Franklin Pierce Seeded Third 
in ECAC Division II Tournament
Ravens visit second-seeded Dominican Friday,
top-seeded Philadelphia Univ., hosts winner 
for title Saturday

RINDGE, N.H. (March 6, 2006) – The 2005-2006 season for the Franklin Pierce women’s basketball team has been extended as it received a berth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Tournament this weekend.

           The third-seeded Ravens (14-14, 11-11 NE-10) will head to Orangeburg, N.Y., to face second-seeded Dominican College (19-12, 16-8 CACC) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to face top-seeded Philadelphia University (22-6, 19-5 CACC) for the championship on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Philadelphia will host the title game at Holy Family University due to renovations underway at its home gymnasium.

           Franklin Pierce is participating in its first postseason tournament other than a conference championship since it earned an NCAA Division II Tournament bid in 1998-99. This marks the Ravens first ECAC Tournament berth.

           Franklin Pierce senior captain Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton), a second-team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection this season, leads the team with 14.0 points (7^th NE-10), 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals in a team-high 33 minutes per game. She leads the Northeast-10 Conference in free throw shooting, converting 85.6-percent (83-97) of her attempts.

           Junior Danielle D’Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary’s) adds 11.2 points, a team-high 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She also shares the team lead with 16 blocked shots this year. The Ravens have also gotten solid production from freshman Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England), with 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

           Dominican, which placed fifth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), advanced to the semifinal round of its conference championship last week. Junior Jackie Tracey (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) leads a balanced Charger offense with 11.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game this season. Senior Ashley Rossi (Greenwood Lake, N.Y./Tuxedo) adds 10.1 points, a team-best 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per contest.

           Philadelphia, runners up in the CACC and winners of 14 of its last 15, is led by junior Meg Abele (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) with 18.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior Nicole Mechell (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O’Hara) adds 16.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

2006 ECAC Division II
Women’s Basketball Championship

First Round
Friday, March 10
#3 Franklin Pierce (14-14, 11-11 NE-10) at #2 Dominican (19-12, 16-8 CACC), 5:30 p.m.

Championship
Saturday, March 11
Friday’s winner at #1 Philadelphia Univ. (22-6, 19-5 CACC), 5:30 p.m.
game played at Holy Family University (Philadelphia, Pa.)