Thursday, December 11, 2003

BUCKLEY SETS BLOCKED SHOTS RECORD AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY

MEDFORD – With five blocked shots at the University of Southern Maine on Monday night (Dec. 5), senior tri-captain Erin Buckley (East Sandwich, MA/Sandwich HS) became the Tufts University Women's Basketball program's all-time leader in blocks with 103 and counting. With her second block against the Huskies on Monday, Buckley passed Jen Foxson's career total of 99 blocks in 68 games from 1988-91.

Buckley, a 6'1" center, added 11 points and 11 rebounds to the five blocks as she led Tufts' effort in a 67-44 loss to Southern Maine, one of New England's perennial powerhouses. With 19 blocks in six games this season, she is averaging 3.2 per game to lead the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). She had six blocks in a 79-57 home victory over Babson on December 2.

She is well on her way to surpassing her career high in blocks of 31, set last season (1.3 per game). Buckley had 29 blocks as a sophomore in 2001-02 and 24 in 2000-01. The Tufts single-season record for blocked shots is 52 by Ellie Strobel in 1993-94.

With the team currently in the midst of semester break, Buckley is averaging 10.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. The Jumbos have blocked 36 shots overall this season, an average of six per game. Head Coach Carla Berube's team is 4-2 overall, and will next play at Fitchburg State College on January 10.

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