With Playoffs in Mind, Women’s Basketball Releases 2019-20 Schedule
After making the PSUAC playoffs for the first time in five years last season, the PSUGA Women's Basketball team has their sites set on another run for a playoff spot in 2019-2020. They released their 2019-2020 schedule on Thursday, starting the long road to a playoff spot.
McKeesport, PA. – After having a historic season in 2018-2019, the Penn State Greater Allegheny Women’s Basketball team returns hungrier than ever. Releasing their 2019-2020 schedule on Thursday, head coach Chrissy Robison and her team took their first steps to once again compete for a Penn State University Athletic Conference playoff spot.
Last season, head coach Chrissy Robison and her team set a new program record for wins in a season by going 15-11 and 11-4 in PSUAC play. That success did not come easy, however, as PSUGA battled through a grueling non-conference schedule that featured the likes of Ave Maria (21-9) and Clarion (NCAA Division II) to start the year. They came out of the stretch just 2-5, but rallied around the team motto: Trust the Process.
Their hard work would pay off as PSUGA went on to win 10 of their first 11 conference games, and propel themselves to the top of the PSUAC West Division. They would end the regular season going 4-3 over the final month and claimed the #2 seed in the PSUAC Playoffs, their first trip to the tournament since the 2013-2014 season. However, a first-round loss to PSU-Fayette ended the run.
As the program looks to continue to grow in 2019, PSUGA can look forward to the return of eight of its players from last year, including four of the five starters. Among the returners are the team’s top three scorers Tina Clybourn (Pittsburgh, PA./Brashear HS), Teaira Hartley (East Stroudsburg, PA./East Stroudsburg North HS), and Jayla Ellis (Pittsburgh, PA./Woodland Hills HS). All three women averaged at least 10 points per game with Clybourn leading the pack with 14.2.
As for coach Robison, she enters the year ready to push her girls to their limits and beyond. She once again has put together a grueling non-conference schedule that will push her team and have them ready for the intense competition, they can expect to face throughout the PSUAC.
PSUGA takes on Geneva and Point Park in the team’s two scrimmages on October 26th and 28th to kick off play for the season. They will then take on both Butler County Community College and Villa Maria before jumping into the heart of their PSUAC schedule. The months of November and December see them head on the road for five of their first eight games. However, in the second half of the season, they will get six home games over the final two months as they head down the stretch.
After having a taste of the PSUAC playoffs last season, Robison and her team are looking to make back-to-back playoff trips for the first time in program history. The season begins on November 4th when the girls take on Butler County Community College at 5 p.m. To see the full schdedule visit: www.athleticsga.com/sports/wbkb/2019-20/schedule.