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ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick women's basketball is ready to host its first NCAA Tournament game in Binder Physical Education Center in 17 years on Friday night. The Hawks' last tournament victory dates back even further. 'Wick last tasted an NCAA Tournament win on March 1, 1991, before any player on the current 16-member team was born.

Nonetheless, the 2013-14 Hawks are a seasoned group of veteran players with tournament experience who are hungry to get to Saturday's second round. Six players, including three starters, return from the 2011-12 team which played in the NCAA Tournament at Rhode Island College.

Sophomore forward Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) and senior guard Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central HS) have led the team in scoring this season, with both players averaging over 14 and a half points per game. Dumas is averaging 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds this season with Foglia adding 14.8 points per night.

Four Hawks - sophomore forward Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith), and senior guards Lee Arduini (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names), Kait Veit (Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic), and Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mount Mercy Academy) each average over five points per outing.

Dumas has been key for the Hawks in both scoring and rebounding as she ranks 16^th in the NCAA this season in double-doubles with 16 in 26 games. Foglia has been deadly from three-point range with 50 treys and she ranked 2^nd in the Empire 8 in three-point accuracy this season (.379).

'Wick's senior guards have never been afraid to launch shots from deep over their four-year careers. Purcell, Foglia, and Veit are three of the top four three-point shooters in Hartwick history. Together with Arduini, the quartet has combined for 489 three-pointers in four seasons.

The Hawks have come away victorious this season when they put points on the board. They are 20-2 when scoring at least 55 points and a perfect 12-0 when they reach 70.

'Wick should have its hands full with tournament veteran Baruch College. The Bearcats are competing in their seventh straight NCAA Tournament after winning seven consecutive CUNYAC titles.

Baruch has a balanced offensive attack with six players scoring at least six points per game and no player averaging over 12. Three players score in double figures for the Bearcats led by junior Sheridan Taylor with an average of 11.2 points per game. Junior Iyana Abrams (10.6) and junior Alicea Ulmer (10.5) are the remaining two players scoring over 10 per night.

Hartwick will have to handle the Bearcats' pressure which has limited opponents to just 31.7% shooting from the floor this season. Baruch ranks 6th nationally in field-goal percentage defense in 2013-14. The Cats are 17th in the country in rebounding margin (9.8), 23rd in steals per game (12.7), and 40th in scoring defense (55.0 ppg).

Despite six straight trips to the national tournament prior to this weekend, Baruch has only managed to make it out of the first round just one time. The Hawks will look to keep it that way Friday night at 7 p.m.