"I’d like to congratulate all the members of the 2009 State Farm Coaches’ NCAA Division III All-America Team," said Women’s Basketball Coaches Association CEO Beth Bass. "These 10 student-athletes truly stood above the rest this season and are deserving of such recognition."

Kulavic was named to the 2009 NCAA Division III State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team for her continued excellence on the basketball court. This season, Kulavic guided Oglethorpe to a 27-4 record while pouring in 15.6 points per game, grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game, dishing 3.9 assists per game and forcing 2.0 steals per game. She ranked either first or second on Oglethorpe’s "Sweet 16" team in each of those four categories. Additionally, Kulavic became both the all-time leading scorer, male or female, in school and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference history with 1,952 career points.

Findley was named to the 2009 D3hoops.com All-America Third Team for her outstanding performance on the hardwood in the 2008-2009 season. Findley lead the Stormy Petrels in scoring this season with a 17.1 per game average while also posting 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Additionally, Findley snared 2.1 steals per game to lead the team and is the all-time record holder in Oglethorpe history in that category.

Findley, a guard from Hiram, Georgia, was named to the 2009 D3hoops.com All-South Region Second Team for her outstanding performance on the hardwood in the 2008-2009 season. Findley lead the Petrels in scoring this season with a 17.1 per game average while also posting 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Additionally, Findley snared 2.1 steals per game to lead the team and is the all-time record holder in Oglethorpe history in that category.
 
Kulavic, a guard from Norcross, Georgia, was named to the 2009 D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team for her continued excellence on the basketball court. Kulavic poured in 15.6 points per game, grabbed 5.2 rebounds per game, dished 3.9 assists per game and forced 2.0 steals per game. She ranked either first or second on the team in each of those four categories. Additionally, Kulavic became both the all-time leading scorer, male or female, in school and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference history with 1,952 career points.

Sattele has guided Oglethorpe to four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament including taking the women's team to the Final Four in 2008 and advancing them to the Sweet 16 in 2009. In five seasons as Oglethorpe's head coach, Sattele has compiled a 105-42 (.714) record that includes four straight 20-win seasons.

The SCAC is placing a special emphasis on sportsmanship this year – asking all fans of the conference to exhibit good sportsmanship at all conference functions throughout the 2008-2009 season.

 

Down 8 at the half, Oglethorpe stormed back to tie the game at 44 with 14:24 remaining. The Bruins, however, closed the game on a 27-12 run to claim the victory and advance.
 
Tina Grace led Oglethorpe with 17 points and 7 rebounds on the night to go along with 5 assists. Katie Kulavic added 15 points, 5 rebounds and four assists and Biz Richmann dropped 13 points and 9 rebounds for Oglethorpe in the loss.
 
Despite the season ending defeat, the graduating class of 2009 compiled a staggering 97-26 record in their four years on the hardwood. At 27-4 on the season, this group also set the school record for fewest losses and best winning percentage in a season.

Kulavic, of Norcross, Georgia, became both Oglethorpe’s and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s (SCAC) all-time leading scorer this season, male or female. Additionally, she became only the second person in SCAC history to be selected as a First Team All-Conference performer in each of her four years on the hardwood. Kulavic has also been selected as a 2009 State Farm All-America finalist for her outstanding performance on the basketball court.

In five years as the head coach at Oglethorpe, Ron Sattele has posted a 105-41 (.719) overall record and has taken the Stormy Petrels to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to last year’s Final Four. Currently, his squad is alive in the “Sweet 16” in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and the team is ranked fifth nationally in the ESPN/USA Today Poll with a 27-3 overall record.

Just eight days agoa, Sattele and his squad secutred the school's first ever SCAC Championship in women's basketball and the team is currently boasting their most wins and fewest losses of any season.
 
In five years as Oglethorpe head coach, Sattele has compiled a staggering 105-41 (.719) record and took the Petrels all the way to the Final Four in the 2008 Tournament.

Kulavic has helped guide the Petrels to a 27-3 overall mark and the No. 5 national ranking in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. She played a starring role in securing Oglethorpe's first women's basketball SCAC championship late last month and is one of only two players in conference history to be selected as an All-Conference First Team performer in four consecutive seasons. Additionally, Katie is both Oglethorpe's and the SCAC's all-time leading scorer, male or female.

The Petrels (27-3) will square off on Friday night with the undefeated George Fox Bruins (28-0), one of only two remaining unbeatens in college basketball. The Bruins hold the No. 3 national ranking while Oglethorpe is holding down the No. 5 slot.
 
Also matching up on Friday night will be Sectional host No. 7 Thomas More (28-2) and Final Four host No. 2 Hope College (27-1). The Friday night winners will do battle again on Saturday, with the winner punching a ticket to the Final Four.
 
With the nations' No.'s 2, 3, 5 and 7th ranked teams all in one place, many are calling these pairings the "bracket of death" in the 2009 Tournament. The combined record of the four teams to take the court in Florence will be a staggering 110-6. Whoever emerges from this group will certainly have earned their trip to Holland, Michigan and the Final Four.
 
