SPORTS STORIES:
SPORTS INFORMATION—2009
TONDO AND TEAMMATES HEAD TO DIVISION ONE LAND...
CLEVELAND, OH (November 5, 2009) - Being a four-time All-Ohio selection at McDonald High School, Case Western Reserve University senior guard Ashleigh Tondo had plenty of options for her collegiate career.
She chose to be a Spartan and is very happy with where she is in her life on and off the court. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t wonder if she could have been as effective at the NCAA Division I level as she has been at Div. III.
“I had some looks and was actually sought after by both the Div. I and Div. II schools,” Tondo explained. “I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to play sports in college, so academically Case was the best fit for me, and once I met the team and coaches, I knew this is where I wanted to be.”
Tomorrow night, Tondo and the rest of the women’s basketball team will get the opportunity to match their talents against Div. I Cleveland State University (Vikings) in an exhibition game at the Wolstein Center downtown at 7:00 p.m
“I think it will be a good test for us,” Tondo explained. “I’ve played against Div. I players over the past few summers at Akron University, Youngstown State University and Kent State. It will be interesting not only to see how I personally match up with them, but also how our team will.”
The Spartans enter their third season under the direction of Head Coach Jennifer Reimer. They finished 13-12 during Reimer’s first and Tondo’s sophomore season and went 10-15 a year ago. Case Western Reserve returns all five starters for the 2009-2010 campaign.
The Vikings welcome back four starters from last year’s team that won 19 games, including a school record 12 in the Horizon League, and advanced to the league semifinals for the second straight season.
“I think it will expose our weaknesses and will be a true test of where we are coming into the season,” said the two-year team captain. “We come into every season playing UAA teams that are nationally ranked, so I think facing a Div. I school early on will definitely give us a good gauge of where we are and where we need to be.”
The University Athletic Association (UAA), which the Spartans have been a member of since the mid ‘80s, currently has four (out of 8) teams ranked in the USA Today/ESPN DIII Top 25 Coaches' Preseason Poll.
So what does Tondo want to accomplish in her final hurrah on the hardwood?
“I want to have a winning season,” said the McDonald, Ohio native. “I want to go out there, have fun and win some basketball games. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into it, along with my teammates, and we just want to show everyone what we can really do.”
Tondo has definitely done that individually during her time in University Circle. She is a two-time first team All-UAA honoree. Despite missing the final four games last season due to an illness, Tondo still led the team in points (12.6 avg.), rebounds (6.4 avg.), assists (4.0 avg.) and steals (3.0 avg.).
All of those averages were also top ten (assists, No. 1 & steals, No. 2) in the UAA. So what’s her favorite stat?
“I don’t know if I can necessarily pin point one that I absolutely love because each is exciting in its own right,” Tondo said. “It’s awesome when you are out on the court and out of the corner of your eye you find a teammate and nail them with a pass or defensively being so aggressive that you come up with a steal.”
The McDonald valedictorian has also been very aggressive off the court in college. She boasts a 3.1 GPA as a nutrition/pre-med major at Case Western Reserve. One day you just may have to call her Dr. Tondo.
“I am going to take the MCAT in the spring after basketball season is over,” Tondo explained. “My plans are to apply to medical schools in June and see where it takes me.”
TONDO TALLY … Ashleigh is currently sixth on the all-time lists in assists with 263 (101 away from 1st) and she enters the season with just under 900 points (853), which means she will most likely become only the eighth player in school history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.
ABOUT CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY … Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.