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Head Coach: Bill Michaels (Mercyhurst College ’93)
Overall Collegiate Record: 93-66
Overall Combined High School and College Record: 158-88
Williamson Record: 93-66
Men’s Basketball Office: 610-566-1776 ex. 249
Cell Phone Number: 484-686-1026
Assistant Coach: Kevin Brown
Home Facility: Restall Sports Center (400)
2007-08 Record: 23-8, USCAA Division II National Champions
National Affiliation: United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division II
Conference Affiliation: Eastern Atlantic Conference
Recent Basketball History: USCAA National Champions 2008, USCAA National Semi-finalist-2003, 2006. National finalist-2004
2008-09 Preview:
The Mechanics open up defense of their 2008 USCAA Division II national championships with some holes to fill. Departed are 5 senior graduates which, as head coach Bill Michaels said are “irreplaceable.” Gone from last year’s team are starters Joey Soto, the 3rd leading scorer in school history, along with perhaps the finest defensive guard in school history in Donnie Van Horn, and the versatile Marquis Cuffee. Though Joe Marshal and Shannon Taylor were not starters, they we key components as far as leadership and intangibles went and all 5 will be greatly missed.
All is not lost however as the team returns freshmen standout Davar Watson along with one of the finer guards in the nation in Nate Armstrong. Watson, who averaged over 18 points and 6 rebounds a game last year , was 3rd in the nation in blocked shots and was named a 1st team USCAA All-American in 2008. Armstrong averaged over 14 points and 4 assists per game and was in the top 5 in the nation in free throw shooting percentage (84%).
Armstrong and Watson will be joined by 2008 sixth man Kareen Walls and the return of 6’8” center Brian Campuzano who sat out the entire 2007-08 season due to shoulder surgery. Freshman Zach Tansey will round out the starting five. Juniors Matt McClelland and John Jewell, as well as freshmen Alex Bradley and Anthony Wood will round out the roster.
“We are a different team this year but I think we have the potential to be very competitive on a national level if we come together. Losing the 5 seniors is huge but I’m optimistic that with hard work and disciplined basketball, we can be a pretty good team by the end of the year. Where it goes from there, we’ll just have to wait and see. But this is a great group of kids and I’m pretty optimistic about our chances,” stated Michaels.
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