Newsline  

Hilbert Women’s Hoop Team Cruises to Win; Smolarek Honored

Release Date:
December 18, 2003
Contact:
The Office of Sports Information
(716) 649-7900 ext. 333

HAMBURG, N.Y. – The Hilbert College women’s basketball team jumped out to an early 15-0 lead on their way to 61-40 win over Lake Erie College Thursday night in NCAA Division III action.

Senior Amanda Smolarek (Villa Maria/Lancaster, NY) recorded 15 points, nine rebounds, and six steals to lead the Hawks. Kristen Curry (Wilson/Ransomville, NY) added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Natalie Samuelson (Jamestown/Jamestown, NY) grabbed 12 rebounds.

Amanda Bray scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Storm, who fall to 1-5.

Smolarek was recognized before the game for becoming the Hawks all-time leading scorer on Dec. 12 at Penn State Behrend. Already the school’s all-time leading rebounder, Smolarek passed Angie Modeste’s (96-98) mark of 865 points and is on pace to become Hilbert’s first 1,000 point scorer later this season. The three-time All-Northeastern Athletic Conference selection is also a three-time all NEAC Academic selection.

“It’s great to see Amanda recognized for this tremendous achievement,” said second-year head coach Andrea Agnello. “Her performance on the court and in the classroom has represented our program well.”

Currently averaging 10.5 ppg and 9.4 rpg, Smolarek credits the people around her who have helped contributed to her success. “I’ve been fortunate to have played with some very talented players who have helped me reach this milestone. I couldn’t have come this far without their efforts,” said Smolarek.

Hilbert (4-4) will travel to New York City on Saturday to face New York University at 4 p.m.


Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs, one a master’s in criminal justice administration and the other a master’s in public administration, and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.