City of Basketball Love

By Jeff Griffith (@hooplove215)
& Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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In a 2022-23 season that featured its fair share of successful local Division II women’s programs, several players stood out, en route to postseason conference honors, NCAA Tournament contributions, and more. 

We weren’t quite sure how to honor those who put together standout seasons, so we decided to put together an “Honor Roll” list of players from the CoBL region (which includes Southeastern Pa. and a few schools from the PSAC East).

Here’s the list of players broken down by local and non-local products: 

THE LOCALS

Emily Chimiel — F/C | Soph. | Chestnut Hill

Chimiel, a CB East product, was a Third team All-CACC selection in her sophomore campaign as she averaged Chimiel was phenomenal down the stretch, averaging 11.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg — bothe team-highs. A starter to begin the season, she came off the bench in the middle of the year before a torrid stretch to close out her campaign. The 6-foot-2 forward/center averaged 18.3 ppg and 10 ppg in her last six games of the season, putting together a stretch of five straight double-doubles during that time.

Haley Meinel — F | Jr. | Jefferson

Meinel was about as decorated as a CACC women’s basketball player can be in her junior season, wracking up Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and All-CACC First Team honors. Her awards were well-earned; the Central Bucks South alum averaged 15.4 points, 3.8 steals, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field. Meinel played a key role in the Rams’ run to the NCAA Tournament Regional Final averaging 23 points and seven steals in Jefferson’s pair of NCAA Tournament victories. 

Emily McAteer — G | Soph. | West Chester

West Chester’s leading rebounder with 8.4 rpg and second-leading scorer with 15.6 ppg, the 6-foot-1 McAteer tallied 13 double-doubles en route to an All-PSAC East First Team selection. She chipped in double-digit points in all but four of 33 contests, shooting strong .533/.383/.787 splits; her field-goal and three-point rates both led all West Chester players. In the Rams’ NCAA Tournament Second Round win, the Garnet Valley product did it all, logging 11 points, seven boards, four blocks and three steals.

Anna McTamney — F | Jr. | West Chester

One of the Rams’ two All-PSAC East Second Team honorees, McTamney — a Plymouth-Whitemarsh alum — averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 boards on the season, providing productive starting minutes to a deep West Chester team that rounded out the season at 24-9. While McTamney wasn’t the Rams’ go-to scorer, she had her fair share of highlight games, including 20 points and 11 rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting in an NCAA Tournament Second Round win over Charleston (WVa.).

Casey Remolde — F | Sr. | Kutztown

The 6-foot forward from Saint Basil Academy earned All-PSAC East honors, putting together a strong, do-it-all senior campaign with 10.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 2.1 apg, 1.6 bpg and 1.2 spg on .357/.310/.811 splits. Some of Remolde’s best basketball came down the stretch of Kutztown’s 15-15 season; she posted 17 points, seven boards four steals, three assists and two steals in just 23 minutes of a late-season win over Mansfield, and logged one of her season’s three double-doubles in Kutztown’s regular season finale, a win over Shepherd. 

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THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

Anyssa Fields — G/F | Soph. | Lincoln

Fields was one of two first team All-CIAA players for Lincoln this past season, helping her team to a 19-9 mark. The 6-foot wing/ forward was tops on the Lions in both scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.9 rpg) and second on the team with 47 steals. The highlight performance of her season may have been a 29-point outing against West Chester in December when she shot 12-of-15 from the floor.

Leah Johnson  — G | Jr. | West Chester

Johnson, an All-PSAC East First Team selection, posted impressive numbers with 16.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg and 6.4 apg, the latter of which ranked fourth in the nation. Johnson put up an elite free-throw shooting rate at 91.7 percent — good for fifth nationally — and helped lead the Rams to the NCAA Tournament Regional Final. Johnson was electrifying in the NCAA Tournament, pouring in 44 points on 17-of-28 field-goal shooting in the Rams’ opening round win over California University (Pa.), as well as 26 points and seven assists in a Regional Final loss to Glenville State. 

Ariel Jones — G | Sr. | Shippensburg

Following a medical redshirt last season, the 2020-21 PSAC East Player of the Year repeated the accomplishment in 2022-23. A 5-7 guard from Cedar Crest, Jones averaged a league-best 24.8 ppg and 2.5 spg, which was tied for tops, with the league to go along with 2.8 apg and 6.8 rpg, which ranked first and second on the Raiders, respectively. The conference’s leading score failed to reach double figures in just one game. She scored 20-or-more 20 times, 30-or-more eight times and 40-or-more three times, including a 48-point outing against Mercyhurst and 51-point outing against Millersville. She helped Shippensburg to a 25-7 mark and 18-4 PSAC East record.

Michelle Kozicki — F | Soph. | West Chester

In her first full season with the Rams, Kozicki shined, earning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year honors and landing on the All-Conference Second Team. After opening her season on a tear, logging double-doubles in three of her first five appearances, Kozicki finished with 13.1 ppg and 8.2 rpg, while adding 1.8 spg and apg apiece. She shot an efficient 50 percent from the field, and put up 15 points and 10 boards in West Chester’s NCAA Tournament Second Round win over Charleston (W.V.).

