May. 25, 2006 - SUSAN BLAUSER NAMED ASSISTANT COACH FOR FLYER BASKETBALL

"Susan has a great personality," Jabir said. "She is outgoing and very hard working. Susan brings a lot of energy and she is a good fit for our program."

While at UA, Blauser coordinated travel and team equipment while directing the Zips' community service activities. She also helped to recruit the first ever Street & Smith All-American to play at Akron.

Blauser came to Akron from Boston University where she spent the 2003-04 season as an assistant coach. In addition to working with the post players, she served as the Terriers' recruiting coordinator and facilitated preseason conditioning and individual workouts.

"I am excited to join a great program at Dayton," Blauser said. "UD has made great progress over the past few years and I am excited to continue that trend. It is also great step for me personally and I look forward to working with a great staff here at UD."

From 2001-03 she was a graduate assistant at Division II Clarion (Pa.) University where she earned a master's degree in rehabilitative sciences. Blauser created the "Eagles' Nest" youth fan club and was named the 2003 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Graduate Assistant of the Year. She was also instrumental in the development of All-America honoree Heather Cigich while at Clarion.

A 2000 graduate of the University of Illinois, Blauser was first-team All-Big Ten and Illinois team MVP as a junior in 1999, leading the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game and was a nominee for the Naismith Player of the Year. A preseason All-America pick her senior season, she went on to earn second-team All-Big Ten accolades and was named to the WBCA Top 15 Senior All-Star Game after averaging 14.5 ppg and 7.9 rebounds per contest. The Fighting Illini (23-11) spent most of the 1999-00 season ranked in the top 10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Blauser played her freshman and sophomore seasons at Rutgers where she was named to the Big East All-Rookie team in 1996 and the Rutgers Most Valuable Player in 1997. She was named the Scarlet Knights' Most Courageous Player both years on the roster and was a team captain as a sophomore.

UD has been one of the most improved teams in the nation over the past two seasons under the direction of Head Coach Jim Jabir. In his first season with the Flyers, Dayton won just three games. Last year, UD had the fourth best single-season turnaround in the nation with 12 wins overall for a nine-game improvement. The Flyers have won 17 games in 2005-06 and tied for the second best improvement in the NCAA from the 2003-04 season to the 2005-06 campaign.

Dayton's 17-12 regular season record was not only one of the best turnarounds in the nation, but is among the most successful seasons in Flyer women's basketball history. UD hit the 17-win plateau for just the second time in its Division I history and the first time since in 22 years. This season's win total matches the third most wins since the current Flyer seniors were in preschool (1984-85 season). Dayton was also 8-8 in Atlantic 10 regular season games this season, which was one shy of its most ever wins in A-10 play.

May. 9, 2006 - Lowe chooses BU

Apr. 7, 2006 - Vanderwal Earns I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Honors

Vanderwal, a co-captain, capped a stellar career by leading Boston University to the America East championship game for the fourth straight year. Just the fifth Terrier in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors, Vanderwal was the only player in the conference to be ranked among the top 10 in points, rebounds and assists this season.

She led the Terriers in scoring (12.7 ppg) and assists (3.5 apg) this season and she scored 12 or more points in each of the final 13 games of the regular season. The Ontario native stepped up her scoring average in league play, averaging 14.4 points per game.

A human movement major, Vanderwal has earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and will graduate from Boston University in May.

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. He/she must have reached sophomore athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution.

Mar. 31, 2006 - Looking toward the Future

Mar. 13, 2006 - Hartford, Boston University

Mar. 6, 2006 - WILDCATS TO FACE TERRIERS AT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

The Wildcats, 15-12 overall and 7-9 in America East, will face third-seed Boston University in the quarterfinals of the tournament at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 10. UNH swept the regular season series from the Terriers, including a 76-63 victory in the final home game of the regular season on February 25.

If UNH defeats BU, it will face the winner of the Stony Brook/Vermont quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, March 11, at 1 p.m. in the first semifinal game of the day. The Wildcats were swept by the Seawolves and split the season series with the Catamounts, including a 57-54 loss to Vermont in UNH's regular season finale last Wednesday.

