HAMMOND, Ind. – The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference released its Winter All-Academic Awards this week, as Purdue University Calumet saw three of its women’s basketball student-athletes named to the list. Savannah Hauter, Brooklyn Short and Lindsey Whitcomb were three of 24 women awarded by the conference.

To receive the CCAC All-Academic award, a student must have a 3.25 grade point average or higher and has earned at least 30 semester or 45 trimester hours. The student must also be enrolled at the institution for a minimum of one academic year.

Hauter, majoring in biology, received the honor for the third-straight year, while Short, a math major, and Whitcomb, a forensics science major, were each selected to the list for the first time.

The Peregrines wrapped up the 2011-12 campaign with a 23-10 overall record, after advancing to the CCAC Tournament championship game for the first time in nearly a decade.

HAMMOND, Ind. – Purdue University Calumet will be hosting a free basketball clinic on Saturday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The clinic will be open to boys and girls in grades 3-8 and will be held inside the Peregrines’ Fitness and Recreation Center. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m.

The clinic will be staffed by men’s basketball coach Dan Voudrie and women’s coach Tom Megyesi as well as members of the Peregrines’ men’s and women’s basketball teams. It will feature skill development in a fun environment.

Purdue Calumet will also have sign-ups for its 2012 basketball and volleyball camps at the event. Visit the camps page on the Purdue Calumet athletics’ website for more information or to download camp brochures. For questions regarding the camp or free clinic please call (219) 989-2540.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Purdue University Calumet’s Savannah Hauter was named to the Daktronics-NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete list for the second-straight year, as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced 162 award recipients this week. Hauter was one of seven student-athletes from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference to receive the honor.

The 5-foot-9 forward, a biology major, became just the second student-athlete at Purdue Calumet to garner scholar-athlete recognition in consecutive seasons, as former All-American center Rita Harper garnered three-straight honors. Hauter, who is also a two-time recipient for volleyball, saw action in six games this season, helping Purdue Calumet (23-10) to its best season in nearly a decade.

Nominated by each institution’s head coach, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have achieved junior academic status to qualify.

The NAIA is the governing body for athletics programs at its nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. The long-held mission of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through intercollegiate athletics. The association offers equitable access and opportunities for participation in its 23 national championship events held annually throughout the country.

HAMMOND, Ind. – The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team received four votes in final regular-season installment of the NAIA Div. II Coaches’ Poll, but the team would fall just short of an at-large bid for the NAIA National Tournament. The Peregrines finished the 2011-12 campaign with a 23-10 overall mark, the program’s best record since 2003-04.

The Black and Gold were one of two Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference teams to receive votes in the poll, as Cardinal Stritch earned a No. 15 ranking en route to a fourth seed in the national tournament bracket.

College of the Ozarks, Concordia (Neb.), Davenport and Indiana Wesleyan were all rewarded No. 1 seeds for the NAIA Tournament in Sioux City (Iowa), while Concordia (Mich.), Grand View (Iowa), Morningside (Iowa) and Northwestern (Iowa) were named No. 2 seeds.

Purdue Calumet is set to return all but one player from this season’s squad, including four starters. PUC head coach Tom Megyesi will also employ three newcomers next year, as standouts Alli Gentry, Stacy Groom and Tory Shrum will join the fray.

HAMMOND, Ind.  – The Purdue University Calumet’s women’s basketball team led the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference with five players on the all-conference team, as the CCAC announced its postseason awards today. Stephaine Beck, Brooklyn Short and Alex Starr all earned First Team All-CCAC recognition, while Amanda Gaskin and Kami Graber were named to the All-CCAC Second Team.

Beck garnered First Team All-CCAC honors for the second-straight year, after averaging 14.6 points per game with a team-best 73 3-point field goals. The 5-foot-7 senior ranks third on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,686 career points and owns the career 3-point record with 252 trifectas.

Short established herself as one of the conference’s top point guards in her first year as a starter, tallying 10.8 points and a team-best 4.1 assists per game this season. The 5-foot-4 sophomore led the CCAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and ranks 13^th in the NAIA Div. II in total assists (134).

Starr led Purdue Calumet with 15.0 points per game this season on the way to her first all-conference nod. The Plymouth, Ind. native led the conference and ranks fourth on PUC’s single-season list with 152 made free throws this season.

Gaskin posted 6.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game this season to be named to the all-conference team for the first time in her career. The 5-foot-10 forward reached double-digits in rebounds on 11 occasions, helping her move up to No. 6 on PUC’s career rebounding list with 677 boards.

Graber had a breakout season in her rookie campaign, averaging 10.2 points and 1.9 assists per game. The 5-foot-8 guard reached double-figures in 16 games, while setting a freshman record with 126 free throws made this season.

Purdue Calumet is 23-10 this season and will wait to hear its fate for the NAIA Tournament, as the brackets will be announced this Wednesday, February 29. Stay tuned to www.purduecal.edu/athletics for the latest on the Peregrines’ tournament hopes.

