Press Releases

March 8, 1999
Southampton College Captures 2nd Straight ECAC Basketball Championship

Rita Breivaite Again Is Playoff MVP as Lady C's Gain 1st Win over Rival in 19 Tries;

Contact:
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Philadelphia -- Rita Breivaite of Lithuania became the first player to win two straight ECAC playoff MVP awards as the women's basketball team at Southampton College of Long Island University beat host Philadelphia Textile 74-69 on March 7 to complete back-to-back East Coast Athletic Conference Division II championships.

The victory was the 100th in the seven-year career of head coach Anthony Bozzella.

Southampton College had lost 18 consecutive games to Philadelphia Textile before yesterday, most recently a 66-59 NYCAC playoff loss March 25. The Lady Colonials, the no. 2 ECAC seed, advanced to the final with a 70-64 win over no. 3 seed U. of Albany (a 1999-2000 Div. I program) March 6.

After Southampton's 11-point first-half lead was erased yesterday, so seemed its title chances when junior center Breivaite (game-high 18 points, career-high 19 rebounds, d out late in the game with the Lady C's trailing.

Freshman Shelly Nicholls then stunned the top-seeded Rams with a three-pointer that gave Southampton a 66-64 lead. After the Rams tied it at 66, sophomore Shannan Henley, also a first-year player, sank another three-pointer with 35 seconds left, and senior Allison Mullen and freshman Corinne Broadhead hit five free throws to seal the win. Henley, a guard from Mt. Airy, MD, was outstanding in the finals with 16 points, 4 steals and 4 three-pointers.

"Everyone stepped up when Rita and Kelley fouled out, especially Shannan, Allison and our freshmen," said Bozzella, whose squad went 19-11 (15-5 in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference) and broke the school record for wins. "We lost three times to Philly this season, so we couldn't have picked a better time to break the streak."

Breivaite, a 6-3 native of Panevezys, Lithuania, won NYCAC First-Team honors last week, joining Tammy Walsh (1995-96) as the only Lady Colonial to ever earn the distinction.

Larsen, a co-captain from Ringwood, NJ, was named to the 2nd All-NYCAC team. She also finished fourth in Southampton career scoring (1249 points), and was selected to NYCAC's All-Tournament team after scoring 43 points in two playoff games.

Southampton College's championship culminated the careers of three seniors: Kelley Larsen, co-captain Allison Mullen of Ringwood, NJ, a guard who was third in NYCAC with 84 steals; and Trina Yantz of Marlboro, NY, who led the team in three-point percentage.

"I've never had a group of players work harder than this team," said Bozzella. "That's one reason we've been the most successful Division II women's basketball program on Long Island for five years."

Also contributing to the 1998-99 ECAC title were: Beth Hartman, a junior guard from Absecon, NJ; Melanie McCollum of Nelsonville, NY, a starting sophomore guard who enjoyed a strong regular season and playoff run; and Heather Weaver of Sterling, VA, a junior center who earned significant playing time this year. Breivaite's twin sister Evelina Breivaite, a forward who was second in rebounding at mid-season, missed the second half of the campaign with a knee injury.

The freshmen talent included: Corinne Broadhead of Campbell Hall, NY, a forward/ guard who contributed a solid rookie year; Tara Hamilton of Kings Park, NY, a guard who started six games this season; guard Shelly Nicholls, who like Mullen and Larsen, hails from Ringwood, NJ; and Robin and Shannon Owens of Richmond, VA, twin sisters who both came off the bench at guard.

Bozzella's assistants included Kelly Nelmes of North Bellmore, NY, who completed her fifth year; Christi Lagueux of Dix Hills, NY (2nd year); and newcomers Kristina Katori of Charlton, MA, and Bevin Szokoli of Greenlawn, NY. "I really have to credit our coaches for all the time they put in," said Bozzella, a resident of Centereach. "Especially Kelly, who has been with us since the beginning, and Christi, who has taken on a lot of responsibility."

Prior to coach Bozzella's 1992 arrival, the Lady C's had never reached the ECACs or compiled a winning season. This year marks the program's fifth straight winning season.

In 1998-99, the Lady Colonials set a school record for free-throw percentage (73.8, previously 65.8) and three-point field goals (123, previously 121). "The two three-pointers that broke the school record won us the championship," added Bozzella.

During Bozzella's tenure, the team has an impressive 100-percent graduation rate. His current roster earned the highest GPA (3.319) of any Div. II women's basketball team in New York State, and the 15th-best in the nation.