A semifinal victory advances the Wildcats to the championship game on Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. Among the possible opponents are top-seed and tournament host Hartford, who lost only one conference game all season, fourth-seeded Binghamton, fifth-seeded UMBC, and the winner of the first-round game between Maine and Albany.

All games involving the Wildcats will be broadcast by the UNH Sports Radio Network, with Jim Jeannotte and Mike Murphy calling the games live from Hartford. Those broadcasts are also available on the Internet through Yahoo Broadcast. Fox Sports New England will televise the tournament semifinals and finals live.

Feb. 27, 2006 - Hawks Settle For 4th

Feb. 20, 2006 - Men's Basketball Falls Short at Boston University

Antwan Hardy poured in a season-best 20 points but it was not enough as the Boston University men's basketball team held off a furious late rally from the Seawolves with a 73-68 victory over Stony Brook Sunday afternoon at Case Gymnasium. BU improved to 10-15 overall, 7-7 in America East play. Stony Brook fell to 4-21, 2-12.

The Seawolves trailed by double-digit in each half but would not go away until the very end. Stony Brook, which has lost six straight and 11 of its last 13, fell to 1-16 on the road this season.

BU's Kevin Gardner, who had a career-best 27, led the way for the Terriers, who completed the season-sweep of Stony Brook.

In the second half, the Terriers built on a seven-point halftime edge, as Corey Hassan nailed a pair of 3-pointers and Shaun Wynn connected from downtown to give BU its largest lead of the day, 46-34 with 15:35 remaining in the game.

The Seawolves responded immediately, as Hardy scored six points in an 8-0 run to cut the SBU deficit to four, 46-42 with 14:13 remaining. Hardy scored a team-high 20 points, including 16 in the second half. The teams continued to trade hoops until a pair of Mitchell Beauford free throws drew the Seawolves to within two, 60-58 with 8:21 remaining.

BU stretched the lead to 68-62 on a Gardner dunk with 2:32 remaining, but Stony Brook drew within one, 69-68, after Hardy drained a pair of long threes. Two Brian Macon free throws with 27 seconds left put the Terriers back ahead by three, and the Seawolves' Mike Popoko missed a potential tying three with 13 seconds remaining. Hassan hit two free throws to salt away the victory.  Mike Popoko  
netted 16 points on the afternoon for the Seawolves, to go along with five boards. Beauford chipped in with eight points, three assists, and three steals in the game.

BU jumped out to a large lead early behind a pair of threes from Hassan and led 14-4 at the 13:55 mark. Stony Brook rallied, however, with an 18-5 spurt, and Tre Cunningham's three put the Seawolves on top 22-19 with 7:38 left. The teams traded baskets for the next four minutes before the Terriers scored the last nine points of the half to take a 34-27 advantage into the locker room.

The Seawolves wrap up the season with a pair of home games this upcoming week. Stony Brook will host Hartford on Wednesday before concluding the regular season with a home contest against Maine on Sunday. The America East Tournament in Binghamton, N.Y., from March 3-5 awaits the Seawolves.

Feb. 16, 2006 - Shorthanded BU women unable to end February funk

The February slide continues for the Binghamton University women's basketball team.

The Bearcats, who earlier this season were near the top of the America East Conference, dropped their third consecutive game on Wednesday night. This time, it was Boston University handing Binghamton a 77-65 loss at the Events Center in a game that was far more lopsided than the final score indicated.

Binghamton (13-10, 6-6), which had one player quit the team this week and lost another to injury, got off to a sluggish start and never recovered against an energetic Boston team that controlled every aspect of the game.

"I feel like they were much more ready to go," said Binghamton sophomore Laura Sario, who had a team-high 14 points. "They had much more energy than we did."

A month ago, the Bearcats were battling Hartford for first place in the conference. Now, after enduring injuries to seniors Rachel Laws and Jen Haubrich, Binghamton has lost four of five and is tied with UMBC for fourth place.

