Official All-PSAC Release
ERIE, Pa. – Mercyhurst junior guard
Heiden Ratner earned All-PSAC West Second Team honors in voting conducted by league coaches, as announced today by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
PSAC champion IUP was represented by three players, including Player of the Year Thomas Young. Gannon’s Tanner Furno was named PSAC West Freshman of the year, while Joe Lombardi of IUP was selected Coach of the Year by his peers.
Ratner, a junior from Las Vegas, Nev., broke through during his first season at Mercyhurst following two seasons at Division I James Madison. He led the team in scoring (13.3) and assists (2.9) during the season. A threat from the outside, Ratner hit a team-best 51 three-pointers, good for 12th in the PSAC, while ranking 22nd in scoring. He was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week Nov. 17 following a double-double with 15 points, 10 assists and four steals in the season opener. The Las Vegas product scored in double-figures 18 times, including five games with 20 or more points. He led the team in scoring 14 times, including eight games in a row from Dec. 7 through Jan. 10.
Ratner registered back-to-back 20-point outings on two occasions. He scored a career high 26 points vs. Lock Haven following 21 points against Edinboro. Ratner also followed a 21-point effort against Virginia Union with 25 points on six three-pointers vs. Washington Adventist. He scored 15 points in the PSAC Quarterfinal at Clarion. Ratner posted five or more assists three times and swiped four steals in four games.
Mercyhurst finished the 2009-10 season 18-10, earning a PSAC postseason berth with an 8-6 record in PSAC West play. The Lakers doubled their divisional win total from 2008-09. The team qualified for the conference time for the fifth time in seven years under head coach
Gary Manchel. Manchel surpassed Karl Fogel as the winningest coach in program history Feb. 6 vs. Slippery Rock. His record at Mercyhurst stands at 110-85.
All-PSAC West First Team
Eric Brennan, Lock Haven
Maron Brown, Slippery Rock
George Johnson, Gannon
Byron Knight, Edinboro
Darryl Webb, IUP
Thomas Young, IUP
All-PSAC West Second Team
Jabril Bailey, Slippery Rock
Jamar Harrison, Clarion
Lloyd Harrison, Clarion
Akida McLain, IUP
Heiden Ratner, Mercyhurst
Kelsey Williams, California
PSAC West Player of the Year
Thomas Young, IUP
PSAC West Freshman of the Year
Tanner Furno, Gannon
PSAC West Coach of the Year
Joe Lombardi, IUP
All-PSAC East First Team
Sharif Bray, Cheyney
Yuseff Carr, Mansfield
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown
Ralph Hegamin, West Chester
Andy Heimbach, East Stroudsburg
Ryan Washington, Kutztown
All-PSAC East Second Team
Ruben Britt, Bloomsburg
Ryan Callahan, Mansfield
Julius Gray, Kutztown
Robbie Pines, East Stroudsburg
Kevin Presbery, Cheyney
Tyrone Smith, Cheyney
PSAC East Player of the Year
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown
PSAC East Freshman of the Year
Terrance King, East Stroudsburg
PSAC East Coach of the Year
Jeff Wilson, East Stroudsburg