season for Gallagher, a former assistant who took over for Mark Katarski, who led the team for nine seasons and compiled a record of 147-120. Gallagher also was an assistant at Washington & Jefferson and Longwood. … Frye, an All-PSAC West player, averaged 16 points to lead the team and made 103 3s. … The team averaged 69.7 points. … Senior 6-1 forward Sakeria Haralson also is a returning starter.
Pitt-Greensburg
Division: III
Conference: Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
Coach: Darien Lantz
Last year’s record: 14-13, 9-5
Conference finish: 3rd
Playoff finish: AMCC semifinals
Key returnees: Chloe Lukondi (So., G), Melina Maietta (Jr., G), Tiana Moracco (So., G)
Notable: UPG powered through to the conference semifinals before falling to Penn State Behrend. … Lantz is set to start her second season as coach. Former head coach Kelsey Oddis is an assistant. … An All-AMCC performer, Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic) averaged 16.4 points and led the team with 66 3s.