Leah Frazier Dixon has been hired as an assistant basketball coach at Rider University, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

Tammy Meyers of Willingboro has transferred from George Mason to Rider University to further her education and basketball career, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

Ashley Anderson of East Orange, a senior at East Orange High School, has signed a national letter of intent to further her education and basketball career at Rider University, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

Amanda Sepulveda of The Hun School has signed a national letter of intent to further her education and basketball career at Rider University, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

Ilda Llamas of Santee, California, and Melissa Kowalczyk of Williamsburg, Virginia, have signed national letters of intent to further their educations and basketball careers at Rider University, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

Stephanie Wisniewski of Levittown, PA, a senior at Villa Joseph Marie High School, has signed a national letter of intent to further her education and basketball career at Rider University, Rider head coach Tori Harrison announced.

With just seven healthy players in uniform, the Rider University women’s basketball season came to an end in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship tournament, losing to the sixth seed, Manhattan Friday evening in the Pepsi Arena. “We were certainly undermanned, with just seven kids,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.

The Road to the Final Four begins in Mercer County as Rider University and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference prepare to host the 2006 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Marist, the MAAC regular season champion, in the regular season finale Sunday. “Marist is a very strong team,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison, “ and they showed that today.”

Trailing by 18 points, Rider came back to cut the lead to five before the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Iona Thursday. “We fought hard to get back, we just couldn’t get over the hump,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.  “I can’t speak highly enough on how well we fought back.”

Despite out-scoring the defending MAAC Champions in the second half, the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Canisius Sunday afternoon. “We tried to bring it up a notch in the second half,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison, “and I felt we did that.”

The Broncs ended a nine-game losing streak with a come-from-behind Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Niagara Friday. “We really played well,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.  “The team needed to step up and they did tonight.  Everyone contributed.”

Despite 17 points by sophomore Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin), and 16 points by junior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Saint Peter’s Sunday afternoon on Madison Square Garden television. “Kara and Janel both played well,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “They shot the ball better today.”

The Broncs played even with Loyola in the second half, but a 20-point deficit in the first half was too much to overcome, as Rider lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Loyola Friday. “We just couldn’t score in the first half, and that killed us,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Siena Sunday. “We have to continue to fight and make some progress,” said Rider assistant coach Brian Johnson.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Saint Peter’s Friday night.

All-sessions passes for the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball First and Second Rounds are available for $75 through Rider Athletics until February 8, 2006.  With six games in two days, you won't want to miss your chance to get the best seats in the house for all the action taking place on March 19 & 21 at Trenton's Sovereign Bank Arena.   Call Cherie Voorhees in the Athletics Ticket Office at 609-896-5054 to purchase your tickets today! 

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Fairfield Sunday afternoon, despite the efforts by sophomore Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin), who tied her career high with 18 points. “Janele played very hard for a full 40 minutes today,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “I couldn’t take her out.”

The Red Foxes jumped out to a 16-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game and defeated the Broncs 75-49 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Friday night at Marist.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Manhattan Saturday. “Hopefully we’ll learn from this,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “We should have given a better performance.”

The Broncs wouldn’t give up, out-scoring Loyola 9-4 in the last two minutes, and 14-8 over the final seven minutes of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference loss to Loyola Thursday. “The last few minutes we played like we really wanted this game, but it was too little too late,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Iona Sunday afternoon. “We fought hard, we just made some critical mistakes at the end,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “Offensively we played much better until the end.”

The Broncs responded to a tough defeat at Penn by winning a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game, defeating Niagara Thursday.  “After the Penn game I told the players that this is a new season starting tonight. We came in thinking we were 0-0, and now we’re 1-0. This is the season we’ve been working for.”

The Broncs lost at the Palestra Tuesday. “We didn’t really execute as well as we needed to,” said Rider assistant coach Brian Johnson.

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game against Fairfield at Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yards Saturday. “Fairfield is a good team, but we made them look like a really good team today,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.

The Broncs traveled to the Bronx for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference at Manhattan Thursday.  Rider (1-10, 0-3 MAAC) scored the first four points of the game and led 12-11.  “Once we got the ‘W’ against Monmouth and got off to the good start tonight, we thought ‘hey, it’s a new year and things are going to be different,’” said Rider assistant coach Sharon Gittens.

Happy New Year! No one is happier to see the new year come than the Rider University women’s basketball team. “We needed resurgence,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison, after her team defeated Monmouth Monday to start the new year with a victory. “We’re undefeated in 2006.”

After 15 days off due to exams and the Holidays, the Broncs lost to Sacred Heart Thursday. “The second half was better, in that we scored, but we totally lost our focus early on,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “The time off contributed to our play, as well as our youth.”

Jimmy V. once said “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”  Rider head coach Tori Harrison simply says “keep fighting.”

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Siena Sunday. “Siena was hungry after we beat them here last year,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.

The light at the end of the tunnel is now in view. The Broncs began the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule Friday with their best effort of the season, giving preseason favorite and defending champion Canisius all it could handle.  “This was by far the best we’ve played this year,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “I’m not sure if it was because this was a MAAC game or if it was a young team starting to come together, but whatever it was, it was good.”

It has been said that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. After playing four teams that are all picked to have outstanding seasons this year in their respective conferences, the Rider Broncs are getting stronger. “It is such an advantage to be able to play these tough teams,” said junior Monica Welborn (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin).  “They really push us, and it allows us to know what we need to do to get ready for the conference games.”

The Broncs lost to a group of former college stars in an exhibition game Saturday. Rider had just seven players dressed for the contest due to several injuries. “We made it through the game with seven people,” said head coach Tori Harrison.  “They really fought. I just told the ones who are out that they need to get healthy, we need bodies.”

Tori Harrison, the head coach of the Rider University women’s basketball team, will be a guest on the “Princeton Business Today” radio show Thursday, October 27, at 10:00 am on WHWH, 1350 AM.