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Thursday, December 19, 2002

By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

	Allison Liptak: Eighth in the WPIAL in scoring. (Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette)

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-11 senior standout in basketball and volleyball.

THE PAST WEEK: Liptak had 32 points in a 58-35 victory against Belle Vernon Monday, and 18 in a 43-29 victory against Mount Pleasant last Thursday.

SEASON: Liptak is eighth in the WPIAL in scoring with a 24.6 points per game average. She also averages eight rebounds a game, shoots 50 percent from the field, shoots 75 percent from the free-throw line and has helped Elizabeth Forward to a 6-1 record.

SHE'S EVERYWHERE: Don't bother asking Liptak what position she plays. She plays everywhere but point guard. "Wherever I'm needed, that's where I'll play," Liptak said.

"She's inside and outside," Elizabeth Forward Coach John Hearn said. "She can take the ball to the hoop and also post people up because she's 5-11. But she has an excellent 3-point shot, too."

A FUTURE IN VOLLEYBALL: Liptak, who has a 3.9 grade-point average, has accepted a full scholarship to play volleyball at Middle Tennessee State, an NCAA Division I school. Liptak is an outside hitter in volleyball and was all-WPIAL selection this season.

"When I was in elementary school, I was small," Liptak said. "I just shot up in middle school and started playing volleyball in seventh grade. Before, I had a lot of confidence in volleyball, but not basketball. Through the last couple of years, I've gained a lot of confidence in basketball. I like them both equally."

THE RIGHT CHOICE? Liptak was a four-year starter in volleyball and is in her third season as a starter in basketball. Although Liptak will play volleyball in college, Hearn believes Liptak could play Division I college basketball if she wanted.

"I think she's better in basketball," Hearn said. "Erin Wehrle [former Elizabeth Forward player] is at Duquesne now, and I know Allison could play there. I think she could play at Pitt. She never played AAU basketball, though, and that hindered her as far as getting seen by colleges."

SCHOOL: Shady Side Academy

WHO IS HE? A 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior and leading scorer on the Shady Side Academy hockey team. Ulerich was recently in New York as a finalist for a national award.

SEASON: Ulerich leads Shady Side Academy in scoring with 12 goals and 13 assists. Shady Side Academy has a 4-4-3 record in the Midwest Prep League, an eight-team league with teams from Eastern Pennsylvania and a few other states.

A HEISMAN FINALIST: Ulerich, a Fox Chapel resident, was one of 12 finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman. More than 13,500 student-athletes across the country were nominated for the award, which is given to one girl and one boy who excel in athletics and academics and also are involved in the community. Ulerich has a 4.3 grade-point average and scored 1,520 on the SAT.

The High School Heisman awards were given out Friday night in New York. The Heisman Trophy for the best college football player was awarded the next night in New York, and Ulerich got to attend a reception after the event. Although Ulerich didn't win the High School Heisman, he said he had an unforgettable weekend.

"We were all running around with footballs, trying to get signatures," Ulerich said. "I met all the candidates for the Heisman this year, plus 10 or 15 guys who won it in the past."

SAY CHEESE: Later Saturday night, Ulerich had his picture taken with Carson Palmer, the University of Southern California quarterback who won the Heisman.

"I'll remember that weekend forever," Ulerich said.

THE OTHER SPORTS: Ulerich was a talented soccer player for Shady Side Academy and was selected to the coaches all-WPIAL team. He played sweeper. Ulerich also is a member of Shady Side Academy's track and field team.

THE FUTURE: Ulerich was recently accepted into Princeton of the Ivy League and plans on trying out for the Tigers' hockey team. "I think I have a shot to make it," Ulerich said. "If I were a little bigger, I wouldn't have as much of a problem."