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Posting Up - Scoreboard - Top 25 - Features - Notables - Team of the Week - Live Audio |
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A look at the upcoming season 2001-02 season |
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Hendrix Senior Mollie Scarbrough, a 5'11" forward, will lead the Warriors into the New Year. Scarbrough comes in, as a four year starter, a member of the 2000 Championship team, and as a member of last years All-SCAC squad. She averaged 13.2 ppg, 8.9 reb./gm, and led the team in blocked shots with 25. Scarbrough is currently ranked 5th all-time field goal percentage in the SCAC at .528 (342-648). Mollie will bring her knowledge of the game to the table and the maturity of a true leader. She will be a coach on the floor during the games for Coach Winkelman. The Warriors also bring back one of the top 3-point shooters in the country in junior Maggie Harrington, a 5'8" guard. Last year, Harrington finished the season shooting 42.7% (72/156) from behind the arch, 7th in the nation. After just two years, Maggie has claimed the top spot in the SCAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.417 146/350); she is the only active player in the top 10. She is also in the top 10 in 3-point field goals made with 146. Harrington average 12.6 ppg, 4.3 reb./ gm, and 2 asst./gm for the Warriors last year. Deidre Wyrick, 5'6" junior, returns as one of the top point guard in the SCAC. She led the Conference in assists and had the fewest turnovers of any point guard in the conference. When the ball is in her hands, the Warriors have nothing to worry about. She has the ability to make the toughest pass look like a fundamental pass. Wyrick is also great shooter as well as a great passer. She averaged 8 points, 4.5 assists, and 3 rebounds per game last year. A true floor general, she is capable of making the correct read of the defense and calling the correct play. The other returnees for the Warriors are sophomores Carlie Bentley and Shelly Ledford. Both of them missed most of the 2000-2001 season due to unforeseen injuries. Bentley showed, last year, during pre-season and at the end of the season why she was one to the top players in the 00-01 recruiting class. She took some of the scoring pressure off Meg Frazier. But she missed most of the year due to anterior carpartment syndrome in her left leg. After months of rehab, Carlie is ready to stay healthy this season. Ledford missed over half the season due to a broken bone in her shooting hand. Ledford has worked hard over the summer and now is a better ball player than she was her senior year in high school as a member of the class AA State Champions Prairie Grove High School. The 2001-02 recruiting class appears to have the makings of a strong class. This year's class is composed of freshman LaVena Womack. Womack was a surprise pick-up for the Warriors after graduating high school a year early. With the Tucson Player of the Year in Katie Fonseca, the Warriors will have some depth at the point guard position. Fonseca is the kind of player who every coach wants on their team because she makes everyone around her better. Another newcomer is freshman Hannah Ketter. Ketter is a versatile player with the potential to play at a number of positions. Maggie Harrington will now have even more company shooting the three-pointer with the addition of Abby Mowery to the team. Mowery was one of the top shooting guards in the state last year. Rounding out the guards is junior Kim Davis, a transfer All-Region player from North Arkansas Community College. Davis adds even more depth to an already talented backcourt. In the post, Hendrix brought in two solid athletes. Jamie Ball, a 5'10" forward, has tremendous speed. The other new post player for the Warriors is the 5'11" Kate Reimer. These two newcomers will give Scarbrough the support she needs down in the low post. This year the SCAC will be tougher than it has ever been in the past. The Warriors will be ready to compete in the SCAC after they finish a tough non-conference schedule which includes a NAIA top 25 team and many proven DIII schools in the country. The "Road Warriors" will be in full swing as Hendrix will travel to our country's capital, Washington, D.C., to play in the Gallaudet Tournament then to the heartland of the country to play in the Nebraska Wesleyan Classic, plus all the traveling that is involved in the SCAC. The Warriors have won three of the last six SCAC titles and are currently ranked 12th on the all-time winning percentage list. This year's team will not let the tradition go. The veterans know what it takes to get to the top and all of the new comers were at the top in high school. The Warriors want to bring back the SCAC title to Hendrix in February. Randolph-Macon Sophomore forward Sarah Crider had an excellent first season, and was named the ODAC Freshman of the Year. She averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, and also blocked 17 shots. Senior forward Meredith Roberts checked in at 12.0 points, a team-leading 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest, plus eight blocked shots. Roberts was an Honorable Mention all-ODAC selection last year. Junior guard Allison King is a major outside shooting threat for the Yellow Jackets. Last year she was ranked sixth in NCAA Division III for three-point field goal percentage (43.9%), connecting on 50-of-114 attempts. King finished the season averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Sophomore forward Rachel Kifer made an immediate impact in her freshman campaign, with averages of 6.