Bird's Eye View - 2019-20 Women's Basketball

The third time was a charm for head coach Melissa Kuberka and the St. John Fisher College women’s basketball team. After reaching the Empire 8 title game in each of her first two seasons at the helm, Kuberka and the Cardinals broke through in 2019-20 and won the program’s fifth conference title after going 12-2 in Empire 8 play on the year. 

The Cardinals made their 15th trip to the NCAA Championship and had three players named All-Conference by the Empire 8 including sophomore Ella Eckert who would go on to be crowned All-region by D3hoops.com.  Kuberka and her staff were further applauded as the Empire 8 honored them as Coaching Staff of the Year. 

Here are the most memorable moments from Fisher’s campaign. 

Women's Basketball Eyes Another Postseason Run as New Season Starts Saturday at St. Lawrence

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – This weekend, the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team will lace up its sneakers and begin its 46th season as the Cardinals travel to the North Country on Saturday to take on St. Lawrence in a non-conference tilt.  Expectations are high as head coach Melissa Kuberka's team is coming off its second straight appearance in the Empire 8 title game.

"This is a special group who has bought into our message of 'simple and selfless,'" added Kuberka who has amassed 40 wins over her first two seasons at the helm.  "The team doesn't care about minutes or scoring more than it does about our goal of succeeding as a team.  We might be young on paper, but the majority of this group knows what it's like to sit in a locker room after losing in the championship.  We want to get that taste out of our mouths and take the next step as a program. We have the players to do that the right way this season."

Experience is critical as the Cardinals gear up for another run at the postseason and Fisher is set to return 11 players from a team that led the Empire 8 in scoring defense (55.8), field goal percentage defense (.345) and rebounding (43.0) and was second overall in the conference in steals per game.

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Lynch's 19 Points Fuels Women's Basketball to Win at St. Lawrence

CANTON, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team got off on the right foot as the Cardinals claimed a 62-58 win over St. Lawrence in their season-opener on Saturday in a non-conference tilt inside Ronald T. Burkman Gymnasium.  With the win, Fisher will head into next week with a 1-0 record while the Saints will continue their search for their first win as they're now 0-1 following the loss.

Sophomore Miranda Lynch had the hot hand with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting including five from behind the arc.  Leah Koonmen finished with eight points, six rebounds and three assists while Ella Eckert added eight points and a team-leading nine rebounds in the win.

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Mertsock Named MVP as Women's Basketball Moves to 3-0 With Win at No. 25 Emmanuel

BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Julia Mertsock scored a career-high 24 points as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team continued to roll on Sunday with a 76-68 win over the host Saints as the Cardinals won the Emmanuel College Tip-Off Tournament.  With the win, Fisher remained unbeaten and closed out the day at 3-0 while nationally-ranked Emmanuel slipped to 1-1 with the defeat.

Mertsock, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player following the win, was 10-for-15 overall with six rebounds.  Ella Eckert finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds to go along with five assists and three steals while Leah Koonmen added 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists.  Senior Alex Reigle had five helpers off the bench while Amy Gardner provided five points and four boards in the win.  Both Koonmen and Eckert were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts.

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No. 15 Women's Basketball Earns Wire-to-Wire Win Over Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A pair of players recorded double-doubles while four starters scored in double figures for the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team as the Cardinals defeated the University of Rochester, 68-54, Thursday night. The game was played at the Rochester Institute of Technology's Clark Gym as part of the Marks Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout.

Fisher, who is ranked 15th in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll, improve to 4-0 on the year. It is the best start to a season for the Cardinals since the 2015-2016 campaign. The Yellowjackets drop to 3-2 overall.

Sophomore Ella Eckert led the Cardinals with 18 points for a second consecutive game while shooting 7-of-14 from the floor. The East Amherst native also grabbed 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Sophomore Julia Mertsock also notched a double-double for Fisher with 13 points and 13 boards.

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Hot Shooting From Distance Propels No. 19 Women's Basketball to Double-Digit Win Over Buffalo State

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College women's basketball team made its home debut on Tuesday and knocked down a season-high 11 3-pointers as the Cardinals toppled visiting Buffalo State, 79-57, in a non-conference tilt inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which is ranked 19th in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll, climbed to 5-1 heading into the Thanksgiving Break while the Bengals closed out the day at 2-3 overall.

Overall, Fisher was 30-for-69 (.441) from the floor, however, the team's hot shooting from distance was evident from the get-go as the Cardinals shot nearly 60 percent from behind the arc in the win. 