JaNya Lilly — G | Sr. | Cheyney

The Wolves logged just 12 games on the 2022-23 season, but JaNya Lilly made the most of her senior season after transferring from Lincoln. Lilly posted averages of 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists on the 2022-23 campaign, including three double-doubles, while scoring fewer than 14 points just one on the season. In The Wolves’ final two contests, Lilly averaged 26 points and 7.5 boards while shooting 18-of-39 from the field.

Cassie Murphy  — F | Soph. | Jefferson

An All-CACC Second Team selection, Murphy had a productive sophomore season, averaging 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting an efficient 51 percent from the field. Murphy pitched in a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the Rams’ 72-71 CACC semifinal loss to Dominican, and turned around with 10 points and 13 boards in an NCAA Tournament Round of 64 win over Daemen. The 6-foot center had her fair share of breakout games, none more eye-catching than a 28-point outing on 11-of-13 shooting in a Feb. 11 win at Caldwell.

Lauren Pettis — F | Gr. | Shippensburg

Pettis was a second team All-PSAC East selection for the Raiders, who went 25-7 and advanced to the NCAA Regionals. She averaged 12.0 ppg (second on team) on 57.3 percent shooting and added 9.8 rpg. She ranked second in the conference in rebounding, including first in offensive rebounding (4.3 orpg). She was also sixth in blocked shots per game with 1.2 bpg. She posted 14 double-doubles, including a 23-point, 20-rebound effort against Edinboro.

Carolyn Prevost — C | Jr. | Holy Family

In her first full season of action — as well as her first as a full-time starter — Prevost took the next step, averaging 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds with an efficient 56.2 percent clip from the field for the Tigers’ 20-10 squad. The All-CACC Second Team selection went out on a strong note down the stretch for Holy Family, averaging 14.3 points and eight boards over the Tigers’ final nine games, with all three of her season’s total double-doubles included in that stretch. Prevost played all 40 minutes of Holy Family’s conference semifinal lost to Post, going out with 17 points and six boards on 8-of-14 shooting. 

Naia Pulliam — G/F | Soph. | Kutztown

Pulliam earned First team All-PSAC East honors for Kutztown, which went 15-15 and 12-10 in the PSAC East this season. She led her team in scoring at 11.1 ppg while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor, and also added 4.1 rpg and 1.9 apg. After coming off the bench for most of the season, the Delaware native started her team’s final 12 games, averaging 15.2 ppg on 56 percent shooting in her final nine games, which incldued a 31-point performance against nationally ranked Shippensburg.

Morgan Robinson  — G | Jr. | Jefferson

A true do-it-all guard for Jefferson, Robinson was one of the nation’s top assist leaders, finishing second to UVA Wise’s Caitlyn Ross (7.6 apg) with an astounding average of 7.4 assists. She finished the season with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3, and averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 steals. In the Rams’ NCAA Tournament loss to Assumption, Robinson logged 19 points, eight assists and six boards. She earned a triple-double in Jefferson’s Nov. 13 win over Queens (N.Y.) and racked up five double-doubles on the year. Robinson joined Meinel on the All-CACC First Team.

Skyler Searfoss — G | Fr. | Holy Family

On the wings of a 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.3 apg season, Searfoss earned CACC Rookie of the Year honors, as well as an All-Conference Second Team nod. The freshman led Holy Family in scoring on .513/.333/.831 splits, and also chipped in 1.6 spg in a full-time starting guard role. Searfoss especially hit her stride after the season’s midpoint, scoring fewer than 10 points just twice after January 1, and averaging 15 points and six rebounds in Holy Family’s last six games. 

Ryan Weise — G | Gr. |  East Stroudsburg

Weise was a huge part in helping East Stroudsburg bounced back from a 4-21 with a 15-14 campaign. She stuffed the boxsheet for the Warriors on a consistent basis this past season as she led her team with 15.8 ppg, 4.8 apg (4th in PSAC), 5.7 rpg and 58 steals. She was also second in blocks (14). The 5-8 guard and First Team All-PSAC East selection score 30-or-more four times this season. She tallied in at least one assist in every game and poked away at least one steal in all but five contests.

Sam Yencha  — F | Soph. | Jefferson

Yencha — a 5-foot-11 sophomore — landed on the All-CACC Third Team with a double-double average of 11.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 49.1 percent field-goal shooting. Only one Jefferson player spent more time on the floor than Yencha (35.1 mpg), and she made the most of those minutes, totaling 16 double-double on the 2022-23 season. Yencha averaged 12.0 points and 12.2 rebounds in Conference Tournament and NCAA Tournament play, including a 13-point, 13-board showing in the Rams’ Regional Semifinal win over Southern New Hampshire.

Others

Treasure George, Jr., Shippensburg; Abbey Hearn, Jr., Kutztown; Jasmine Hilton, Soph., Jefferson; Marin Miller, Soph., Millersville; Alana Robinson, Fr., Lock Haven