Joe Bell and Katie Fitzpatrick Named Mansfield Winter Athletes of the Year

2015 Apr 1

Joe Bell, Pottstown, PA, the leading scorer in Mansfield University men's basketball history, and women's basketball standout Katie Fitzpatrick, Drexel Hill, PA, who became the first player in school history to lead her team in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks and steals in a season, were named the 2014-15 Mansfield University Winter Athletes of the Year at the annual Winter Sports Banquet at North Mansfield Dining Hall on Monday night.

Bell was named the MU Male Winter Athlete of the Year for the third time in his four-year career.

This season the senior became the first player in school history to lead his team in scoring in each of his four seasons and shattered the school career scoring record with 1,904 points.

Bell ranked fourth in scoring in the PSAC during the regular season averaging 16.3 points per game and became just the third player in school history to be selected to All-PSAC honors in each of his four years. He was named to All-PSAC 1st Team honors in each of the last three seasons.

Bell recorded 425 points on the year scoring in double-figures 20 times including putting up 20 or more points 11 times. He shattered the previous career scoring mark of 1,778 points set by Tommy Harvey by 126 points.

Bell, who finished second on the team in assists this season, also ranks among the career leaders in field goals, free throws, rebounds and blocked shots.

Fitzpatrick accomplished something never before recorded in Mountaineer history when she led the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocked shots and steals this season.

The junior became the first Mountaineer women's basketball player to lead the PSAC in steals with 74 during the regular season. She also set a school record -- and recorded the most steals in a game in the PSAC this season -- with her 11 takeaways against Mercyhurst.

Fitzpatrick ranked 17th in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game. Her 32 points in a game at Shippensburg were the most points scored by a Mountaineer player in a game in the last 20 years.

She ranked 11th in the conference in field goal percentage (42.5%) and blocked shots (24), 13th in minutes played (32.0 per game), 17th in scoring, 21st in assists (2.8 per game) and 23rd in rebounding(6.1 per game.