PSUAC semifinals and championships head to Penn State York Feb. 18, 19

York men's team hopes to capture fourth championship
York Basketball Lucas Jewell

Looking for an open man, Lucas Jewell, No. 12, helped his team beat Penn State Mont Alto in overtime, 90-81, in the final game of the regular season on Feb. 10 at York campus.  Jewell, and other senior members of the men's and women's basketball teams were honored during a ceremony held between games.  Other seniors honored were Bradania Harrington, No. 30; Courtney Weibley, No. 24; and Billy Vaughan-Geib, No. 45.

Credit: Barbara Dennis

YORK, Pa. — Penn State York will host the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) men’s and women’s basketball semifinals and championships on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 19, in the gymnasium in the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center. York earned the right to host the tournament as a result of the men’s team finishing as the top seed in the PSUAC with a conference record of 15-1.

York clinched the top seed in the conference on Feb. 7, when it beat Penn State Brandywine 90-66

"Penn State York is pleased to host the PSUAC women's and men's basketball semifinals and championships this coming weekend. Our men's basketball team and Coach Petry are to be congratulated in securing the No. 1 seed in the conference to earn this opportunity to host,” said Jeff Barkdoll, athletic director at Penn State York. “It is very exciting for us to know that our newly renovated facility will be utilized for a conference-wide event."

York has a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will take to the court at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, when it takes on Penn state Lehigh Valley. Games will take place at 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, with the championship games on Sunday, Feb. 19. The women’s championship is at 3 p.m. and the men’s title game is slated for 5 p.m., and York hopes to be in that game. View tournament details online.

“The bar has been set high here at York by previous championship teams. This year’s team has now climbed over the first hurdle, winning the regular season championship.”

-- Parrish Petry, head men’s basketball coach, Penn State York

“I am extremely proud of this group. I knew early in the year that they had the potential to be a good team,” said Parrish Petry, head men’s basketball coach at Penn State York. “Going through a tough conference and finishing 15-1 says an awful lot about their physical and mental toughness.”

The men's team won the PSUAC championship three years straight in 2013, 2014 and 2015. York made it to the playoffs last year but fell in the semifinals to Penn State Fayette in overtime.

“The bar has been set high here at York by previous championship teams. This year’s team has now climbed over the first hurdle, winning the regular season championship,” said Petry. “Our focus is now on the tournament title. As the regular season champion the bullseye gets bigger and brighter; hopefully we will be up for the challenge.” 

Attendees to the games will experience the campus’ refurbished gym and the $13.5 million addition and renovation to the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center, which opened in October 2016.  Rosie’s, the campus dining facility, will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Penn State York women’s basketball

The Penn State York women finished the season with a PSUAC record of 4-10, and an overall record of 9-12, and did not advance to the playoffs. Despite the record, Terri Van Slyke, head women’s basketball coach and an admissions counselor at the York campus, looks forward to a bright future.

"One of our goals this year was to bring the Penn State York women's basketball program back to being known as a competitive team in the PSUAC. I think we accomplished that. Most of our conference games literally came down to being decided in the last two minutes of the game,” said Van Slyke. “Unfortunately, we just couldn't quite get over the hump of being the team that came out on top in those games.”

Van Slyke is quick to note that her team learned important lessons from those close game losses. She believes the returning players will use those lessons as motivation for next year, not only to make the playoffs, but also to strive to be one of the top women’s teams.

“Obviously, I would have loved to get our program back to the playoffs this year, but we definitely made great strides in building for our future,” she said. “I'm incredibly proud of our players, especially for the class and sportsmanship they consistently displayed. It feels good as a coach to get compliments from referees, fans, and opposing teams on our sportsmanship on and off the court.

“That's the culture we are striving to develop here; one in which our players will take these leadership skills with them after they leave Penn State York. Overall, I believe our program has come a long way from where it was just two short years ago, and I look forward to our program continuing to grow,” she said.

In addition to men’s and women’s basketball, Penn State York offers baseball, men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and women’s softball. Learn more about Penn State York athletics at sports.york.psu.edu, or contact Barkdoll at 717-718-6776 or [email protected].

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