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest, plus 12 blocked shots. Another forward, junior Cristin Ethridge, contributed last season with 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, plus 12 blocks. In the backcourt, junior Lindsay Carroll and senior Megan Mariani return for the Yellow Jackets. Carroll led the team in both assists (4.0 apg) and steals (2.5 spg) last year, and scored 6.4 points per contest. Mariani averaged 3.1 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Sophomore forward Shannon Wighington will look to contribute more this season after being hampered by illness for much of the 2000-2001 campaign. Senior guard Lindsay Thomas and junior guard Margaret Gray will also compete for playing time. Two newcomers are hoping to step in and help the Yellow Jackets right away. Emily Crider, a 6'2" center, averaged 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for Ephrata (Pa.) High School, helping her team to the District playoffs. Another freshman, Tiffany Fitzgerald, is a 5'1" guard. She was the captain of the Stuarts Draft High School varsity basketball team, and won her school's Senior Athletic Award and Female Sportsmanship Award last year. Virginia
Wesleyan In the past 25 seasons, 20 have resulted in records at .500 or better. It's a noteworthy tradition, but one that can only be extended by the talents of today. For that reason, the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins are honing in on the present. What can be done today, now, right this minute to continue steady improvement. There are no discussions about yesterday or tomorrow, but just a total focus on the current fifteen players who have been given the responsibility of raising the Marlin program to the next level. Under the guidance of head coach Joanne Renn, Virginia Wesleyan has put together a 55-44 record in the past four years, courting highly competitive squads each season. That was certainly the case last season when the Marlins became the "Kardiac Kids," taking nine games to decisions of less than five points. Seven were one- or two-point outcomes. Renn is hoping that eight returning letterwinners, including two full-time starters and two part-timers, can not only continue that kind of competitiveness, but also instill that will in a group of five promising newcomers. Junior Angelique Cavanaugh is expected to continue her role as a team scoring leader for a team that averaged 63.0 points per game last year. The 5-8 guard led the Marlins not only showed her ability to hit from a distance last year, but she also proved she could knock it in from close range too. She led VWC in three-points shots made (34) and free throw shooting accuracy (79.8%). Cavanaugh, who led team scoring in seven outings last year, averaged 11.9 points per game, hitting for a team-high thirty-two points in a 92-71 win at Randolph-Macon. She is only part of a promising perimeter attack that will include sophomore guard/forward Devin Allen. The tandem ranked 1-2 for the Marlins last year in shooting from the far ranges, with Allen connecting on 21 attempts. She averaged 6.0 points overall. Getting the ball to either Cavanaugh or Allen should not be much of a concern for the Marlins, as three of the squad's top four leaders in assists return. Senior guard Megan DiCave and sophomore point guard Jenn Felder consistently got the ball where it needed to be for scores last year, combining efforts for 73 assists. When she wasn't scoring, Cavanaugh was also setting things up offensively for her teammates, as she dished out 34 assists. Senior guard Christina Ware and junior Audrell Ragland will be expected to contribute to the Marlins floor leadership, while 5-10 Cherie Cannady, 5-9 Leah Starkey and Shauntell Dandridge, and 6-1 Jaime Brown, all sophomore veterans, could give VWC help where it's going to be needed the most ... on the backboards. The Marlins were among the ODAC leaders on the boards last year, but have holes to fill with the departures of the squad's top three rebounders. Newcomers could also emerge as key players around the boards, as 5-10 Kristina Adams, Ebonie Jones, and 5-9 Heather Campbell blend skills with