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No. 20 Women's Basketball Cruises Past Union, 82-50

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College women's basketball team poured in a season-high 82 points on Tuesday and cruised to a 32-point win over visiting Union College, 82-50, in a non-conference clash inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which is ranked 20th in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll, moved to 6-1 on the year while Union slipped to 1-3 following the defeat.

Three players finished in double figures led by Ella Eckert who posted her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists and a steal while Julia Mertsock added 13 points and eight boards in 20 minutes.  Miranda Lynch chipped in with 12 points while Leah Koonmen notched seven points and seven rebounds in the win.

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Women's Basketball Scores a Season-High 92 as the Cardinals Roll Over Medaille

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team closed out the 2019 calendar year on a high note with a 92-49 victory over the Medaille College Mavericks Monday evening at the Manning and Napier Varsity Gym. 
 
Miranda Lynch scored a game-high 15 points as 14 different players scored for the Cardinals. Alyssa Ballou was productive off the bench as she racked up career-highs of nine points and nine rebounds for Fisher. With the win, Fisher improves to 7-2 while Medaille is still searching for its first victory of the season. 
 
The Mavericks won the tip off and scored on the first possession to take an early lead. Fisher would respond on its first time with the ball as Ella Eckert set up Julia Mertsock for the layup. Just over a minute into the game, Amy Gardner would then hit a three to give the Cardinals the advantage at 5-2. Fisher would go onto to score eight more points in a row to push the lead up to 13-2. 

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Milham Earns First Empire 8 Rookie of the Week Award Following Career Performance

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Anna Milham, a freshman on the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team, has been selected as the Empire 8 Rookie of the Week following a career performance earlier this week against Medaille College.

Milham earned her first-career start on Monday in a 92-49 win as the Mechanicville native scored a career-best nine points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and a game-high three steals over 16 minutes of action.

The guard was efficient from the floor after going 4-for-6 and knocked down one 3-pointer in the win.

Women's Basketball Rolls Over Alfred, 75-43, in Empire 8 Debut

ALFRED, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball snapped a two-game skid on Friday in convincing fashion after rolling over Alfred University, 75-43, in the team's Empire 8 debut inside Terry S. Galanis Family Gymnasium.  With the win, Fisher improved to 8-4 and 1-0 in the Empire 8 while the Saxons fell to 4-7, 0-1, respectively.
   
In all, three players finished in double figures with Miranda Lynch leading the way with 15 points on 5-8 shooting from distance.  Ella Eckert added 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the win while Harper Mead chipped in with 11 points in 20 minutes.  Lauren Robbins netted eight points and three rebounds in just 12 minutes while Julia Mertsock and Leah Koonmen scored seven points apiece.

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Gardner Scores Career-High, Mertsock, Eckert Notch Double-Doubles in Win at Houghton

HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Amy Gardner scored a career-high 17 points while both Ella Eckert and Julia Mertsock posted double-doubles as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team upended Houghton College, 69-56, on Saturday in an Empire 8 showdown inside The Nielson Center.  With the win, Fisher climbed to 9-4 overall and remained unblemished in the conference standings at 2-0 while the Highlanders dipped to 2-11, 0-2, respectively.

The Cardinals controlled the pace of play from the opening whistle and broke a 7-7 tie as Mertsock scored six straight points to make it 13-7.  As the quarter continued, Fisher held a comfortable lead as the Cardinals took a 17-11 edge into the second frame.

The lead would grow to double figures following a modest 6-0 burst before the Highlanders cut the deficit to seven points, 31-24, with 3:38 still showing before halftime.  With time winding down, Fisher took control and used a 7-2 run to close out the first half with a 12-point edge, 38-26.

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Women's Basketball Dominates the Glass in 66-53 Win at Utica; Cardinals Have Won Last Three Games

UTICA, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team remained unblemished in conference play on Friday as the Cardinals overcame a second half deficit en route to a 66-53 win over Utica College inside Clark Gymnasium.  With the win, the Cardinals improved to 10-4 overall and 3-0 in the conference standings.  Utica closed out the day at 9-6 on the season and 2-2 in Empire 8 action.

After struggling to generate much on the offensive end of the floor and falling behind by five points through two quarters of play, the Cardinals came out of the locker room with a new-found intensity and used a 7-2 run to pull to within two, 34-32.

