ANNVILLE, Pa. - With two All-Commonwealth Conference players returning for the 2010-11 season, including reigning Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year Andrea Hoover, and all five starters back in the mix, #20 Lebanon Valley is poised to make its fourth straight appearance in the conference tournament as it starts the season Monday night.

Lebanon Valley (23-5 in 2009-10) will host Misericordia Monday night at The Gym for a 7 p.m. start, broadcast on WMSS 91.1 FM (with a free webcast) and with live stats available on GoDutchmen.com. The Dutchmen have been ranked in three preseason national polls, including 20th in the d3hoops.com poll and 22nd by USA Today/ESPN.

Last season was a record setting year for the Dutchmen as head coach Todd Goclowski continued to put the program on the national stage, leading to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. Returning 12 players from the previous campaign, including all leading scorers, the Dutchmen are led by a core of three seniors in Andrea Hoover, Suzie Noyes and Eryn Schultz. The
trio led the squad in scoring, each averaging more than 11 points per game and starting all 28 contests.

Hoover continues to man the point for the Dutchmen, where she's played in 82 career games. After posting her best season yet in 2009-10, she was named the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year. Starting all 28 games, Hoover averaged 11.9 points per game, and led the team with 866 minutes played, 102 free throws made, 147 assists, and 56 steals. Hoover ranked first in
the conference in assists and assist to turnover ratio, third in free-throw percentage, and 10th in scoring. Her 403 career assists ranks her second on LVC's all-time list, just behind leader Crystal Gibson '05 with 528 assists.

The team's second-leading scorer last season, Noyes is another offensive threat for the Dutchmen. She currently ranks ninth on LVC's all-time points list with 887 in her career, just short of becoming the eighth player in history to reach 1,000 points in her career. Finishing the 2009-10 campaign with 12.4 points per game, Noyes led the team in several categories including a .873 free throw percentage, 119 defensive rebounds and 34 blocks. In the conference she was first in free throw percentage, third in blocked shots and ninth in scoring.

Finishing in the top three of scoring her first three seasons, Schultz has been an offensive force. In 2009-10, she led the team in scoring with a 13.5 average and set the new LVC all-time three-pointers made record with 197 through 82 games. Starting all 28 games, Schultz also held the team lead with 120 field goals made, 87 three-pointers and 378 total points. Ranking fifth in the conference in scoring, she led the league in three-pointers. With 945 career points, Schultz is sixth all-time and just 55
points from joining the 1,000 point club.

Four other players appeared in all 28 games last season; Liz Borgia, Amanda Donia, Caitlin Murphy, and Sarah Colton. An inside force, Borgia led the team with 157 total rebounds and 65 offensive boards. Donia was a solid shooter for LVC, registering a .420 field goal percentage and .645 free-throw percentage.

Murphy continues to be a constant in the lineup, having played in 54 games in her first two years. Last season she started 18 contests, tallying 58 offensive boards and 119 total rebounds. Murphy added 41 assists, 145 points and 40 steals. Additionally, she registered a .647 free-throw percentage, hitting 22-of-34 attempts. Colton, a forward, posted 144 points and 102 total rebounds in her first year with the Dutchmen. Drawing the start in 21 games, she ranked sixth on the team in scoring. Colton
was among the team leaders in field goal percentage, registering a .480, while adding 31 assists.

Tierney Hiltz and Lindsey Nies both saw action in over 20 games in 2009-10. Filling the guard role, both have experience setting up the offensive attack and handling the ball on both ends of the court. Center Renée Fritz is tough inside for the Dutchmen with her physical presence. She appeared in just 16 games last season due to an injury suffered early on, and is expected to have a greater impact this year. Rachel Armor and Gia Russo provided depth off the bench in their rookie season and look to do so again this year.

Goclowski welcomes four newcomers to this year's squad, and all will look to compete for playing time right away. The Dutchmen add size up front with the addition of Caitlin Bach and Courtney Escudero, both at 5-11. Bach had an impressive high school career and holds the title of all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Carroll County (Md.) history with 1,782 points and 1,157
rebounds. In her senior season, she average 22.9 points and 14.4 rebounds. Expected to see time at the forward spot, Bach is a very active front court player that will help interior play. Escudero comes from a very successful high school program in New Jersey. A wing player, she attacks the basket and has good range on her outside shot.

Continuing a tradition of great point guard play, LVC welcomes Lauren Ruhl. A four-year varsity team starter at Methacton, she accumulated 1,316 points in her career. Ruhl earned first team all-conference honors her final three seasons and was second team her freshman year. A great ball handler with outstanding court vision, Ruhl will make an immediate impact and keep the tempo high when called upon. An AAU teammate of Ruhl's, Gabrielle Vass comes to LVC from Central Bucks South. The team leader in scoring and rebounding her senior season, Vass will look for time at the three spot. A self-made player, she's court intelligent and finds a way to get the job done.

With the program continuing to grow and an upbeat atmosphere, the team is primed to compete for the Commonwealth Conference championship. With an accomplished senior class and a mix of youth, the Dutchmen aim for another appearance in the NCAA Tournament after making its first trip in program history last year.