Spark from the arc: Salem grad Farina dials from distance

WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. -- Renee Farina of Boardman is a long shot who is right at home with long shots on West Liberty State women's basketball team.
A 5-foot-9 sophomore guard from Salem High, Farina has become one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation in NCAA Division II on a team that leads the nation in that category.
Farina was ranked No. 3 in the nation in 3-point goals per game (3.5, 105 in 30 games) through March 5, helping the Hilltoppers to a 25-7 record and a berth in the Div. II East Regional.
West Liberty, coached by Lynn Ullom who is in his 15th year, was ranked No. 1 in the nation in 3-point goals per game (9.4, 255 in 27 games).
Farina ranked behind Ashley Reed of Fairmont State (4.0 per game) and Diana Lopez of Regis (Colo.) (3.6 per game).
Hits five 3s in NCAA playoff
Farina made five 3-pointers in the Hilltoppers' recent 84-72 loss to Anderson College in a first round regional playoff. Farina finished with 17 points in the loss that ended West Liberty's season.
The Hilltoppers qualified for the regional despite losing in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament semifinals to Glenville State, 69-52. They had a 14-4 conference record in the regular season to place fourth in the standings.
Ullom is 300-143 in his career at West Liberty and has guided the Hilltoppers to eight regional tournaments.
West Liberty has won five WVIAC tournament championships and three WVIAC regular season titles under Ullom's guidance.
Team's third-best scorer
Through March 4, Farina was averaging 12.2 points per game, third-best on the team behind Lena Kalvans (14.6) and Charity Street (13.1).
Farina was 119-for-282 (42.2 percent) from the field, including 105-for-253 (41.5 percent) from 3-point range. She was 22-for-30 (73.3 percent) at the foul line.
The daughter of Tom and Robin Farina is majoring in secondary education.
While at Salem, she played for coach Steve Stewart, helping the Quakers advance to the state semifinals as a senior.
Woods on team, too
Also on the West Liberty State team is Evelyn Woods, a 5-9 freshman forward from West Branch. Through March 4, Woods averaged 2.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Woods was 19-for-58 (32.8 percent) from the field, including 5-for-15 33.3 percent) from 3-point range, and 15-for-24 (62.5 percent) at the foul line.
Playing at West Branch for coach Charles Campbell, Woods made first-team All-Ohio and helped the Warriors to the 2004 Division II state championship.
B-W's Turic wins OAC title
BEREA -- Cassandra Turic, a freshman distance runner for the Baldwin-Wallace College indoor track team, helped the Yellow Jackets to their second straight championship at the Ohio Athletic Conference championship at Ohio Northern March 3-4.
Turic, a graduate of Poland High, won the 800-meter run in a season-best time of 2 minutes, 25.11 seconds, as B-W won its 18th OAC indoor title in the last 22 years.
Turic also helped the medley relay to a runner-up finish in a season-best time (12:38.27). She was joined by junior Megan Via, freshmen Ashley Scullion and Andrea Phillips.
Turic is majoring in child psychology.
kovach@vindy.com