All PSAC wbb

Women's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Pirosko, Mitchell Earn All-PSAC West Accolades

Pirosko Named to First Team, Mitchell on Second Team

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference today announced its 2022 All-PSAC Women's Basketball Teams. Gannon had two players named to the All-PSAC West teams. Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) was accorded first team honors and Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) was voted to the second team by the league's coaches. It marks the first all-conference honors for both players.

Gannon is currently 22-6 and will play Kutztown in the PSAC Semifinals on Saturday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m. The Golden Knights seek to defend their 2020 PSAC championship after defeating Pitt-Johnstown, 70-44, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Cal's Dejah Terrell was voted both the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and Defensive Athlete of the Year, while her coach, Jess Strom, was named the Coach of the Year. Christiane Frye of Seton Hill was selected the Rookie of the Year.

Pirosko, from Eastlake, Ohio, emerged as a standout post player a year ago when Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) went down with a season-ending injury. Pirosko started the last nine games and finished as Gannon's leading scorer at 15.9 ppg. She continued her outstanding play in 2021-22 despite battling injuries and illness early in the year that forced her to miss three games.

The 5'10" sophomore is averaging a team-high 15.8 ppg. while ranking second in rebounding with 6.1 rpg. She is shooting 53.7 percent from the floor (151 of 281) and 88.3 percent from the line (83 of 94). Pirosko ranks eighth in the PSAC in scoring, third in field goal percentage, and leads the conference in free throw percentage.

Now healthy, Pirosko has picked up her play down the stretch and was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week earlier this week after scoring 23 points and pulling down 12 rebounds against Cal last Saturday. She added team-highs of 19 points and 13 rebounds in Wednesday's win over UPJ. She has scored in double figures in ten of the last 11 games and 20 games in all. She has scored 20-or-more points in three of the last five games and six games overall. Pirosko is averaging 21.2 ppg. over the last five contests.

Wednesday's double double effort was Pirosko's third after opening the year with a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds against Bluefield State. She has led Gannon in scoring 14 times and led the team in rebounding nine times. She had 27 points in a 75-74 win at Florida Southern.
Mitchell is a do-everything player for the Golden Knights. She got a late start to the season, missing the first four contests while recovering from an injury, and it took her awhile to get her legs under her. She has been a key performer down the stretch, scoring important baskets and playing outstanding defense. She was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week a week ago.

The 5'11" guard is averaging 7.5 ppg. and 3.5 rpg. while shooting 41.5 percent from the floor (54 of 130), making 30 of 74 3-pointers (40.5 percent), and 68.3 percent at the line (41 of 60). She stands second on the team in steals with 40, and third in assists (64) and blocked shots (15).

The senior is closing in on 1,000 career points with her total currently standing at 980. That ranks 31st at Gannon. Maybe most impressive, she tied the record for games played in Wednesday's win over Pitt-Johnstown at 129 games.  She stands tenth in career assists with 392, while ranking in the top 20 in rebounds with 434 and steals with 177.    

Mitchell has scored in double figures in six contests, but three have come in the last six games, including a season-high 18-point effort at Clarion that included eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Sydney Mitchell

#23 Sydney Mitchell

G
5' 11"
Senior
Tori Obenrader

#25 Tori Obenrader

G/F
5' 11"
Junior
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

C/F
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Sydney Mitchell

#23 Sydney Mitchell

5' 11"
Senior
G
Tori Obenrader

#25 Tori Obenrader

5' 11"
Junior
G/F
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
C/F