the Marlins. Virginia Wesleyan also picks up depth in the guard pool with the addition of newcomers Kim Felder and Monica Randolph. Bridgewater The Eagles will have to look to replace Second Team All-ODAC twins, Angela and Amanda Osborn. Angela was a four-year letter-winner, three-year starter and the 14th player to score 1,000 points. She averaged nine points while shooting 52% from the floor as she ran the Eagles offense. Amanda was the second leading scorer on the team and first in assists. She was the team’s leading three-point threat shooting 37% and averaging one a game. They were also first and second on the team in steals. Looking to contest for the point guard spot will be senior Briana Newman. After seeing limited action over three years, Newman has gradually improved her game each season especially on the defensive end. Also looking to compete for the point guard position will be freshmen Lindsay Andrews. A good defender, Andrews gives the Eagles size out top and has good range. Junior Megan Forster has returned to action after missing half the season last year with a torn ACL. Known for her defensive tenaciousness, Forster led the Eagles in steals her freshmen year. Sophomores Marie Bolton, Sarah Oktavec, and Allison Nichols also will be looking to replace the point production of Osborn on the wing. A smart player, Bolton started three games last season. A good shooter – she shot 43% last year – she will be looked upon to take over some scoring. Oktavec saw action in every contest but one and started four. She came on strong towards the end of the season and Willi looks for her to pick up where she left off. Oktavec gives the Eagles size on the wing and is a deceiving player. She may also see action at the point. Nichols will also look to contribute on the wings. A shooter, Nichols has worked hard to improve her foot speed in the offseason. New to the program are freshmen guards Nicole Bailey, Nicole Scott. Bailey gives the Eagles another slasher and some size on the wing. Scott also has good size and could see action at the power forward spot as well. Inside the Eagles return First Team All-ODAC selection Sarah Hagood and senior Lindsey Coleman. Hagood, the leading scorer and rebounder a year ago, will once again look to improve her numbers. Coleman averaged 1.7 three’s a game and gave the Eagles a different look at the post position. Look for her to play more on the wing this season where she feels more comfortable. Vicky Ferris and Katie Brennan return for their sophomore years. Ferris, a crowd favorite, is a physical player who uses her size to her advantage. Brennan, a face the basket player has grown stronger over the summer. Brennan runs the floor well and is tough on the boards. Each of their minutes should increase this season. Freshman Natalie Swick will also look to contribute in the post area. A strong player, Swick has the ability to shoot the three and post up inside. She will give the Eagles a different look when she’s in at the post. Also looking to contribute will be 6-2 freshman Krystal Hermes. Hermes has a nice shooting touch and has good speed. She will join the team after volleyball season is completed. Eastern
Mennonite The Lady Royals’ future may not be bright enough to warrant wearing shades yet, but more promise always seems to abound when you have the nation’s leading scorer returning. Emily Mullet, a first-team All-ODAC selection, returns for her junior season and should open things up offensively with her deadly touch from anywhere on the floor. The 5-7 guard laced the nets for 26.1 points per game last season and also pulled down 5.4 rebounds. Mullet is likely to be flanked at the guard position by sophomore Heather Maslauskas, a 5-5 ball-handler who averaged 32.6 minutes per game as a freshman. Juniors Kim Zook and LaShaunda Roberson, and the speedy Lori Abbott who returns after playing only three games last season, give the backcourt some added depth. The inside game is where EMU took a beating last year, and Dunavant was quick to bring some tall recruits along with him. Lisa Bergey and Emily Misak are listed as 6’3" and 6’1" centers, respectively, while freshman Jenny Cline graces the chart as a 6’0" forward. Bergey and Misak are transfers from Hesston College (Kan.), while the athletic Cline is a local product from Turner Ashby High School. According to Dunavant, Bergey will be a hard-worker who gets the job done without being flashy, while Misak is a hard-nosed and strong post player. Cline brings a good court awareness to the floor and has the capability of scoring both inside and on the perimeter. EMU’s new "six-foot" contingent will be joined by returning forwards Nicole Maslauskas, a 5’8" sophomore, and Ruth Shaia, a 5’10" sophomore who averaged a bucket per game. Maslauskas saw about 22 minutes of playing time last season, while Shaia played 19.5 minutes. Both will give the Lady Royals added