January 31, 2006

Cindy Bors	Pria Young
Stephanie Czajkowski	Seraphine Hamilton
Emily Alcott	Tanya Richvalsky
Marisa Vespa

GENEVA, N.Y.—More than half of the student-athletes on the William Smith College basketball team earned a spot on the 2005-06 Liberty League Women’s Basketball All-Academic team. Senior forwards Seraphine Hamilton (The Peddie School/Trenton, N.J.) and Tanya Richvalsky (Mohawk/Mohawk, N.Y.), senior guard Pria Young (Council Rock/Richboro, Pa.), junior guard Emily Alcott (Waterville/Waterville, N.Y.), sophomore forwards Cindy Bors (Johnson City/Johnson City, N.Y.) and Stephanie Czajkowski (Bishop Ludden/Syracuse, N.Y.), and sophomore guard Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) represented the Herons based on their academic and athletic excellence.

Hamilton is third on the team in rebounds (74), pulling in 4.6 per game. She hauled in a season-high 12 rebounds in a win over Ithaca on Dec. 3. On Jan. 17, Hamilton tied her season-high in points with nine, hitting all three of her shots from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers, while handing out a season-high five assists during a win at Elmira.

Hamilton is double majoring in Africana studies and English. A standout on the Heron soccer team as well, she is a two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American and was named to the 2005 NSCAA Scholar All-America team.

A three-year starter, Richvalsky leads the team in blocks (14), and is second in rebounds (87), averaging 5.1 per game. On Nov. 29, she blocked a season-high three Nazareth shots and hauled in eight rebounds. She recorded her first double-double of the season, pumping in a season-high 14 points and grabbing 10 boards, at Elmira.

Richvalsky is a psychology major. She has been named to the Dean’s List in each of the past three years.

Young leads the team in three-pointers (28) and steals (44), is second in scoring (10.4), and tied for second in rebounds per game (5.1). She scored a season-high 18 points at Elmira. A master thief, she is third on William Smith’s career steals list (229) and has posted a season-high nine steals twice this season.
A double major in chemistry and English, Young has been named to the Dean’s List in each of the past three years. A standout on the Heron soccer team as well, she was named to the 2005 NSCAA Scholar All-America team.

Alcott has contributed quality minutes off the bench, averaging 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. On Jan. 6, she scored a season-high 12 points in a victory at Whittier. On Jan. 28, she distributed a season-high five assists in a win over Clarkson.

Alcott is majoring in biology. She earned a spot on the 2004-05 Dean’s List.

Bors is averaging 7.3 minutes in 11 games this season. She has connected on 4-of-9 from the floor this season, including a season-high four points in a Dec. 9 win over Keuka. On Jan. 28, Bors collected a season-high five caroms against the Golden Knights. She too is a two-sport athlete, roaming the Heron soccer pitch during the fall.

A two-year starter, Czajkowski leads the team in rebounds (108, 6.4 rpg), field goals made (75), and shooting percentage (.500). She has recorded a pair of double-doubles on the season, turning in season-highs in points (19) and rebounds (12) in a victory over Rensselaer.

A two-year starter, Vespa leads the team in scoring (11.6) and play-making (4.6 apg). She has reached double digits in scoring seven times, including a season-high 20 points in a win at Hamilton on Jan. 24. The Herons’ floor general handed out a season-high eight assists in a Jan. 27 victory over St. Lawrence.

Bors, Czajkowski and Vespa are undeclared. Students do not declare a major at William Smith until the end of their sophomore year.

To earn a place on the Liberty League All-Academic teams, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average and be at least a sophomore academically.

Currently in a three-way tie atop the conference standings, William Smith (13-4, 6-1 Liberty League) returns to action at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3, when the Herons host Union (12-5, 6-1) in Bristol Gym.

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