O'Rourke & Jordan Named to Landmark All-Conference Teams
TOWSON, Md. --- Moravian College senior guard Katie O’Rourke has been named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for the second straight year while senior forward Laura Jordan earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team as voted by the conference coaches.
TOWSON, Md. --- Moravian College senior guard Katie O'Rourke has been named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for the second straight year while senior forward Laura Jordan earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team as voted by the conference coaches.
The duo has helped the Greyhounds to a 20-7 record this season and the program's ninth berth in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. Moravian opens the tournament on Friday, March 7 in a First Round matchup with Cabrini College tipping off at 5:00 p.m. at Montclair State University.
This season marks the 12th consecutive year that the Greyhounds' program has competed beyond the conference tournament but it will be the first time that O'Rouke, Jordan and the rest of the squad have played in the NCAA Tournament. Friday marks the fourth NCAA appearance during the 12-year run but the first berth since 2010.
O'Rourke leads the squad in scoring at 13.3 points per game to go with an average of 4.7 rebounds per contest. More importantly for the two-year co-captain, she has 98 assists on the year against just 88 turnovers will leading the Greyhounds in minutes played at 30.0 per game. O'Rourke also has 38 steals on the year while leading the squad at the foul line with an 81.3 free throw percentage (104-128).
She has also shot well from the floor this winter, connecting on 115-of-250 field goal attempts (46.0 percent) and 13-of-36 beyond the three-point line (36.1 percent). In last Saturday's Landmark Championship game at The University of Scranton, O'Rourke became the first player in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals when she scored her 1,000th point midway through the second half. O'Rourke enters the NCAA Tournament with 1,008 points, 560 rebounds, 350 assists and 201 assists. She ranks in the top ten in school history in assists (third), steals (seventh), free throws made (sixth with 325) and free throws attempted (tied for seventh at 435). O'Rourke was also on the Landmark All-Conference First Team in 2013.
"Katie continues to methodically and deliberately go about her business...that is, lead the team, on and off the court, score, rebound, pass, handle the ball, make steals, all quietly and efficiently," stated Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "She is a coach's dream who will do anything and everything for the team. Consistent and steady all year, she will be difficult to replace."
Jordan has been a force inside for the Greyhounds this season. She has 91 blocked shots (third in school history for a single season), and her 3.5 blocked shot per game average ranks sixth in the nation. Moravian enters the NCAA Tournament leading the nation at 8.6 blocked shots per contest with a school record 231 rejections this year.
Jordan is netting 8.1 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game for the Hounds, and she became the 20th player in school history to reach 500 career rebounds. Jordan is 17th with 522 boards, and she is second in the Moravian record books with 191 blocked shots. Jordan is shooting 47.8 percent from the floor (87-for-182), and she is averaging 24.1 minutes per game.
"Laura stepped up her game on both ends of the court after Alexis went down," Spirk said. "She assumed the role of defensive stopper and shot blocker, along with increasing her point production. Again, a quiet leader, she is not flashy, but gets the job done, day in and day out, at practice and games."
To view the entire 2014 Landmark All-Conference Teams, visit http://landmarkconference.org/sports/wbkb/2013-14/releases/2014022799k80s.