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Eckert Sinks Go-Ahead Free Throw as Part of Career-High Performance as Fisher Sinks Sage

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Ella Eckert hit the go-ahead free throw with 3.6 seconds and finished with a career-high 25 points as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team moved into sole possession of first place in the Empire 8 standings on Saturday after beating The Sage Colleges, 59-58, inside Kahl Gymnasium.  With the win, Fisher, which has come out on top in each of its last four games, improved to 11-4 and 4-0 in the conference while the Gators fell to 8-8, 4-1, respectively.

Eckert was 8-for-18 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the free throw line as the forward hauled in seven rebounds and accounted two blocked shots in the win.  Julia Mertsock finished with 10 points and eight boards while Miranda Lynch added nine points in 30 minutes.  Sophomore Maisy Booth chipped in with six points off the bench.

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Women's Basketball Survives Scare From Hartwick; Cardinals Extend Winning Streak to Six

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Sophomore Ella Eckert nailed down her fifth double-double of the season as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team netted its sixth straight win after holding on to defeat visiting Hartwick College, 62-54, on Saturday in an Empire 8 battle inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher improved to 13-4 overall and remained atop the Empire 8 standings with a perfect 6-0 mark.  The Hawks slipped to 10-8 on the year and 4-3 against conference competition.

Neither team had a clear advantage following the first half of play as the Cardinals clung to a three-point edge at the break, 34-31.  The game remained tight as the third quarter got underway with Fisher building a six-point cushion following a 3-pointer at the top of the key from Amy Gardner.

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Lynch Buries Seven Threes as Women's Basketball Runs Over Alfred

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Sophomore Miranda Lynch scored a career-high 23 points including seven 3-pointers as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team made quick work of the visiting Alfred University Saxons on Saturday after running away with an 95-50 win inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher improved to 14-6 on the season and moved to 7-2 in the Empire 8 standings while Alfred dipped to 5-15, 1-8, respectively.

After an evenly played first period, the Cardinals took control in the second quarter after back-to-back 3-pointers from Lynch sparked an 8-2 run that saw the home team jump out to a 27-22 lead.  The Saxons would sink a 3-pointer at the 6:25 mark of the frame, but the Cardinals locked things down on the defensive end of the floor and held Alfred scoreless for the remainder of the period as head coach Melissa Kuberka's squad scored 18 unanswered points to take a 45-25 lead into the locker room at the break.

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Koonmen's Late Heroics Lift Fisher to Critical Empire 8 Win at Hartwick

ONEONTA, N.Y. – Ella Eckert and Miranda Lynch combined to score 43 points on Saturday as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team completed the season sweep of Hartwick and moved to within one win of clinching a postseason berth after clipping the Hawks, 73-69, inside Lambros Arena.  With the win, Fisher climbed to 15-6 on the year and 8-2 in the Empire 8 standings while the Hawks fell to 11-10 overall and 5-5 against conference opponents.

Eckert finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and two steals while Lynch added 19 points including four makes from distance.  Julia Mertsock posted her third straight double-double and fifth of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Amy Gardner chipped in with eight points, six rebounds and five assists in the win. 

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Women's Basketball Clinches Postseason Berth Behind Drubbing of Elmira

ELMIRA, N.Y.  – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team clinched a postseason berth on Sunday as the Cardinals made quick work of Elmira College, 76-47, in an Empire 8 showdown inside Speidel Gymnasium.  The win, which marked Fisher's third in a row, pushed the Cardinals' record to 16-6 on the year and 9-2 in the Empire 8 standings while Elmira finished the week at 4-18 overall and 2-9 in the conference.

Miranda Lynch led the team with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and a pair of steals.  Julia Mertsock added 10 points, six boards and four steals while Ella Eckert posted nine points and pulled down four rebounds in 19 minutes of play.  Amy Gardner netted eight points in the win and Mallory Wood chipped in with eight points overall.

After gaining a 14-4 advantage through the first 10 minutes of play, the Cardinals would push their lead to 20 in the second period after orchestrating a 10-0 run bookended by a pair of old-fashioned 3-point plays to make it 35-15.  As the second quarter continued, Elmira would pull to within 17 before a pair of free throws from Lauren Robbins staked the visitors to a 19-point cushion at the break.

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Regular Season Champs! Women's Basketball Downs Utica, 69-65

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – For the second time in the last three years, the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team clinched the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship after the Cardinals beat Utica College, 69-65, on Saturday afternoon inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which has now earned the right to host the upcoming Empire 8 Championship, improved to 18-6 on the year and 11-2 in the conference standings while the Pioneers slipped to 14-9 and 7-5 against conference opposition.

