Ashcraft, McDowell, and Hnatuck named All-Landmark Conference

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Three Juniata College women's basketball players were tapped for the 2008 All-Landmark Conference team, which was released Tuesday. Juniata's three All-Conference selections were the most of any team in the league.

Junior guard Claudia McDowell (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) and junior forward Kelly Ashcraft (Bellefonte, Pa./State College) were named to the league's first team.Ashcraft leads the Eagles in scoring with 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. She has logged 20 double-digit scoring performances this season, with a season-high 22 points against Elmira College. Ashcraft heads into the Landmark Conference tournament shooting .553 from the field, and ranked 21st among all Division III players in field goal percentage. 

McDowell is averaging 12.7 points per game this season for the Eagles, with 4.0 rebounds per game. She is shooting .822 from the free-throw line (88-of-107), and is ranked 60th in the nation in free-throw percentage. McDowell has 16 double figure scoring performances to her credit this season, with a season-high 26 points in a win over Newmann College.

Freshman Jen Hnatuck (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) was the lone Juniata selection for Second team All-Landmark Conference. Hnatuck has averaged 11.9 points while pulling down a team-high 8.6 rebounds, and she has eight double-doubles to her credit this season. She scored her season high of 19 points in a loss to Thiel College.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a 17-8 mark, 10-4 in the Landmark Conference, and head into the league tournament as the no. 2 seed. Juniata will host third-seeded Moravian College in a semifinal game on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center in Huntingdon, Pa.The complete All-Landmark Conference team is listed below:

2007-08 All-Landmark Conference Women's Basketball TeamFirst Team
Pos-Name Class Hometown(High School)

G-Megan Kopecki, Scranton Fr. Millington, N.J. (Watchung Hills Regional)
G-Claudia McDowell, Juniata Jr. Alexandria, Pa. (Juniata Valley)
F-Kelly Ashcraft, Juniata Jr. Bellefonte, Pa. (State College)
F-Kathleen Daly, Scranton Sr. Bryn Mawr, Pa. (Merion Mercy Academy)G/F-Shadae Swann, Goucher Sr. Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
F-Morgan Gartner, USMMA Sr. Houston, Texas (Kingwood)

Second Team
Pos-Name Class Hometown/High School
G-Kate Harrison, Moravian So. Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (Cold Spring Harbor)G-Allison Hartnett, Drew Sr. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. (Dobbs Ferry)
G-Rachael Hughes, Susquehanna Fr. Gordon, Pa. (North Schuylkill)
F-Alyssa Bisci, Moravian So. Easton, Pa. (Easton)
F-Jen Hnatuck, Juniata Fr. Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Trinity)G/F-Brianna Peterson, Catholic Fr. Garnerville, N.Y. (North Rockland)

Player of the Year: Kathleen Daly, ScrantonDefensive Player of the Year: Brooke Picillo, USMMARookie of the Year: Megan Kopecki, ScrantonCoaching Staff of the Year: Moravian College (Head Coach, Mary Beth Spirk)

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