Release courtesy of Brad Monastiere, Hillsdale College Sports Information Director
Katie Cezat Named Tournament MVP
Houghton, Mich. -- For the second time in
school history, the Hillsdale College women's basketball team is
the GLIAC champions.
The Chargers won the 2009 conference tournament title with an 81-69
win over the host Michigan Tech University Huskies Saturday night
in Houghton, Mich. With the win, Hillsdale earns the GLIAC's
automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament.
It is the first time since the conference went to campus sites in
2003 that the host school did not win the conference
championship.
Senior forward Katie Cezat turned in another stirring performance,
continuing a season that may never be equaled. She scored 35
points, had 15 rebounds and six assists to earn tournament MVP
honors. It capped a weekend that saw her be named GLIAC Player of
the Year for the second season in a row.
Hillsdale played a near-perfect opening 10 minutes of the game,
when it opened up a 26-7 lead. The Chargers made 11 of their first
13 shots from the field, and Cezat set the tone, scoring 12 of
those points in the game-opening explosion.
The Huskies used deadly 3-point shooting in the first half to close
the deficit to as little as six. But a key 8-0 run by Hillsdale
helped the team regain a double-digit lead it would never
relinquish.
Cezat's defensive rebound at the 1:02 mark of the first half gave
her the all-time NCAA Division II record for double-doubles in a
season. Her 27th such game of this year put her in the record books
all by herself. Cezat has had fewer than 10 rebounds in just three
games this year, and no games of fewer than eight boards.
Junior guards Janay Miller and Brooke Knight were named to the
All-Tournament Team after playing outstanding games in the final.
Knight had two points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Miller poured in
16 for the Chargers.
Both teams will be headed to next week's NCAA Division II Midwest
Regional Tournament. The location and matchups will be announced
via webcast on NCAA.com starting at 9 p.m. Sunday. Both the
Chargers and Huskies also made the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
2009 GLIAC Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
MVP: Katie Cezat, Sr, F, Hillsdale
Brooke Knight, Jr, G, Hillsdale
Danae Danen, Jr, C, Michigan Tech
Janay Miller, Jr, G, Hillsdale
Katie Zimmerman, Jr, G, Michigan Tech
Ashley Fleming, Sr, F, Ferris State