depth at the forward position. Dunavant also points to three other newcomers who will contribute significantly to the new system in place. Erin Hisey, a 5’9" forward from Spotswood High School, will see time as a backup forward, and Linda Presgraves, a 5’7" guard from Brentsville District High School, possesses a fine shooting touch from the perimeter. He is also expecting Carissa Kennel, another Hesston transfer, to be a 5’8" guard who will contribute significantly with her excellent passing and tenacious defense around the perimeter. Dunavant knows that his troops will need to find another shooter to go along with Mullet to be successful in the ever-improving ODAC. He also knows the importance of establishing an inside game, an aspect that has hampered recent EMU teams. However, he has been pleased with what he has seen so far in the preseason, and he’s hopeful to call on 10 or more players throughout the course of a game. Dunavant expects that type of depth to help the Lady Royals have the game move along at the type of pace which they want. Intensity is another
key according to the seasoned coach, but he says the troops have been
practicing at a high level so far. He is quick to comment on the team’s
work ethic and the quickness with which they’ve picked up the fine
points of his system. He realizes that early on there will be some hesitation
in the team’s play as all of them adjust to the new style and means
of executing. The Wasps have made it to the conference tournament final the last two years but haven’t won the title since 1988. This year’s team looks to change that, led by senior guard Kelly Smith and senior forward Jenny Gibson. Smith, last season’s ODAC player of the year and the Virginia small college player of the year, returns for her senior season already holding 13 school records and averaging 17.3 points per game in 2000-2001. Fellow senior Jenny Gibson has also made her mark on the program over the past few years and is expected to continue that trend this season. Gibson holds the E&H record for career blocked shots with 57, and led the team with 28 blocked shots last year, while scoring 12.6 points per game and bringing down an average of 6.7 rebounds per game. Besides the two senior standouts, the Wasps return juniors Lindsay McKnight and Tina Kirk as well as a core group of sophomores who made significant contributions to the team as freshmen. Erin Connelly, Danielle Moore, Dawn Chewning, Saralyn Swindle, and Emily Smith each demonstrated talent last year and will be looked to for leadership this season. Connelly started for the Wasps in 21 games last year, averaging 10.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while Moore and Chewning saw starting roles and contributed with 4.9 and 4.2 points respectively. In addition to a talented group of returnees, Scruggs and assistant coach Jamie Williams welcome nine newcomers to this year’s squad. With a combination of veteran talent and fresh new faces, E&H fans hope to watch an exciting 2001-2002 team make a return trip to Salem and another run at a conference title in March. Guilford The Quakers need to replace two players lost to graduation, 2001 ODAC Tournament Most Valuable Player Arden Miller and reserve forward Marlo Biernacki. Miller led Guilford in scoring and rebounding for the third straight season in 2001 and finished her career with six school records. After winning an ODAC championship and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Quakers will be the hunted team in the ODAC this season. Opponents will look for chances to bring down a squad that has made huge strides over the past few years. Bausch turns to senior captains Amy Evans and Erin Beacham to lead this year’s Quakers to another stellar season. Both players received 2000-01 All-ODAC recognition and were named to the 2001 All-Tournament team. Two starters and several key reserves return to build another balanced attack. The preseason roster totals 17, which gives Guilford a strong bench and should allow the Quakers not to rely on just one or two players for scoring or rebounding. Bausch’s goal is to have at least five players in double-figure scoring this season. With five of the top six scorers from last year’s team returning, each of whom averaged at least five points, the outlook is good. In order to improve on last year’s performance, Bausch believes the team has to be stronger and smarter in all aspects of its game. A year of experience for the team’s seven sophomores combined with the seniors and juniors will help give the squad a strong base to build upon. For the first time in two years Guilford returns a large core of its team, all of whom contributed to the Quakers’ record-setting 2000-01 season. Evans again joined the team in late October due to soccer commitments. She spent the offseason working on her outside shot in hopes of increasing her scoring. Beacham, a three-year