After a slow first quarter of play, the Cardinals found their groove as the second period got underway when Amy Gardner buried a 3-pointer on the wing on a feed from Leah Koonmen that sparked a 9-2 run. 

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Women's Basketball Celebrates Senior Day With Win Over Nazareth

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team put a stamp on its final regular season home game as the Cardinals ended the visiting Nazareth College Golden Flyers' year behind a 77-64 win on Saturday inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which has now won six straight and will host the Empire 8 Championship next weekend, improved to 19-6 on the year and 12-2 in the conference standings while Nazareth closed out the day at 16-9, 8-6, respectively.

The Cardinals also celebrated their senior class prior to tip-off as Alex Reigle and Abbie Tabone were each recognized for their contributions to the program. 

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Kuberka Named Coach of the Year as Empire 8 Announces All-Conference Honorees

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – With the Empire 8 Championship set to begin in just over 24 hours, the conference office has announced its postseason recognition as three members of the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team were named All-Conference following the 2019-20 regular season while head coach Melissa Kuberka and her assistants were selected as the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year.  Sophomore Ella Eckert was named First-Team All-Conference while Miranda Lynch landed on the Second-Team.  Julia Mertsock was named Honorable Mention All-Conference for her efforts on the hardwood.

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Eckert Flirts with Triple-Double as Top-Seeded Fisher Cruises Past Hartwick in Empire 8 Championship

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Sophomore Ella Eckert flirted with a triple-double on Friday as the top-seeded St. John Fisher College women's basketball team cruised to a 68-50 win over fourth-seeded Hartwick College in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Championship inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which has now won seven straight games, improved to 20-6 on the year while the Hawks saw their season end at 14-12.

Eckert finished with her 10th double-double of the year including 14 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight assists.  Julia Mertsock added her sixth double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 boards of her own while Miranda Lynch netted 13 points in the win.  Leah Koonmen provided a big spark off the bench with 10 points and three rebounds in 22 minutes.

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NCAAs Here we Come! Women's Basketball Captures Empire 8 Championship; Lynch Named MVP

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The top-seeded St. John Fisher College women's basketball team came into the weekend the team to beat and it didn't disappoint as the Cardinals thumped The Sage Colleges, 74-53, on Saturday to capture the Empire 8 Championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship next weekend.  With the win, Fisher, which has now won eight straight games, improved to 21-6 on the season while the Gators' year came to a close at 15-12.

Fisher, which has now won five Empire 8 Championships in its history, will await word on its NCAA fate, which will be announced at 2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.  Fans can tune in live and see who and where Fisher will play in the opening round by CLICKING HERE.

Miranda Lynch was named the Championship's Most Valuable Player after the sophomore finished with 21 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals in the title game.  Amy Gardner netted a game-high 27 points to go along with four helpers while Ella Eckert added 11 points and six boards in all.  Mallory Wood chipped in with five points, seven rebounds and four dimes off the bench.

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Women's Basketball Comes Up Short in First Round of National Tournament

Grantham, Pa. - The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team fell to Eastern Connecticut State by a score of 60-43 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship at Messiah College's Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena. 

The Cardinals end their season with a record of 21-7 while the Warriors advance to the second round of the tournament with a record of 24-4. 

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Eckert Named Third-Team All-Region by D3hoops.com

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Ella Eckert, a sophomore on the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team, was recognized this week as Third-Team All-Region by D3hoops.com following a standout season that saw her lead the team in several categories.

Eckert, was also named All-Conference for the second straight season as the East Amherst native led the Cardinals and ranked fifth in the Empire 8 in scoring at 14.0 points per game.  The Clarence graduate was also among the top rebounders in the conference as well after hauling in 8.4 boards on average. 

Eckert proved to be a tough matchup all season long as evidenced by her 10 double-doubles this year as she eclipsed the 20-point plateau four times overall including a career-high 25 points in a win over Sage on January 18th.  The forward's best game this season came in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Championship where she nearly finished with a triple-double after netting 14 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight assists.

An Honorable Mention All-Conference selection at the conclusion of her freshman campaign, Eckert shot just over 46 percent from the floor and averaged 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals over 28 games.

With Eckert on the floor, Fisher won its fifth Empire 8 Championship and its first since 2015 as the Cardinals made their 15th trip to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship earlier this month.  The team posted the top record in conference play among any Empire 8 institution at 12-2 and concluded the 2019-20 campaign at 21-7.