Marietta College Athletics

MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College is set to host the 45th annual Shrine Tournament Friday and Saturday (Nov. 20-21) evenings in Ban Johnson Arena. The annual event is hosted by the Marietta Shrine Club and sponsored by BSN Sports and Best Western of Marietta.

The Pioneers, currently ranked No. 11 nationally, are looking for their third straight Shrine title and seventh in the last 10 years. Marietta welcomes a strong field in 2015 including No. 6 ranked Catholic University from Washington D.C. The Cardinals face La Roche College (Pa.) in the first round on Friday at 6:00 p.m. Marietta plays Methodist University (N.C.) at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday’s schedule features the Consolation Game at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Championship Game at 7:00 p.m.

Jon VanderWal, in his ninth season at the helm, has the Pioneers averaging 89.0 points per game after posting a pair of wins to start the season. Marietta downed Westminster 100-82 in Ban Johnson Arena and beat Bethany on the road 78-65.

Marietta has three players averaging double figure in the early going this season. 6-foot-5 junior post A.J. Edwards is averaging a double-double with 16.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per outing. Luis Garcia, a 6-foot-1 senior wing, is also averaging 16.5 points and leads the Pioneers with six three-pointers. Defending Shrine MVP, Eddy Grenert, averages 11.5 points and 7.0 boards.

Under the direction of 17th-year head coach David Smith, the Monarchs of Methodist University enter the weekend with a 1-1 overall record.  MU downed St. Andrews 84-78 on the road and lost to Randolph 71-67 in its home opener. A year ago, Methodist compiled a 13-14 record and went 7-7 in the USA South Conference.

The Monarchs are led by 6-foot-6 senior forward Brandon Monk who is averaging 20.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in MU’s first two games. Tabias Hilliard, a 6-foot senor guard averages 12.5 points and has dished out a team-high eight assists, while 6-foot-4 junior guard Mike Major leads the Monarchs with 7.5 rebounds per game to go along with 11.5 points.

Catholic University is coming off a 23-6 season that saw the Cardinals advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 12th-year head coach Steve Howes returns pretty much everyone from last year’s squad that won the Landmark Conference with a 15-1 record. CUA defeated Neumann 75-64 in its only game of the new campaign.

The Cardinals return their top five scorers from a year ago including All-American Bryson Fonville. A 6-foot senior guard, Fonville averaged 16.7 points and 4.5 rebounds and was named the Landmark Conference Player of the Year. Sophomore guard Jay Howard took home Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 17.0 points and 6.0 boards, while senior guard Kevin Phanord was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 9.8 points and 2.3 rebounds.

Fourth-year head coach Hermie Carmichael is looking to rebound from a one-win season last winter. The Redhawks, members of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, are 0-1 this year having lost on the road to Division I Longwood, 89-65.

La Roche returns eight players who had significant minutes last season. The Redhawks are led by 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Arnes Bajgora and 6-foot-2 junior guard Evan Bonnaure. Bajgora averaged 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds last season, while Bonnaure was La Roche’s leading scorer against Longwood with 16 points.