DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College athletic department and the Lady Jacket basketball team are set to host their fifth annual Hubbard Co. – Pro Rehab Tournament this weekend at the Karl H. Weaner Center. The tournament will feature NCAA Div. III schools Albion College and Wilmington College as well as the NAIA affiliated Mt. Vernon Nazarene University.

Albion College enters the tournament with a 4-3 record after having dropped a conference match to Trine University on Saturday, December 12. Heading the attack for the Britons is sharp shooting guard Melissa Shaw, who is averaging 16 points per game and leads the team in assists (25) and steals (34). Albion’s greatest strength is their defense which has held opponents to a meager 53.7 points per game this season.

Mt. Vernon Nazarene will enter the tournament as the early favorite with a 6-1 record and a squad that is averaging 78.7 points per contest. The Cougars have an exceptionally talented scoring duo in guard Sierra Fletcher and center Amanda Himes. Fletcher leads the team with 18.6 points and nearly four assists per game while Himes is averaging 17.9 points per game to go along with 9.4 rebounds.

Wilmington College enters the tournament with a 3-4 record after losing by just one point to John Carroll University on Saturday, December 12. They return four starters and 10 letterwinners from their 2008-09 team that went 19-8 to finish third in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Senior forward Kortney Kin leads the Quakers attack with 17.3 points per game.

The Lady Jackets are now 5-4 after a decisive victory over The College of Wooster on Saturday. Senior center Mandie White has been impressive, recording season-high scoring outputs in three consecutive games including a 21 point performance on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets have a well balanced offensive attack with Courtney Schmersal, Shavonda Price, Tasha Stucke and Mandie White each averaging double digits in scoring.

The tournament will begin on Friday, December 18, at 6:00 p.m. with a match between Wilmington and Mt. Vernon Nazarene before the Lady Jackets take on Albion College at 8:00 p.m. The competition will conclude on Saturday with the consolation game beginning at 1:00 p.m. and the championship game at 3:00 p.m. Single game tickets and tournament passes will be available at the front entrance of the Karl H. Weaner Center. For more information please contact Michelle Trubey at (419) 783-2342.

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