Women’s sports at SRU have cultivated an illustrious reputation of sustained success throughout the history of Slippery Rock athletics. All told, SRU’s current women’s programs have accounted for a total of eight individual national champions, 32 PSAC team championships, 38 NCAA Tournament berths and 90 total postseason appearances. 

In this week’s “Throwback Thursday” feature, we’ll look back at the top teams for each of Slippery Rock’s 10 women’s varsity sports over the history of their respective programs. 

Basketball (1999-00)

The 1999-00 women’s basketball team finished the season with a 23-7 record, tying a program-best mark for wins in a single-season while being ranked as the No. 12 team in the nation at the end of the season with head coach Darcie Vincent at the helm. 

The season included a 12-game winning streak that stands as the longest such streak in program history. After being defeated in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament, SRU reeled off three-straight NCAA Tournament victories over Belmont Abbey College, Shippensburg University and Millersville University before falling to No. 13 Western Washington University in the Elite Eight to cap off the longest playoff run in program history. 

The Rock’s offense was led by Becky Siembak, who was named the PSAC West Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.5 points per game while shooting 60 percent from the field. Additionally, Shelbey Wardman averaged 12.4 points per game and Jackie Altenweg, who was inducted into the Rock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, finished the season averaging 10.8 points per game. Tracy Whitling recorded a team-best 39 blocked shots to lead the defensive effort.

Another member of the 1999-00 team, Melissa McKavish, who was also inducted into the Rock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, remembers solid leadership and communication being key to The Rock’s success that season. 

“Our team was so effective because of the solid leadership, communication and the willingness we had as teammates to work together,” said McKavish. “I will never forget that season as I was surrounded by some of the best teammates and coaches I could’ve asked for.

“My most memorable moment from that season is advancing to SRU’s first ever NCAA Elite Eight appearance. A week earlier it didn’t seem possible that we’d make it that far after we lost in the first round of the PSAC Tournament, but we bounced back and ended up winning our region.”

Not to be overlooked in the top teams in the history of Rock women’s basketball was the 1985-86 team that finished with a 23-6 record and was ranked as the No. 16 team in the country under the guidance of head coach Kathleen Richey-Walton.

“The 1985-86 season will always stick out as an extremely special year,” said Richey-Walton. “I know we didn’t realize it at the time but we had an experience that was unique and unlike anything in my coaching career to that point.

“I believe what made that season so special was our diversity, love and respect for one another. We brought a group of people from a variety of backgrounds together to become a remarkably close team that strived for excellence. There was a feeling that we had during the season that is difficult to express in words but we knew we were going to be very good.”

Slippery Rock recorded a 6-4 record through its first 10 games before winning 17 of its last 19 contests to secure the first conference championship in program history. 

Additionally, Slippery Rock’s opening round victory over No. 20 Pace University marked the first NCAA Tournament win for SRU. Diane Walker led the offensive effort for The Rock during the year by averaging 23.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game en route to being named the first All-American in program history. 

Cross Country (1995)

With two All-America honorees, the 1995 cross country team stands as one of the best in program history.

2005 Rock Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Joan Anderson and Julie Bravin were named All-Americans after leading SRU to its first PSAC Championship in program history under the direction of legendary head coach John Papa, who garnered PSAC Coach of the Year accolades of his own.

Joining Papa in earning All-PSAC honors that season were Anderson, Bravin, Marcia Adams and Philomena Behmer. 

Following The Rock’s championship performance at the conference meet, SRU turned in an equally impressive performance at the NCAA Championships where it placed seventh in the nation for what has been the only top-10 finish in program history at the national championship meet. 

Field Hockey (1987)

The 1987 field hockey team was the most successful in Slippery Rock history. Under the direction of head coach Jan Kasnevich, that year’s team set the program record for wins in a single-season with 14 and achieved the program’s only NCAA Tournament appearance.

The year featured two five-game win streaks for Slippery Rock and a perfect 7-0 mark at home. This culminated with an overtime victory over East Stroudsburg in the semifinal round of the PSAC Tournament before ultimately falling to Bloomsburg University in the conference title game. 