MILWAUKEE, Wis.  – The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team fell short in the CCAC Tournament championship game, falling to No. 15 Cardinal Stritch, 71-63, on Saturday afternoon. The Peregrines, who fell for just the third time in their last 13 games, slide to 23-10 on the year.

 The Wolves held a six-point lead with 10 minutes remaining in the first half, before PUC rattled off six-straight points to tie the game on a pair of free throws from freshman Kami Graber. CSU pushed the lead back to six points with two trifectas, but the Black and Gold closed out the half on an 11-4 run to take a 27-25 lead at the break.

Both teams struggled from the field in the opening period, as PUC shot 35.5 percent including 2-iof-9 from beyond the arc while Stritch was limited to 31.3 percent shooting in the half.

After Stephaine Beck drained a long trifecta on PUC’s first possession of the final stanza, the Black and Gold would go cold from the field. Cardinal Stritch took advantage, using a decisive 22-7 run to grab control of the game. The Wolves led by as many as 13 points in the closing period, before Purdue Calumet used an  11-4 run to cut the lead to six, 61-55, with just 2:18 left in the contest.

However, CSU would ice the game at the charity stripe, despite a late barrage of 3-point field goals by the Peregrines. PUC gave up a halftime lead for the first time this season, as it came into the contest with a perfect 21-0 mark when leading at the break.

Cardinal Stritch shot a blistering 63.6 percent from the field in the second half to finish with a 45.1 field goal percentage. Purdue Calumet had 37.7 shooting from the field, thanks to the late surge. The Peregrines pulled down 11 offensive rebounds, but Stritch dominated the glass overall with a 37-27 advantage on the boards.

Brooklyn Short paced the Black and Gold with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Graber came off the bench to tally 17 points. Beck rounded out the Peregrines in double-figures with 14 markers.

Purdue Calumet will have to wait until February 29 to hear its fate, when the NAIA releases the 2012 national tournament bracket. Stay tuned to www.purduecal.edu/athletics for up-to-date information on the Peregrines’ hopes for an at-large bid for the NAIA Tournament.

HAMMOND, Ind. – The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team will travel to Milwaukee, Wis. tomorrow, February 25, to face No. 15 Cardinal Stritch in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship game. The winner of the title bout will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

Hammond’s WJOB will be broadcasting the game, which is set for a 1 p.m. tip-off. Click here for the live stream online or tune into 1230 on your AM dial.

Fans can also follow the action live online via Cardinal Stritch’s webpage. Cardinal Stritch is offering live audio and video on the Wolves Sports Network as well as a live stats page, click here for CSU’s live stats.

Purdue Calumet heads into Saturday with a 23-9 overall record, cruising through the opening rounds of the conference tournament during its five-game winning streak. PUC claimed an 86-60 victory over Trinity Christian in the CCAC quarterfinals, before last night’s 92-67 rout of Trinity International in the semifinals.

Stephaine Beck has paced four Peregrines averaging double-figures in the tournament, as she is dropping in 22 points per game while knocking down a blistering 60 percent (9-of-15) of her shots from beyond the arc. Brooklyn Short is averaging 16.5 points a night on 63.2 percent shooting from the field, while Alex Starr and Kami Graber are adding 12.0 and 11.0 points per game respectively.

The Black and Gold will have their hands full with Cardinal Stritch (25-6), the 2011-12 CCAC regular-season champion. The Wolves, the only team in the conference to defeat PUC, are coming off an 80-56 pasting of Holy Cross last night and will be looking for their fifth-straight league tournament crown. Julie Raeder leads the way for CSU, as the sophomore guard is posting 13.8 points and 2.9 assists per game.

HAMMOND, Ind. – Stephaine Beck broke Purdue University Calumet’s career mark for 3-point field goals, leading the Peregrines to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship game with a 92-67 victory over Trinity International on Thursday night. PUC improves to 23-9 overall with the win, while the Trojans end their season with an 11-17 record.

Purdue Calumet got off to a fast start, after blistering the nets in the opening period of play. The Black and Gold shot 54.8 percent from the field in the half, including a red-hot 8-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc. PUC used that strong start to open up a 35-20 advantage with seven minutes remaining, behind five assists from freshman Kami Graber. The Peregrines pushed their lead to 48-31 at the break, after Alex Starr connected from deep in the closing minute.

Trinity International cut into the lead early in the final stanza, behind the scoring of Jessica Switzer. Switzer scored eight points during the Trojans’ 14-5 run that trimmed the deficit to 11 points, 56-45. However, Purdue Calumet would score on nine of its next 12 possessions to help push the cushion back up to 19 points, 72-53, six minutes later.

TIU made one last run late in the game though, cutting the lead back down to 11 points before Beck took over to officially put the game out of reach. The senior guard, who now has 251 career 3-point field goals, put up nine points in less than two minutes as PUC’s lead swelled to as much as 27 points.

The Peregrines shot a season-best 49.1 percent from the field in the contest, after knocking down 10 shots from downtown. Purdue Calumet was able to get to the line in bunches, finishing 26-of-33 from the stripe. The Black and Gold also posted a 45-29 advantage on the glass, as they had nine different players pull down a rebound.

