Sports shorts
Basketball
PAC honors Mathers
Saint Vincent College senior forward Taylor Mathers was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after breaking a school record and leading the Lady Bearcats to a 3-0 week.
The Laurel Highlands graduate averaged 18 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game as Saint Vincent upset Juniata in overtime (95-93), and opened the PAC with wins over Chatham, 87-63, and Westminster, 82-70. Mathers established a single-game record in the win over the Titans with nine blocked shots.
Mathers had a double-double (career-high 22 points, 11 rebounds) in the win over previously-unbeaten Juniata before fouling out. She posted her second double-double of the season with 20 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against Westminster.
Football
Dean recognized
Slippery Rock senior linebacker Quindell Dean was named a second-team All-American by Beyond Sports Network, one of five Rock players to be so honored.
The Uniontown graduate was The Rock’s No. 2 tackler with 76 tackles (43 solo, 33 assisted) in 11 games as the strongside linebacker. He was ranked ninth in the PSAC in tackles for a loss with a team-high 14½ for minus-47 yards. Dean capped his season with two interceptions, one for a touchdown, six passes defensed and two quarterback hurries against Winston-Salem State in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Redshirted as a freshman at Toledo, Dean finished 24th on The Rock’s career list with 239 tackles, and is 18th with 125 solo tackles.
His 32 tackles for a total of 155 yards lost ranks 14th, and finished with nine quarterback sacks.
Fedorka a finalist
Waynesburg University senior Brandon Fedorka has been named one of 49 finalists for the Cliff Harris Award given to the best defensive player in NCAA Division II and III, and the NAIA.
Fedorka had career-best in tackles (67), 11½ sacks and 21½ tackles for a loss. Fedorka will play in the D3 Senior Classic in Salem, Va., today.
The winner of the small college defensive player will be announced on Dec. 24.
Volleyball
Milller selected
California University of Pa. junior Laurel Miller was named a Capitol One third-team Academic All-American by CoSIDA. Miller has a 3.88 cumulative GPA as a computer science major.