Among other firsts for Slippery Rock in 1987 was its first NCAA Tournament victory, 4-0, over Calvin University. 

SRU was led on offense by Marlene Hall, who tallied 21 points on 10 goals and an assist while Judith Johns recorded 113 saves and allowed just 13 goals over the duration of the season. 

Overall, the 1987 SRU field hockey team ranks first in program history in total points (91), third in goals scored (39) and seventh in goals per game (4.79). 

Indoor Track & Field (2006-07)

The 2007 season for the women’s indoor track & field program stands as one of the best in team history as that season holds the top mark for the storied program in terms of individual conference champions in a single-season at seven, which helped The Rock to a second straight PSAC Championship.

The Rock was led by Andi Rose, who captured All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Championships after being named the overall and track MVP of the PSAC Championship meet, where she won the 55-meter hurdles and was a member of SRU’s 4x400-meter championship group.

Among other individual PSAC champions on the 2007 indoor track & field team were Vera McDaniel (55-meter dash, 200-meter dash), Lacey Cochran (400-meter dash), Jenny Kirsch (long jump) and Jen Hansen (pole vault), along with the 4x400-meter relay team of Cochran, Rose, Jessica Sackin and Melissa Sopher. 

After SRU’s stellar performance at the conference championship meet, it turned in an impressive performance at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with a 27th-place finish. 

Following the 2007 season, accolades continued to roll in for The Rock when Jen Harpp was named to the PSAC Winter Top-10 list, while Hansen garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. 

Lacrosse (2018)

The 2018 women’s lacrosse team recorded a program record for wins in a single-season after finishing the year with a 13-5 mark that included an 8-4 record in conference play. The season featured a road victory over No. 19 Indiana University (Pa.) and a season-best five-game win streak that is tied for the fourth-longest streak in program history. 

Under the direction of current head coach Kelsey Van Alstyne, The Rock reached the PSAC Tournament for a second consecutive season after earning a trip to the conference tournament for the first time in program history in 2017 under former head coach Emily Hopkins. 

Goalie Emily Bitka turned in a dominant 2018 season, after which she became the first goalkeeper in PSAC history to be named the league’s Athlete of the Year. The first-team all-conference goalkeeper recorded a conference-best .554 save percentage while also ranking second in goals allowed and saves per game. She finished the year by setting the NCAA Division II single-season record for ground balls (104).

The Rock offensive attack was led by Tia Torchia, who tallied a team-high 49 points on 40 goals and nine assists. A second team All-PSAC selection, Torchia also led SRU's field players in ground balls (67) and draw controls (66).

ShyAnne Toomer proved to be a force on offense for Slippery Rock in 2018 as well. She added 47 points on 30 goals and 17 assists. The sophomore midfielder led The Rock in caused turnovers (49) while being tied for second on the team in game-winning goals with two. 

Outdoor Track & Field (1982)

The 1982 Rock women’s outdoor track & field team holds the top mark in program history for All-Americans in a single-season while ranking third in individual conference champions in a season. Under the direction of legendary head coach Bill Lennox, Slippery Rock secured its third PSAC Championship in four years. 

During the PSAC Championship meet, Slippery Rock garnered several individual championships on the road to its team title including Juanita Vetter (1,500-meter run, 3,000-meter run), Mary Hamilton (400-meter dash), Darlene Smith (long jump), Nancy Conner (high jump), Jayne Beatty (shot put, discus), Andrea Magnifico (heptathlon), Lisa Hulihan (javelin) and the 4x100-meter relay team of Hamilton, Sarah Clements, Linda Herder and Elizabeth Davis.

Additionally, Slippery Rock ended the 1982 season with a second-place finish at the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Division lll National Championship meet. It was during The Rock’s national championship appearance when Hulihan became SRU’s first individual national champion by pacing the field in the javelin. 

Before becoming a national champion, Hulihan set a strong base during the 1982 regular season when she became the Slippery Rock and PSAC record holder in the javelin with a throw of 47.5 meters. 