Trinity International was held to 34.8 percent shooting from the field and 16.7 percent from beyond the three-point line. The Trojans did most of their damage with a full-court press in the second half, scoring 22 points off turnovers.

Beck led all scorers with 28 points on 6-of-9 shooting from long range, moving into sole possession of third-place on PUC’s all-time scoring list with 1,672 career points. Brooklyn Short tallied 18 markers and three assists, while Amanda Gaskin notched her third double-double of the year with 11 markers and 11 rebounds. Graber added nine points and a career-high eight helpers.

Switzer led four Trojans in double-figures with 16 points in 25 minutes of work. Brittany Simon finished with 13 points and six assists, while Cassie Glendenning had 13 points. Rudie Denson rounded out TIU’s players in double-figures with 10 points on the night.

Purdue Calumet will travel to Milwaukee, Wis. this Saturday, February 25, to face CCAC regular-season champ Cardinal Stritch in the conference title game. The Peregrines will look for their first-ever CCAC Div. II Tournament crown, when the action tips-off at 1 p.m.

HAMMOND, Ind. - The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team will host Trinity International at the Fitness and Recreation Center tonight, as the Peregrines look to advance to the conference title game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Click here to follow the action live via the Peregrine Sports Network.

What’s On Tap
Purdue Calumet will look to advance to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, as it looks for the third victory of the year against TIU.

Series History
Trinity International owns an 11-10 lead in the all-time series, thanks in large part to a seven-game winning streak from 2004 to 2009. The Black and Gold have won four of the last six though, including the past three contests in Hammond.

One More for History
PUC senior Stephaine Beck needs one more 3-point field goal to surpass former teammate Jennifer Britton’s career-record total of 245. The 5-foot-7 guard tied the mark with her third trey of the night in Tuesday’s victory over Trinity Christian. Beck is averaging 2.1 trifectas per game during her career while connecting on 37.3 percent of her shots from downtown.

Home Sweet Home
PUC Head Coach Tom Megyesi’s teams have been impressive at the Fitness and Recreation Center during his tenure, racking up a 44-30 record at home including a 31-14 mark over the past three seasons. This year has been no different, as the Black and Gold are 11-4 inside their friendly confines, where they are averaging just under 80 points per game.

Early Bird Gets the Win
One of the keys to Purdue Calumet’s success has been its ability to jump out to an early lead. The Peregrines are 19-0 when leading at halftime this season and 42-4 record over the past three seasons when accomplishing the feat. 29 of those 42 victories have come at the Fitness and Recreation Center.

Scouting Trinity International
The Trojans enter today’s game with a 11-16 overall record, having won three of their last four contests. Brittany Simon leads TIU into tonight’s contest, as the junior guard is posting a teambest 14.5 points and 4.0 assists per game this season.

HAMMOND, Ind.  – The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team used a big first half to pick up an 86-60 victory over Trinity Christian in the opening round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday night.

The Peregrines advance to the CCAC Tournament semifinals for the fourth-straight year, improving to 22-9 on the season with the 10^th win in their last 12 contests. Trinity Christian wraps up its campaign with an overall mark of 6-25.

Purdue Calumet raced out to a 21-6 lead in the opening eight minutes of the game, as Stephaine Beck and Alex Starr combined for 11 points during that stretch. The Black and Gold would add to that lead, as PUC pushed it to 47-23 after a pair of free throws from Kami Graber with three minutes remaining in the half. The Trolls were able to trim the deficit to 18 points, 53-35, at the break, after Monique Calloway’s jumper in the closing seconds.

Trinity Christian scored the opening points of the final stanza on Samantha Nekola’s driving layup, but could get no closer as the Peregrines cruised to their third victory over TCC this season.

Beck led four players in double-figures for Purdue Calumet with 16 points, as the senior guard tied Jennifer Britton’s school-record mark of 245 career 3-point field goals with three treys in the contest. Starr added a trio of 3-point field goals as well to finish with 15 points, while Brooklyn Short added 15 points and three steals. Graber rounded out the Peregrines in double-figures with 13 markers in 18 minutes of work.

Abby VanderWoude paced TCC with a game-high 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with seven rebounds. Jennifer Brink closed out her collegiate career with 15 points and a pair of blocks, while Nekola tallied 11 points and three steals on the night.

 PUC shot 43.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from downtown in the contest, while struggling at the charity stripe with 18-of-32 (56.3 percent) shooting on the night. The Black and Gold scored 24 points off turnovers, after forcing the Trolls to commit 21 mishaps.

Trinity Christian was hot in the first half, knocking down 50 percent of its shots from the field. However, the Trolls would cool off in the closing period with 31.3 percent shooting en route to a 40.6 field goal percentage. TCC had its own woes from the line, where it managed just 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) shooting.

Purdue Calumet will advance to the conference semifinals this Thursday, February 23, as it will play host to No. 3 seed Trinity International. The Peregrines can improve to 12-4 at the Fitness and Recreation Center, when the action tips-off at 7 p.m.