captain, is a scoring threat from her shooting guard position and a strong leader on and off the court. Bausch expects great things from her sophomore class. Dara Burke, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is a great defender and one of Guilford’s steals leaders. She has great quickness and can lead the team on fast breaks. Jackie Hardenbergh will use her strong rebounding skills and spin moves in the post. Guilford’s lone junior Shannon Underwood adds a strong presence on the boards and a nice scoring touch. Both posts are needed with the graduation of Miller and Biernacki. This year’s recruiting class totals seven and adds more competition in practice. Another large first-year group creates challenges for spots on the court, which improves the team’s overall play, according to Bausch. This year’s class features strong outside shooters and some valuable post players. In addition to the new players, Guilford also added two new coaches. Chris Kosiba, an assistant coach for the past two years, left for the head women’s basketball coaching post at Hilbert. Bausch added Guilford grad Bari Nixon ‘97 and former Guilford men’s assistant Ron Brafford to the staff. With a larger team of mostly underclassmen, the additional coaches provide more individual attention. Quickness, intelligence and fun will be keys to another successful season for the Quakers this year. If the veterans mix well with the first-year players, another ODAC title and a return to the NCAA playoffs is not an unattainable goal. Hollins Leading the way for HU will be lone senior post Mandy Nichols. Last season, Nichols was second on the team and 10th in the conference in scoring with 13ppg. She led the team in rebounds, grabbing 7.5 per game. Hollins will have plenty of depth at the guard spot with junior Emily Ferrell leading the way. Ferrell averaged 11.5 ppg and shot a team and league-best 45.5% from beyond the arc. Also back at the guard spot is junior Lauren McKee and sophomore Jennifer Carpenter. Both are expected to pick up their scoring of 7.3 ppg and 6.0 ppg, respectively. In addition to the depth on the outside, Hollins returns post sophomore Tara Fehr, who started the latter part of last season. Fehr had a solid first year averaging 5.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg. The cast of newcomers who will all contribute include point guard Brandi Cochran, guard Khala Garris, center Katie Parnell, guard Melanie Carter, forward Sadie Tillery and guard Jennapher Turner. The addition of Cochran at point, will allow Ferrell to move to a shooting guard. And at 6’3", Parnell will give Hollins some depth and much needed height in the post. Lynchburg LC won’t be able to sneak up on opponents this season, after making a five-game improvement to finish the 2000-2001 campaign at 13-12 — and giving eventual ODAC Champion Guilford a scare in the first round of the conference tournament. The Hornets return nine of their top 11 scorers this season, leaving hopes high in Lynchburg for the school’s first ODAC playoff victory in 10 years. The team’s strength will again be in the middle. Senior center Johari Bass returns after earning honorable-mention ODAC honors in each of the last two seasons. She led the team in rebounds (7.8 rpg) and blocked shots last year (36), and was second in scoring (10.5 ppg). The strong six-footer is very difficult to handle if she receives the ball in paint, making almost 50 percent of her shots from the field (105-212) last winter. Junior 6’1" forward Erika Whitten teams with Bass to give LC an imposing inside tandem. Whitten averaged 7.1 points and 7.2 rebounds last season, while blocking 34 shots. The pair helped Lynchburg outrebound its opponents by 3.4 boards a game last season. Sophomore point guard Abby Pyzik enjoyed a fine freshman campaign, contributing 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. She hit 28 of 59 (48%) three-point shots while directing the Hornet offense. Senior forward Lehticia Deskins gives coach Waggoner another solid low-post option that thrives on the free-throw line. After three seasons, Deskins has the school’s best career free throw percentage (81%), and hit 58 of 68 (85%) last year, LC’s single-season top mark. Co-captain Lauren Hedden is the team’s defensive leader. The senior forward started all 25 games in 2000-2001, leading the team with 55 steals, and added 4.6 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. Senior sharpshooter Erika Smith can loosen up defenses that focus on the Hornets’ powerful inside game. The 5-9 forward is a career 40% shooter from three-point range, and averaged 5.5 points while playing in all 25 games last season. The Hornets will
have plenty of depth, with senior guard Jess Hott, a three-year letter
winner, fighting for playing time in the backcourt. Sophomores Mary Jean
Grothe and Whitney Yates will backup at guard and forward, respectively.
