Melissa Lechlitner-Lewis 2009-10 Women's Basketball Staff

OVERVIEW: Returning team tri-captain for 2009-10 … one of the most improved players in the BIG EAST Conference as a first-year starter last season, nearly doubling scoring output and elevating her averages in every other statistical category from previous year[apos]s marks … has insatiable work ethic that sets tone for team during summer workouts … constantly-maturing floor general who is as well-schooled in fundamentals as any point guard in the country … offers unique blend of creativity and high basketball IQ, along with solid ballhandling and decision-making (1.34 career assist/turnover ratio), that brings confidence and stability to Irish offensive flow … dangerous perimeter scorer who also can free up teammates with probing drives to basket … mid-range pull-up jumper on par with the best in the BIG EAST … not afraid of contact in lane and makes opposition pay at free throw line (career .786 foul shooter who ranks ninth on school[apos]s all-time list) … could break into top 10 on Irish career assists chart and join program[apos]s 1,000-Point Club this season … Academic All-America candidate with 3.353 cumulative GPA as psychology major.

JUNIOR SEASON (2008-09): Team tri-captain … started all 31 games, averaging 10.6 points with team highs of 3.4 assists per game, 1.38 assist/turnover ratio and .822 free throw percentage … ranked eighth in BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio and 12th in assists (would have been third in free throw percentage, but was two made FT short of minimum qualification) … in BIG EAST play, ranked seventh in assists (4.1 apg.) and free throw percentage (.826), and eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.61) … made second career start in State Farm Tip-Off Classic at No. 24/22 LSU … tallied 11 points vs. Evansville … collected 15 points at Eastern Michigan … led the way to victory over No. 17/20 Purdue with career-high 19 points; scored seven consecutive points in final 4:18 to keep Boilermakers at arm[apos]s length … tossed in game-high 18 points at Valparaiso, including 12 in the second half, sparked by three consecutive jumpers in span of 1:20 midway through period; also played career-high 40 minutes, her first career complete game … shared game-high scoring honors vs. Loyola-Chicago with 13 points (all in first half) in season-low 21 minutes; perfect 6-6 FG shooting day was best by Irish player since 12/4/05 (Schrader 6-6 FG at Wisconsin) and best at Joyce Center by ND player since 12/11/04 (Erwin 9-9 FG vs. Washington) … had 13 points, one turnover in 36 minutes at Charlotte … put up 11 points (seven in second half) at No. 20/19 Vanderbilt, hitting critical insurance jumper with 1:53 remaining and Irish up by two … scored nine points in BIG EAST opener at Seton Hall, including pivotal shot with 46.2 seconds left and Irish leading by one … registered nine points and five assists at DePaul … tied for team-high scoring honors at Marquette with 15 points … posted team-high 15 points and six assists vs. St. John[apos]s while logging second career 40-minute game … collected 17 points against Rutgers … chalked up career-high eight rebounds and season-best seven assists in victory over Cincinnati … credited with 13 points and three steals in win over No. 25 DePaul; connected on two crucial baskets in final four minutes (one gave ND the lead, the other tied game back up) before assisting on Becca Bruszewski[apos]s jumper with 50 seconds left that put Irish up for good … fueled game-ending 11-4 run in final three minutes at South Florida, hitting four free throws and short jumper, while dishing out team-high five assists for the game … tallied 10 points and team-best five assists at No. 1 Connecticut …notched 12 points in win over Syracuse … shared team-high scoring honors with 10 points in BIG EAST quarterfinal vs. Villanova … scored 16 points (12 in second half) of NCAA opener vs. Minnesota.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2007-08): Played in all 34 games (including first career start), averaging 5.5 points and 2.6 assists per game with 1.28 assist/turnover ratio … registered 10 points and game-high six assists in season opener against Miami (Ohio) … chalked up 12 points and career-high-tying four steals in victory over Western Kentucky … reached double figures for third time with 12 points and game-high three assists at Central Michigan … collected seven points and two assists against Canisius … had four assists with only one turnover in 21 minutes vs. Michigan … played major role off bench in overtime win at Bowling Green, scoring nine points and dishing out four assists in season-high 30 minutes; also converted 3-of-4 free throws in extra period to help Irish earn victory … had four points and two steals in program[apos]s first-ever win at Purdue … delivered season-high seven assists along with six points in win over Valparaiso … picked up six points, four assists and three rebounds vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) … tallied six points and three assists against No. 3 Tennessee … scored five points and handed out three assists at Louisville … contributed four points and two rebounds against Villanova … rang up season-high 13 points and six assists at Georgetown … collected 10 points and four assists in win over Providence … notched two points, four rebounds and four assists in victory at Cincinnati … had 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in win over No. 15 Pittsburgh … picked up eight points, five rebounds and career-high two blocks in victory over Marquette … scored all six of her points at No. 21/23 Syracuse in final three minutes, including back-to-back jumpers 35 seconds apart to spark game-winning 15-3 run for Irish … made first career start in victory at DePaul, sinking team[apos]s first two baskets … returned to reserve role vs. South Florida, collecting 12 points and four assists … turned in one of strongest all-around efforts of career on Senior Day vs. Seton Hall, notching 11 points, game-high six assists and five rebounds; also came up with key three-pointer and layup to ignite 15-5 second-half run that iced win.

