There's a new team to cheer for in town as The Penn State Shenango Women's basketball gets set for its inaugural season, with the home opener which begins this Tuesday, November 16th.
The Shenango Lady Lions bring a great deal of depth to their inaugural roster. It's a lineup that feature four players from Mercer County Teams: Jaysina Sellers (Sharon), Karsyn Rupert (West Middlesex), Alli Lewis (Grove City), Emily Withers (Wilmington), and Mikayla Jumper from nearby Hubbard, Oh.
The roster is also far reaching as Shenango welcomes Mercedes Krueger (Ocala, FL), Aneziah Fryer (Niles, Oh) Jessica Robinson (Williamsport, Pa) Anye' Shabazz (Cincinnati, Oh), Mya McNevin (Austintown, Oh), and Hailee Aguinaga (Ashtabula, Oh.)
The Lady Lions will be coached by Cimone Reid who played collegiately at nearby Thiel College, where she was a team captain. "We already have goals that we want to reach and achieve, and we will work hard to get those done," said Reid. "I want to establish a tradition of excellence here and have an overall great opening season." Reid is a native of Toledo, Oh (Ottawa Hills HS) where she was named All-Conference her Senior year. Most recently Reid coached at nearby Sharon HS for four years.
Reid will be reunited with Sellers who during her time at Sharon finished with 1.035 points good enough for 8th all time at Sharon HS.
"I'm really excited to begin my college career here at Shenango," says Sellers. "The team dynamic has been really great under Coach Reid. It feels good to see her in this capacity as a college coach now."
Sellers will not be alone in great accomplishments at her former Hardwood Home. Mercedes Kruger (15), Hailee Aguinaga (11.9), and Aneziah Fryer (22.6) averaged double digit scores each night they took to the court. The Lions will welcome some accurate free throw specialists as well. Both Rupert (68%) and McNevin (78%) were deadly accurate from the charity stripe. Shenango will be an automatic force on the boards as well. Aguinaga, Lewis, Withers, and Robinson all were among the best rebounders on their respective teams.
The Lady Lions will get their first shot to flex this might and put these skills on display this coming Tuesday, as Shenango welcomes Penn State DuBois to The F.H. Buhl Club for a doubleheader with the Men's team. The Women's game begins at 6 pm.
"We are grateful for the support from the alumni society to start this program. To see it come to fruition today is a dream come true for these girls and this department," said Athletic Director Amanda Howett. "These young women have been preparing for this moment since before the start of the school year, and we are thrilled for you all to experience this with us."
Shenango will play a full slate of games this year in the PSUAC. After this Tuesday's tilt, the Lady Lions will hit the road for four consecutive games (@ Penn State Lehigh Valley, @ Penn State Brandywine, @ Clarion University, and @ Penn State Beaver) before returning home for its next home game, Friday December 3rd vs. Penn State Mont Alto.