Published: March 26, 2008 12:00 am         

California (Pa.) women keep dancing shoes on

The California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and former area players Crystal Andrews and Amber Dubyak are along for the exciting ride.

Andrews, a 5-foot-7 junior guard from Greater Johnstown High School, and Dubyak, a 5-8 freshman guard from Cambria Heights, will join the Lady Vulcans for the school’s farthest foray into the Division II tournament since 2004, when California won it all.

The Vulcans (27-6) will take on Delta State (32-0) of Cleveland, Miss., today in the 6 p.m. game in Kearney, Neb. The Lady Statesmen, who are top-ranked and the last unbeaten team in the country, are set to make their 12th appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight, but their first since 2000.

California defeated Shepherd, W.Va., 86-71, in the East Region title game and Delta State downed Valdosta State 62-44 in the South Region championship.

Andrews, a 1,000-point scorer at Johnstown, has started 29 of Cal’s 33 games and averages the most minutes on the court of any player on the squad (34.1). The former Lady Trojan, who transferred to California from UPJ, averages 10 points a game, the team’s third-leading scorer.

California’s assists leader, averaging 4.5 a game, Andrews is second on the team in steals (3.8) and blocked shots (.4). She was a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West second-team selection.

Dubyak, who was the all-time leading scorer for both boys and girls at Cambria Heights as well as a 1,000-plus rebounder for the Highlanders, has also made her presence known at California in her first season with the Vulcans.

The former Lady Highlander has started in 21 of Cal’s 33 games and is averaging 8.1 points per game. She is third in steals (2.1 a game) and blocked shots (.3), the team’s fourth leading rebounder (5.4) and is also fourth in assists (1.7).

California head coach Darcie Vincent is in her eighth year with the Vulcans and has accrued an overall record of 212-46.

Her tenure at California has included seven straight appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament. Vincent did not return an e-mail seeking comment.

Sandra Rushing is in her sixth season as head coach at Delta State University and has a record of 146-35.

“California is an excellent basketball team with great coaching,” Rushing said on the school’s Web site. “They look very tough on tape and I believe they will be a tremendous challenge for our program.”

The game will be a contrast in styles between the high-octane offense of the Vulcans and the tenacious defense of the Lady Statesmen. DSU ranks second in the nation in points allowed per game at 50.8, while the Vulcans average 77.8 points per contest.

The winner of the Delta-Cal game will play the winner of South Dakota, 31-1 and North Central Region champion, and Washburn, 26-6 and South Central Region champion, in the semifinals on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU, with the championship game to tip-off on Saturday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2.

     

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