2/19/2007 - (Riverdale, NY) - Mount Saint Vincent Head Women's Basketball Coach Ed Ryder was voted the 2006-07 Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) Coach of the Year for an incredible 06-07 campaign during which Mount Saint Vincent experienced one of the most dramatic turn-arounds in the history of the program. After an 8-17 finish a year ago and graduating four starters and more than 80% of the team's offense from that squad, Ryder and company are currently 16-9 and won both the HVWAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Overall, the Mount went 4-0 against HVWAC competition during the regular season, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 31.25 points per game. The Dolphins then defeated the College of New Rochelle, 73-40 during Saturday's HVWAC Semifinals at the Pratt Institute, and held off a valiant comeback by Saint Elizabeth to win 5

Mount Saint Vincent Head Women's Basketball Coach Ed Ryder (left) and Assistant Coach Jessica Sztabnik (right) celebrate on Sunday after Mount Saint Vincent captured the 2006-07 HVWAC Tournament Championship. Ryder earned HVWAC Coach of the Year honors and was quick to credit the work of his Assistant Coach

9-54 on Sunday in the HVWAC Championship Game. All of this success came while starting three freshmen and rookies accounting for more than 75% of the Mount Saint Vincent scoring this season.

Also earning HVWAC awards were junior Kaitlin Burud (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook HS) and freshman Courtney Heesemann (New Hyde Park, NY/New Hyde Park HS), who were named to the HVWAC All-Conference team. Burud, the lone team captain, is in the midst of an outstanding campaign as she is averaging 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, to go with 65 assists and a team-leading 96 steals. Heesemann, has been one of the best freshmen in the region this season as she leads the Mount in both scoring (14.3 points per game) and rebounding (8.2 per game). Her eight double-doubles made her one of the best inside players in the HVWAC.

Mount Saint Vincent finished the season as the #4 team in the Skyline Conference and, as a result, will host USMMA-Kings Point for the Skyline Conference Quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m.