FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Marci Lippert, Director of Athletic Communications- 610-606-4666 x. 3727

CEDAR CREST BASKETBALL EARNS FIRST PLAYOFF BERTH IN OVER A DECADE

Allentown, PA (February 20, 2009) – The Cedar Crest College basketball team, a member of the Colonial States Athletic Conference, learned today that it earned its first playoff berth in over a decade. 

The Falcons will be the sixth seed overall and will play the number three seed that has yet to be determined.  Cedar Crest will know after Saturday’s final CSAC contests the team it will play on Monday evening.  It could be Gwynedd-Mercy, Neumann or Centenary. 

Cedar Crest finished the regular season at 13-11 overall and 8-8 in the CSAC.  They posted more conference victories this season than in the last nine seasons combined.  Head Coach Valerie Donohue has helped her team tie the school record of 13 wins in a season, which was set in the 1998-99 season when the Falcons last made the playoffs.

The Falcons are led this season by freshman Liz Sunderhaus (Hamilton, OH/Stephen T. Badin), who ranks fourth in the CSAC, averaging 14.4 points per game.  She also ranks third in the CSAC and 12th in the nation, averaging 12.0 rebounds per contest.  She leads the CSAC in blocked shots (53) and field goal percentage (50.6%).  Junior Lakeema Jones (Williamsport, PA/Williamsport) averages 14.7 points per game, ranking 5th in the CSAC. Jones also leads the CSAC and ranks 10th in the nation in free-throw percentage, averaging 89.4 percent from the line.  Junior Kelly Oakes (Wilmington, DE/Delcastle) is averaging 11.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per outing for the Falcons. 

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