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March 9, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Northeast-10 Player of the Week

Johannah Leedham, Franklin Pierce (Jr., F, Ellesmere Port, England) - Earned Most Outstanding Player honors in leading Franklin Pierce to its first Northeast-10 Championship. Averaged 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game in three victories. Shot 53.-percent (25-47) from the field, including 40.7-percent (11-27) from three-point range, and converted 84.2-percent (16-19) of her free-throw attempts for the week. Scored 22 of her game-high 31 points in the second half in the championship win over third-seeded Bentley, adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Posted 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the semifinal victory over fourth-seeded American International. Opened the week with 24 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds in quarterfinal victory over Southern New Hampshire.

Northeast-10 Freshman of the Week

Marielle Giroud, Franklin Pierce (Fr., F, Martigny, Switzerland) - Helped the Ravens capture their first NE-10 Tournament title with 5.3 points and team-best seven rebounds over three postseason games last week. Shared the team lead with eight rebounds (three offensive) to go with seven points and three steals in the championship victory over third-seeded Bentley. Posted nine points and a team-best nine rebounds to go with two steals in the semifinal win over fourth-seeded American International.

Weekly Honor Roll:

Stacy Boisvert, American International (Sr., F, Agawam, Mass.) - Averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week. Scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds in a quarterfinal round win over Pace and registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards at Franklin Pierce.

Laechia Conley, American International (So., G, Urbandale, Iowa) - Averaged 13.5 points and six rebounds in a 1-1 week. Scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a quarterfinal round win over Pace and netted 11 points with five rebounds and eight assists in the semifinals against Franklin Pierce.

Kim Brennan, Bentley (So., G, Locust Valley, N.Y.) - Was named to the All-Championship Team at the Northeast-10 Championships after averaging 17.3 points, 3.7 assists and three rebounds. Shot 51 percent overall and made 5-of-10 three-pointers. Had 17 points and four assists in a quarterfinal win over New Haven, 20 points and 3 assists in semis against Saint Rose and 15 points and four assists in finals at Franklin Pierce.

Kristy McLean, Bentley (Sr., G, Staten Island, N.Y.) - Earned All-Championship Team honors at the Northeast-10 Championships after averaging 16 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.3 assists. Shot 50 percent overall and 44 percent from three. Had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals in the quarters vs. New Haven, 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals vs. Saint Rose in the semis, and 19 points in the finals at Franklin Pierce.

Cynthia Gaudet, Franklin Pierce (So., G , Coventry, R.I.) - Earned All-Championship team honors in helping lead Franklin Pierce to its first Northeast-10 Tournament Championship. Averaged 13 points, two assists, 1.7 rebounds and a steal this past week. Made 68.8-percent (11-16) of her shots from the field, including 4-of-7 (57.1%) from three-point range, and converted 13-of-15 (86.7%) of her free-throw attempts for the week. Scored a career-best 19 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from the field (3-3 three's), converting 6-of-8 free-throws, to go with five assists and two steals in the championship victory over third-seeded Bentley. Opened the week with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, converting all five free-throw attempts in the quarterfinal win over 9th-seeded Southern New Hampshire. Added nine points in the semifinal win over fourth-seeded American International.

Jennifer Leedham, Franklin Pierce (Sr., G, Ellesmere Port, England) - Earned All-Championship team honors in helping guide the Ravens to their first Northeast-10 Championship. Averaged 9.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals in the three wins. Posted 11 points (all second half), four assists, three steals and three rebounds in the championship victory over third-seeded Bentley. Added ten points, seven assists and two steals in the semifinal win over fourth-seeded American International. Notched eight points, five assists, three boards and two steals in the quarterfinal win over Southern New Hampshire.

Taylor Losey, Pace (Jr., F, Bristol, Conn.) - Shot 6-for-10 from the field to lead the team with 16 points in the NE-10 Quarterfinals against American International.

Brittany Shields, Pace (Fr., F, Cold Spring, N.Y.) - Totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists, while shooting 5-for-10 from the field in the NE-10 Quarterfinals against American International.

Elizabeth Buckley, Saint Rose (Jr., G, East Lyme, Conn.) - Averaged 22 points throughout a pair of NE-10 championship games last week. Buried 72.2 percent (13-of-18) of her attempts from the arc and wound up shooting 58.3 percent (14-for-24) from the floor as well. Led the team in double-figures scoring with 18 points behind 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point territory in a 67-59 win at Stonehill in the quarterfinals. Then went 8-for-11 from the arc, including 5-for-5 in the second half, on her way to a game-high 26 points in a 65-63 setback at Bentley in the semifinals.

Weekly Notes:

BENTLEY: Bentley will be making its record 26th appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships, five more than any other current Division II institution. Sophomore Kim Brennan will enter the NCAA tournament with 1,156 minutes, just nine shy of the Bentley single season record.

FRANKLIN PIERCE: Franklin Pierce captured its first Northeast-10 championship since joining the Conference in 2000. The Ravens completed the NE-10 Championship double, after also winning their first regular season title in the NE-10. The conference championship crown is the Ravens first since 1992 when they also won both the regular season and tournament championships in the New England Collegiate Conference. Franklin Pierce will defend its regional championship as the top seed in this weekend's NCAA Division II East Regional, hosted by Holy Family University in Philadelphia, Pa. Junior All-American Johannah Leedham enters this weekend's regional just 14 points shy of becoming the second player in program history to reach the 2,000-point plateau for their career. Her 650 points so far this season are the fifth-highest single-season total in program history, as she became just the second player in program history to reach 600 points for a season twice in their Franklin Pierce career. Leedham also moved into a tie for 12th in program history with 601 career rebounds.

SAINT ROSE: The Golden Knights earned their 10th overall NCAA Tournament berth throughout their 18-year history of competing exclusively at the NCAA Division II level Sunday. It also marks the third bid for Saint Rose within the last four years. Junior guard Elizabeth Buckley tied an NE-10 Championship record with eight, 3-pointers in a 65-63 semifinal loss at Bentley Friday. She wound up going 8-for-11 from the arc in the contest.