Check back for precise game times for this Friday night as they will be announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Up 30-18 at halftime, the Petrels put the game away by starting the second stanza on a decisive 16-0 run keyed by First Team All-SCAC performer, Katie Kulavic. For the night, Kulavic connected on 7 of 9 shots from the field en route to leading all scorers with 22 points. In addition, she grabbed 7 rebounds, dished 6 assists and forced three steals to pace the Petrels attack.

 

Oglethorpe senior Anna Findley scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half and teammate Tina Grace poured in 12 points and grabbed eleven rebounds to lead all players in that category. Petrel senior captain and floor general Hannah Brooks added 5 points and ten rebounds of her own in the runaway victory for Oglethorpe.

 

Junior forward Danielle Duncan lead the Pride attack with 15 points on 7 of 13 shooting and 6 rebounds. She was the only player for Greensboro College that managed to shoot better than 50% from the field. Senior guard and reigning USA South Player of the Year Dione Eccles struggled all night long, only making 1 of her 12 shot attempts and finishing with only 4 points and four rebounds in her final game. The Pride finish the season with a 27-3 overall record.

 

Oglethorpe is now 27-3 on the season and awaits the result of west coast games to determine who there next opponent will be and where they will face them. Check back to the Oglethorpe athletics website for breaking news tomorrow to answer those questions. What is certain, however, is that Oglethorpe will advance to the sectionals for the second straight season under the guidance of head coach Ron Sattele.

Senior Katie Kulavic led all scorers on the night with 19 points and four assists as Oglethorpe survived a scare from a game Scots squad. Findley added 17 points, 6 rebounds and four assists and fellow senior Biz Richmann netted 12 points and led all players with 11 rebounds. Tina Grace connected for 14 points to round out the Petrels in double-figures.
 
Natalie Munday and Tara Heyboer led Maryville College with 15 points apiece on the night.
 
After the gut-wrenching win that saw Findley and Kulavic each log 40 minutes of clock time, the Petrels are back in action tomorrow night on Pinholster Court versus the 27-2 Greensboro College Pride.at 7:00 p.m.

Greensboro College and Mississippi College will play at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6 with Oglethorpe and Maryville College slated to play at 8:00 p.m. in the Dorough Field House on Oglethorpe’s campus. The two winning teams from Friday night will advance to square off at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 on the same court in Atlanta.

 

Tickets are $6 and will be sold at the door. Tickets can also be reserved in advance by contacting Janelle Smith at 404-364-8415.

Leading the way was senior guard Katie Kulavic of Norcross who was selected as an All Conference First Team member. Kulavic, the 2007-2008 SCAC Player-of-the-Year, was narrowly edged by five votes in that category but still managed to become only the second player in conference history to be a First Team selection for the fourth consecutive season. In Sunday’s championship victory, Kulavic also became the SCAC’s all-time leading scorer for both men’s and women’s basketball.

 

Senior Anna Findley of Hiram was also selected as an All Conference First Team member. She led the Stormy Petrels this year by averaging 17.7 points per game and is the conference’s all-time leading maker of three-pointers with over 300 buried in her career. After posting 27 points in Sunday’s championship win, Findley became the first player in conference history, male or female, to be selected to the SCAC All Tournament Team for four consecutive seasons.

 

Senior Tina Grace of Pensacola, Florida was selected as an All Conference Second Team member though her weekend performance at the conference tournament suggested she might be worthy of First Team praise. In three consecutive double-digit wins for the Stormy Petrels during the weekend, Grace averaged 20.3 points and 5 rebounds per game en route to being named Tournament MVP. In doing so, Grace shot a staggering 75.7% from the field in making 25 of her 33 shot attempts.

 

Senior Elizabeth "Biz" Richmann was selected as an All Conference Honorable Mention member after a steady senior season that helped lift Oglethorpe to a school best 25-3 overall record. Richmann was also an Honorable Mention selection as a freshman and named to the All Conference Second Team as a sophomore before being slowed by injuries in her junior year. In her senior campaign, Richmann is averaging 10 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

 

Last but certainly not least, senior Hannah Brooks of Rockmart was selected as the 2009 SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Brooks, at 5'7", always draws the opponent's most dangerous offensive threat - no matter if that player is a point guard, a power forward or, sometimes, even a post player. One of the team's senior captains, Brooks led the Oglethorpe defense to program-best marks in scoring defense (66.4 points allowed per game) and field goal percentage defense (38.4%). She also chipped in on offense for the 10th-ranked Petrels, averaging 5.8 points and 3.0 assists while grabbing 5.3 boards per contests.

 

Tina Grace claimed Tournament MVP honors after posting 18 points and 10 rebounds in the emotional win. Joining her on the all-tournament team were Katie Kulavic (24 points) and Anna Findley (game-high 27 points). Findley became the first male or female to be named to the SCAC All-Tournament team in four consecutive seasons.
 
With the win, Oglethorpe is now 25-3 on the season and likely a host site for next week's NCAA Division III Tournament. The 2009 tournament field and sites will be announced live at ncaa.com on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m.