The Rock earned 12 All-America honorees at the National Championships in Beatty (discus throw), Vetter (1,500-meter run), Kris Stanko (400-meter hurdles), Blanca D’Hoedt (800-meter run), the 800-meter relay team of Conner, Donna Manion, Liz Davis and Mary Hamilton along with the 3,200-meter relay team of Lori Maurer, Nancy Pokorny, D’Hoedt and Vetter. 

The 12 All-Americans stand as the most in a single-season in Rock women’s outdoor track & field program history, while the 10 individual conference champions are tied for the third-most in program history behind the 2006 (12) and 2007 (11) teams. 

Soccer (2013)

The 2013 women’s soccer team finished the year with a 15-4-2 record including a 12-2-2 mark in conference competition. SRU, which was ranked as the No. 6 team in all of NCAA Division ll at seasons end, made the deepest postseason run in program history under the direction of former head coach Noreen Herlihy. 

“We formed many great memories during the 2013 season which was such a special year,” said Herlihy. “Advancing to the Elite Eight after being conference champions the year before was a huge step forward for our program. 

“The PSAC was extremely competitive that season with a lot of truly great teams and we ran into even greater competition in the NCAA Tournament. We accomplished so many feats, including snapping a 19-game unbeaten streak against Cal U and having a chance to go to the Final Four. The 2013 season will always be remembered and the players are ones I will hold dear to me.”

The 2013 season included an eight-game win streak in which Slippery Rock outscored its opponents 21-2. Additionally, after starting the season 1-1-1, SRU recorded victories in 14 of its last 18 games. 

Slippery Rock earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Region and proceeded to record victories over No. 24 Shippensburg University and No. 6 California University (Pa.) before ultimately falling to American International University in the Elite Eight. 

Andrea Felix and Dara Demich guided The Rock’s offense through the magical season. Felix registered 25 points on 10 goals and five assists while Demich added 23 points on 11 goals and one assist. 

Goalkeeper Dana O’Neill started 18 games for SRU. She finished the season with a 0.62 goals against average and six shutouts after allowing just 11 goals as the anchor of a stout Rock defense.

Following its run to the Elite Eight, Slippery Rock garnered several postseason honors, starting with Lauren Impey being named a NSCAA and Daktronics first team All-American. Allison Harbart garnered an NSCAA second team All-America selection and Felix capturing a Daktronics All-America honorable mention recognition. 

Softball (2008)

The 2008 season saw The Rock softball program reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history after recording a program record for wins in a single-season at 27-17 under the direction of head coach Vashion Johnson. 

Current Slippery Rock head coach Stacey Rice, who was a standout member of the 2008 squad, remembers the season fondly. 

“The 2008 team had a great balance of talent, coaching and leadership,” said Rice. “We had an amazing group of seniors who were leaders both on and off the field. The success of the team was everyone’s main priority; everyone was so unselfish. The 2008 team had a competitive spirit. We loved to win and have fun. We genuinely enjoyed playing together.”

The Rock opened the season winning 12 of its first 14 games including two five-game win streaks. After recording an 8-12 record over its next 20 games, Slippery Rock was on the outside of the playoff picture before winning its final seven contests of the regular season to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

In 44 games played, Rice led SRU in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.655), total bases (74), hits (42), runs scored (39) and walks (28) while ranking second in stolen bases (20) and third in RBI (34).

Slippery Rock also got contributions from Meghan McHenry, who finished with a .349 batting average with a team-high 37 RBI and a .633 slugging percentage. 

The 2008 team was one of the top power hitting editions of SRU softball. SRU hit 42 home runs that year, the second highest total in Rock single-season history, thanks in no small part to a combined 26 homers from the trio of Rice, McHenry and Jessica Kortz.

The Rock’s pitching staff was led by staff ace Lisa Getgen, who recorded a 13-9 record over 140 innings of work. Getgen finished with a 2.15 ERA along with 52 strikeouts, 14 complete games and a save. 