"I think we're emotionally drained," Binghamton coach Rich Conover said. "We expended a lot of energy in the middle of the season, and now we need to find some more energy at the end."

The Bearcats' problems started before the game did.

First, reserve guard Therese Deemand quit the team and left the university to return home to Denmark. Deemand, a junior, was averaging less than six minutes a game and had scored just 18 points all season.

"It caught me off guard," Conover said of Deemand's decision. "Certainly, it's tough when you don't play. I think for her personally, being at home and going to (a) university there was going to benefit her more."

Then, junior guard Rebecka Lindgren injured her ankle in practice on Tuesday, forcing her to miss Wednesday's game. Lindgren, the Bearcats' back-up point guard who averages 3.6 points per game, is listed as day-to-day.

Binghamton could have used Lindgren's ball-handling presence in the first half. Boston (14-8, 7-4) played an aggressive full-court defense, forcing the Bearcats to commit 14 first-half turnovers.

"That's something we just can't do to win games," Haubrich said.

The Terriers held Binghamton without a field goal for the first seven minutes and led by as many as 16 in the first half.

"I felt from the get-go that our team played with a lot of personality," Boston coach Kelly Greenberg said. "I think sometimes the beginning of the game is so important. If our players feel that things are going their way, then all of a sudden we have more confidence. If you start the game on your heels, it's hard to get it back sometimes."

That was certainly the case for Binghamton, which seemed sluggish on offense. The crisp passes and confident cuts to the basket that the team displayed earlier in the season weren't there.

The Bearcats got no closer than 10 points in the second half, as Boston guard Rachael Vanderwal put on a show. Vanderwal scored 18 of her game-high 29 points in the second half. Vanderwal finished 10-for-14 from the field, including four of five on three-pointers, as Boston led by as many as 22 in the second half.

Jen Blues had 11 points for the Bearcats. Haubrich had 10 points and Laura Franceski had eight points and seven rebounds for Binghamton, which visits first-place Hartford on Saturday. The Hawks are 12-0 in conference play this season.

"What better way to get yourself back on track than to go on the road and take on what is most definitely the top team in the conference," Conover said. "Is our chemistry and everything perfect right now? No, but that's why you play a full season and why you have a conference tournament at the end of the season."

BOSTON 77, BINGHAMTON 65

Boston: Kasey Devine 2 0-0 4; Erica Kovach 3 2-2 8; Christine Kinneary 2 4-6 8; Cheri Raffo 2 2-2 7; Rachael Vanderwal 10 5-6 29; Kristi Dini 0 0-0 0; Corinne Jean 1 0-0 3; Katie Meinhardt 2 0-0 5; Shannon Petranoff 2 0-2 4; Amarachi Umez-Eronini 0 0-0 0; Jesyka Burks-Wiley 4 0-0 9; Totals: 28 13-18 77.

Binghamton: Jen Haubrich 2 6-9 10; Juta Jahilo 1 3-4 5; Laura Sario 5 2-4 14; Jen Blues 5 0-0 11; Shea Kenny 1 2-2 4; Rachel Laws 2 2-3 6; Brianna Thompson 0 0-0 0; Laine Kurpniece 1 3-4 5; Laura Franceski 3 2-2 8; Erin Owens 0 2-2 2; Totals: 20 22-30 65.

Halftime: Boston 37-25. Three-pointers: Boston 8-19 (Devine 0-1, Kovach 0-1, Kinneary 0-1, Raffo 1-2, Vanderwal 4-5, Jean 1-2, Meinhardt 1-4, Burks-Wiley 1-3); Binghamton 3-7 (Sario 2-4, Blues 1-3). Rebounds: Boston 35 (Devine 8); Binghamton 33 (Franceski 7). Assists: Boston 14 (Kinneary 5, Vanderwal 5); Binghamton 9 (Kenny 5). Total fouls: Boston 22, Binghamton 14. Fouled out: Burks-Wiley. Officials: Kathleen M. Lynch, Norma Jones, Timothy Fuller). A: 1,939.