BVA’s Rathway having impact as freshman at Carlow
When the USCAA National Championship basketball tournament begins today, there will be more of a local connection that just the host USCAA Division II teams from Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
In the USCAA Division I women’s tournament, Carlow University of Pittsburgh sports two local players on its roster in Belle Vernon graduate Bria Rathway and Mount Pleasant graduate Casey Zelenak. The seventh-seeded Celtics play No. 2 Iowa Wesleyan College at The Maltho today at 2 p.m.
Rathway, a 5-foot-9 true freshman forward, has played in all 28 games, starting once. She averages 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She third on the team in free throw percentage at 75 percent.
Zelenak, a 5-11 junior forward, has played in 18 games with six starts, and is averaging 2.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. She scored a season-high seven points against Penn State Beaver on Jan. 14.
Rathway, one of only six Celtics to have played in every game this season, has even surprised herself with the amount of playing time she has received.
“Coming in as a freshman, it’s a new team and a new environment so you don’t expect to come in a play a lot right away,” said Rathway, 19, the daughter of John and Becky Rathway of Belle Vernon. “So it’s awesome to have played as much as I have.”
Rathway was part of a section-championship team with the Lady Leopards, who were led by Kaitlyn Slagus, a Bucknell University recruit who has started in 15 of the Bison’s 28 games. While Slagus grabbed most of the headlines in high school, that never bothered Rathway.
“Kaitlyn is a D-1 player and she deserved everything she got,” Rathway said. “I miss playing with her, really.”
Rathway was an important player for the Lady Leopards as well, last year, according to Belle Vernon coach Lisa Fairman.
“Bria is just an all-around tremendous player with a great work ethic, and such a competitor,” Fairman said. “She’s one of those teammates you want to play with. Bria was an outstanding outside shooter, but she brought so much more to the team. She was always motivating her teammates with her work ethic, her hustle and her team-first mentality. She always brought a lot of energy and was a leader on and off the court.
“I’m proud of what she’s done at Carlow.”
Rathway has scored nine points four different times for the Celtics, including back-to-back games on Feb. 19 vs. Midway (Ky.) and on Feb. 20 vs. IU Southeast (Ind.).
Carlow, coached by Liz Stieg, won at Penn State Fayette on Nov. 11, 79-49, with Rathway scoring six points and grabbing a season-high eight rebounds, so she is familiar with the campus.
“We’re definitely excited to be playing there,” said Rathway, whose Celtics make Oakland Catholic High School’s gymnasium their home floor. “Our goals were to get over .500 and get to the USCAA so it’s nice to accomplish both of those goals.”
Carlow finished the regular season at 14-13 before losing to Asbury (Ky.) in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
Rathway hopes to play an even bigger role for the Celtics next season.
“I definitely want to increase my playing time,” she said. “Now I have to work in offseason to get faster and to lift a lot more.”