Tennis (2002-03)

The 2002-03 women’s tennis team is the group that head coach Matt Meredith believes set the standard for future members of the program. Slippery Rock went 21-3 that year, won a PSAC team championship and the NCAA Atlantic Regional title before advancing all the way to the round of 16 where the season ultimately came to an end against Northwest Missouri State University. 

Leading the way for the 2002-03 team was Jessica Bungo, who Meredith credits with raising the level of competition on a team loaded with talent. 

“I built the team around Jess Bungo, she really raised the standard on that team,” said Meredith. “We had three division one transfers on the team around her and they all really came together and pushed each other every day.

“Tennis is unique in that you are constantly competing against your teammates for the top spot. The 2002-03 team was very unselfish and battled every day to be the best version of themselves which made us great.”

For his efforts in leading the team that season, Meredith earned PSAC Coach of the Year honors while Bungo, Kelly Anderson and Ella Reilly garnered All-PSAC honors. Reilly was also honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-American and a PSAC Spring Top-10 selection. Bungo was inducted into the Rock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

With the tone set by the 2002-03 team, Meredith noted two other teams that deserve recognition among the top teams in program history. The first being the 2009-10 team where Meredith saw the years of building a culture of competition and unselfishness come to a head. 

Finishing the season with a 22-6 record including a 10-0 mark in conference play, The Rock was led by three All-PSAC selections in Jessica Hilborn, Kayla Blackburn and Laura Handy. The Rock not only matched the 2002-03 team with a regional championship and another trip to the round of 16, but even superseded its predecessor’s success by securing a victory over St. Could State University before falling to Lynn University in the Elite Eight. 

The final team of mention from Meredith was last season’s 2019-20 team that had its season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“If the season wouldn’t have been cut short, I believe the 2019-20 team would’ve been one of the most talented teams I’ve ever coached,” said Meredith. “From top to bottom it really was one of the best rosters I’ve had.”

Volleyball (1993)

The 1993 volleyball team is among the top teams in program history after setting the program record for single-season victories with a 40-6 record under the direction of head coach Laurie Lokash, who earned one of her two career PSAC Coach of the Year awards that that season. 

The 1993 season was highlighted by three separate win streaks of seven or more matches including a season-best 14-match win streak. In addition to winning 14 straight contests, The Rock finished the season by winning 19 of their last 21 matches. 

Slippery Rock concluded the 1993 regular season as PSAC Western Division champions and followed that by winning a PSAC Tournament championship, which was its first conference title since 1984. 

Following its PSAC championship, Slippery Rock moved on to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. That year’s tournament-run saw SRU secure a victory over Presbyterian College before falling to Gannon in the second round. 

Slippery Rock Hall of Fame inductee Laurie Flynn put together one of the finest statistical seasons in program history with 580 kills, 50 aces, 563 digs and 115 total blocks. Bev Rea guided the offense with 1,557 assists and Renee Chesley anchored SRU’s defense by recording 623 digs.

In regard to the 1993 team, Lokash believes it may have been the best team she’s coached in her 37-year Hall of Fame career at The Rock.

“The special part about the 1993 team was the work ethic, confidence, unselfishness and grit it had,” said Lokash. “Some of the people on that team came from programs with very demanding coaches, so work ethic was never a question. I think the other unique thing about them was that they were so mentally tough. Competing was fun for them and was never work. They understood the game and they had an edge.”

One match that stuck out in Lokash’s mind was a contest against the University of Indianapolis and how her team responded to warming up with their opponent. 

“I remember when we played the University of Indianapolis at a tournament and they had some big hitters,” said Lokash. “During that time, teams would warm up hitting at the same time. Our defensive players would be on our side digging our opponent’s hitters and commenting out loud how easy they were to dig. 

“They made sure every opponent had to earn their confidence, they always knew how prepared they were and how hard they worked in preparing for an opponent. They accepted each other’s talents and weren’t selfish.” 

To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics), Instagram (RockAthletics) and Snapchat (@RockAthletics).