Griffins Grab Fifth In CACC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll

CACC Women's Tennis

8/25/2010 10:44:45 AM

New Haven, CT – (8/24/2010) – Chosen to repeat as Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Champions, Concordia College (N.Y.) was tabbed as the league top team in this year’s Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll. The Clippers received eight, first-place votes and 80 total points; Philadelphia University was the only other team to garner as first-place vote. Chestnut Hill College was slotted fifth with 45 points.

Concordia College advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament after winning last year’s CACC Championship Tournament. The Clippers were 17-2 overall and 8-0 in their first season as members of the league. They return eight players including CACC Rookie of the Year, senior Ola Roberts (Bucharest, Romania) and all-conference selections, sophomore Adeline Brennan (Toms River, N.J.), sophomore Yuliya Plevako (Astana, Kazakhstan), and sophomore Maria Ortiz (Bogota, Columbia).

Goldey-Beacom College fell to the Clippers in the CACC Championship last fall (5-3) and they narrowly keep that ranking with 61 points in this year’s poll as Holy Family University finished directly behind them with 60 points. The Lightning had their best season in program history with a 13-5 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark. They return three all-conference players; sophomore Marina Sales (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), sophomore Blanca Sancho (Zaragoza, Spain), and sophomore Vanessa Leon Velasquez (Caracas, Venezuela). The Tigers finished 13-8 overall and 6-2 in the conference last year. They bring back a pair of all-conference, student-athletes, sophomore Juliana Victoria-Caldas (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and sophomore Jin Querubin (Mississauga, Ontario).

Philadelphia University was the only other school to receive a first-place vote, as they totaled 52 points to place fourth in the preseason poll. The Lady Rams return three players, including senior Daniela Rodriguez (Quito, Ecuador) who was the team’s lone representative on the CACC All-Conference Team.

Chestnut Hill College earned 45 points in the poll to place fifth in the predicted standings. The Griffins are expected to show the league’s most improvement after finishing in seventh place with a 2-6 CACC mark. Four Griffins return to the roster including sophomore Danielle Knott (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.), who battled through her freshman season as the Griffins’ number two competitor. Head Coach Albert Stroble has also collected a talent batch of newcomers to bolster his roster in his fourth season at the helm.

The women’s tennis team opens their 2010-2011 season with a 4:00 p.m. CACC match at Goldey-Beacom College on Wednesday, September 8.

CACC Women’s Tennis

2010 Preseason Poll

School 2009 Record Pts.

1. Concordia (8) 17-2/8-0 CACC 80

2. Goldey-Beacom 13-5/7-1 61

3. Holy Family 13-8/6-2 60

4. Philadelphia (1) 10-9/5-3 52

5. Chestnut Hill 3-17/2-6 45

6. Georgian Court 6-12/3-5 39

7. Univ. of the Sciences 4-10/4-4 34

8. Post 1-10/0-8 18

9. Caldwell 1-9/1-7 16

() – First Place Votes

10.22.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

Goldey-Beacom College

Recap

10.17.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

Goldey-Beacom College*

Recap

10.15.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Recap

10.11.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

Concordia College - New York*

Recap

10.08.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

Post University*

10.07.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia*

Recap

10.06.11

Women's Tennis

Chestnut Hill

Rider University

Recap

Athletes of the Week

Mark DiRugeris Jr.

Men's Basketball

DiRugeris Earns Second CACC Honorable Mention

New Haven, CT – (1/30/2012) – Including a career performance at Felician College on Saturday, January 28, Chestnut Hill College junior guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, NJ) averaged 21.5 points-per-game (PPG) while leading the Griffins to two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) wins last week. For his efforts, DiRugeris was recognized with his second honorable mention for the CACC Player of the Week award.

After providing eight points, a rebound, and an assist in a 72-57 win over Dominican College on January 24, DiRugeris offered a career night in a 15-point triumph, 78-63, at Felician College on January 28. He hit all four of his first-half three-point attempts (4-of-4, 100.0%) to total 18 points in the opening period and carry Chestnut Hill College (12-6, 7-2) to a 15-point halftime advantage. DiRugeris kept the pedal down in the second half, depositing another 17 points and leading the Griffins to victory over Felician College with 35 points, four rebounds, and two assists. For the week, he was 11-of-21 (.524) from the floor, 6-of-8 (.750) from three-point range, and 15-of-16 (.938) from the throw line.

This year, DiRugeris is leading the Griffins in scoring (15.9 PPG), while also contributing 3.2 rebounds-per-game (RPG), 34 assists, four blocks, and 26 steals. He is carrying a .468 (102-of-218) field goal percentage, a .494 (40-of-81) three-point percentage, and a .891 (90-of-101) free throw percentage. DiRugeris earned his first CACC weekly honorable mention for his efforts during the week ending December 11, 2011; 22.0 PPG and 4.7 RPG while totaling 10 assists and six steals in conference wins over Holy Family University (12/6), Wilmington University (12/8), and Caldwell College (12/10).

Alssene Saintilus

Men's Basketball

Saintilus Serves as Honorable Mention

For CACC Rookie of the Week

New Haven, CT – (1/23/2012) – Freshman forward Alssene Saintilus (Irvington, NJ) recorded his first collegiate double-double to lead Chestnut Hill College against Philadelphia University on January 16 and earn himself an honorable mention for this week’s Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Rookie of the Week. Saintilus provided 15 points and ten rebounds in the Griffins 56-42 loss to Philadelphia University, in addition to two blocks and one steal on defense.

Saintilus was 6-of-9 (66.7%) from the field, 1-of-2 (50.0%) from three-point range, and 2-of-4 (50.0%) from the free throw line as the leading performer in last week’s lone contest. Headlining a miserable team shooting performance (14-of-52, 26.9%), Saintilus was a steady performer against the Rams. His consistency helped Chestnut Hill College (12-7, 5-2) keep within range of the Rams, as he offered seven points, six rebounds, a block, and a steal in a 26-9 run that placed the home team one point ahead of their opponents, 38-37, with seven minutes left to play (6:57). Unfortunately, the Griffins struggled to generate offense down the stretch, leaving the Rams to a 19-4 closing run and eventual victory.

Saintilus has recorded double figures in six games this season, while grabbing double digit rebounds twice as a freshman. For the season, he is averaging 8.1 points-per-game (PPG) and 4.1 rebounds-per-game (RPG), while also contributing a team-high 27 blocks, 11 steals, and four assists.

The men’s basketball team returns to action on Tuesday, January 24, when they host Dominican College in a 7:00 p.m. CACC contest.