SUMMER 2007: Earned gold medal as member of USA Basketball U19 World Championship Team … squad went 9-0 at FIBA U19 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, as well as 3-0 during Pre-U19 World Championship Tournament in Canary Islands … averaged 4.6 points and 1.4 assists while appearing all nine games at U19 Worlds … also ranked third on team with 13 steals and shared team lead with .808 free throw percentage (good for third among all players at tournament) … scored 14 points in second-round win over South Korea, converting 10-of-10 free throws; set USA Basketball U19 World Championship single-game records for free throw percentage and foul shots made … averaged 8.7 ppg. in three-game exhibition tournament, connecting at .455 clip from field (10-of-22) … first South Bend-area female ever to win gold medal in international competition, and fourth Notre Dame women[apos]s basketball player to strike gold (third since 2004).

FRESHMAN SEASON (2006-07): Saw significant playing time as reserve point guard in 31 games … averaged 6.3 points per game, placing among top 10 rookie scorers in BIG EAST … and 2.7 assists per game with 1.36 assist/turnover ratio … ranked seventh in BIG EAST with 1.55 assist/turnover ratio during conference play … tallied seven points and game-high five assists in college debut vs. Central Michigan … cracked double figures for first time with 11 points in 31 minutes at Penn State … registered six points and five assists vs. Western Michigan … rolled up 10 points and three steals in victory over Richmond … recorded six assists and four steals against Prairie View A&M … did not play at Seton Hall after suffering sprained right ankle at No. 4 Tennessee …pressed into extended service during overtime loss at South Florida and responded well, scoring 11 points in career-best 36 minutes; also forced OT session on three-pointer with 11 seconds left in regulation … dished out career-high nine assists (with no turnovers) and added three steals in win over St. John[apos]s; most assists for ND freshman since Feb. 16, 1995 (Mollie Peirick at Cleveland State) … set (then) career highs with 18 points and six rebounds vs. Syracuse, while tacking on five assists without a turnover … scored 13 points in win over DePaul … … tallied 16 points at Providence, including career-high 8-of-9 free throws, and added team-best four assists … registered third double-digit scoring night in four games with 11 points in win vs. Georgetown … carded seven points in regular-season finale at DePaul … collected six points in BIG EAST Tournament debut vs. DePaul … scored 12 points in NCAA Tournament opener vs. California, including two clinching free throws with :00.5 left.

HIGH SCHOOL: Averaged 16.4 ppg., 6.0 apg. and 3.4 spg. with .343 three-point percentage in prep career at St. Joseph[apos]s High School in South Bend … ranked 27th in nation (eighth among point guards) by All-Star Girls Report … Street & Smith[apos]s honorable mention All-American (2006) … two-time adidas Top Ten Camp All-Star (Upperclass – 2005; Underclass – 2004) … four-time all-state selection (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) … four-time South Bend Tribune all-metro pick (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) … two-time all-Northern Indiana Conference choice (2005, 2006 – school[apos]s first two years in league) … 2006 NIC Player of the Year … 2006 WSBT-TV Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year … runner-up in 2006 Indiana Miss Basketball voting … 2006 Indiana All-Star selection (teammate of fellow Notre Dame guard Ashley Barlow), helping pilot team to two-game sweep of Kentucky All-Stars in annual border series; averaged 9.5 points and 3.0 assists per game with .563 field goal percentage in two victories … Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 40 selection … Regional Roundball Review Super Senior 25 Team (2006) … as senior in 2005-06, ranked among Indiana Class 3A leaders in scoring (21.2 ppg.; school-record 529 points) and assists (6.7 apg.) while adding 3.6 steals per game in leading St. Joseph[apos]s to a 22-3 record … guided Indians to 88-16 (.846) record during her four-year tenure, including four regional titles, four berths in state semifinals, two trips to state title game and 2005 3A state championship with 25-1 record (first girls[apos] basketball crown in South Bend history) … tallied career-high 35 points in storied 2005 matchup vs. South Bend Washington (which featured current Notre Dame freshman Skylar Diggins) … scored 28 points (second-most in 3A state finals history), including three critical three-pointers (tying finals record) in [apos]05 title game vs. Corydon Central … graduated as holder of numerous school records, including standards for career points (1,701), assists (626) and steals (354), and ranked second with 107 career three-pointers … also owned 20 of the top 25 single-game assist marks and 13 of top 20 steal totals in school history … registered 11 career double-digit assist games, including career-best and school-record 14 handouts vs. Mishawaka early in 2005-06 season … collected six or more steals on 14 occasions, topped by school- and career-best nine thefts against Culver Academy in 2003-04 … played two seasons on Indiana Elite AAU team (through Midwest Basketball Academy in Mishawaka, Ind.) and was teammate of current Irish junior Becca Bruszewski … member of National Honor Society.

PERSONAL DATA: Born Jan. 24, 1988, in South Bend, Ind. … youngest of three children … last name pronounced LECK-light-ner … daughter of Lori and Craig Lechlitner … sister, Amanda, played basketball at Southern Indiana (2002-04) … brother, Kyle, competed in track & field (pole vault) at Indiana University prior to his graduation in 2009 … fifth player from South Bend high school to join Irish and second to come out of St. Joseph[apos]s High School (Molly Mahoney, 1986-87) … former teammates at St. Joseph[apos]s included Sydney Smallbone (junior at Tennessee) and Kristen Dockery (junior at Minnesota) … enrolled in College of Arts and Letters as psychology major with 3.353 cumulative grade-point average … dean[apos]s list honoree in spring 2007 with 3.75 semester GPA … some former Irish players who wore No. 23 include Comalita Haysbert, Stacy Fields and Monique Hernandez.

CAREER HONORS:
2009: BIG EAST All-Academic Team (formerly Academic All-Star Team).
2008: BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team.
2007: BIG EAST All-Freshman Team … BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team.

Lechlitner[apos]s Career Statistics

Lechlitner in the BIG EAST Conference