The Hornets took big steps of improvement last year and if they can do the same this season, they could break into the top echelon of the ODAC. Randolph-Macon
Woman's The WildCats enter this season with no seniors and only one junior. Melissa Wadford, the lone junior, will help lead a young group of freshmen and sophomores. Sophomore Morgan Greene returns after a very successful rehab of her ACL. Also joining Greene are fellow classmates, Amy Dameron (team leading rebounder) and Dana Ford, a versatile guard/forward. Both Dameron and Ford saw considerable playing time for the WildCats during the 2000-2001 season. The class of 2005’s team members hail from near and far. Vanessa Sufrin becomes R-MWC’s first international recruit. Sufrin is a strong, experienced post player from Bedfordshire, England. In addition to Sufrin, the WildCats expect strong play in the post positions from Julie Grady and Amanda Workman. Mary Anne Gragg, Lyndsey Pelham and Sadiqa Westry add excellent speed and quickness to R-MWC’s talented, but young, squad. Roanoke One of the premier post players in the conference and the region in each of the past two seasons, senior center Crystal Barrett will again be a major factor in Roanoke’s success again this season. Barrett has averaged a double-double in each of the past two seasons, and was First Team All-Conference player last season. Statistically, Barrett is one of the top shooters and rebounders in the league. Entering her final season as a Maroon, senior Jill Quesenberry must become the team leader in all aspects of the game. At times last season, Quesenberry was forced to play out of position, but with additions to the team this year, she will be able to play the game for which she is suited. Solid in the fundamentals of the game, Quesenberry has been one of Roanoke’s top defenders in the past. One of three players to start all 26 games in 2000-01, Quesenberry must become more aggressive offensively to get to the free throw line more often. Sena Abdelmajid returns to the Roanoke lineup after missing the 2000-01 season and adds veteran leadership to the team. Having worked extremely hard on all aspects of her game during the past year, Abdelmajid could be the key to Roanoke’s search for a true point guard. With just the three seniors on this season’s roster, Dunagan will count on five juniors to play major roles on the court and as leaders to talented underclassmen. In her first two seasons in Salem, Meredith Evans has seen limited playing time, but that will be reversed this year. Evans’ confidence continues to grow as the days pass as does her ‘comfort’ zone on the court. She becomes a new threat in the RC lineup from the perimeter. Sarah Grimes emerged as one of the conference’s best long-range shooters as a sophomore. Averaging just over 11 minutes of action last season, Grimes still managed to finish second on the team in three-pointers made and was a 44.0% shooter from beyond the three-point line. She will certainly be one of Dunagan’s top choices to break zone defenses or hit the ‘big’ three. Searching for a player to run the point, the RC coaching staff will look towards junior Kristina McMillian. McMillian does not ‘wow’ anyone with flashy play, but gets the job done with steady and fundamentally sound action. Defensively, she creates problems in the full court for the opposition. Last season, she was one of the top RC athletes with 41 steals. With the loss of a starting forward to graduation last season, Liz Sloop will play more prominently into the Roanoke frontcourt play this season. This after averaging 15 minutes in 26 games last season. The Maroon coaches know they will get unmatched hustle and determination out of the minutes Sloop gives them, but they will count on her to become more productive offensively. In her first season in a Maroon uniform, junior Katrina Williams was named to the Second Team All-ODAC team after splitting time between the point guard and shooting guard spots. Williams is more suited to the shooting guard spot, but has the skills and the confidence to run the Roanoke point. As a sophomore, Williams led the team with 42 three-pointers and 86 assists. With a year of experience in the Roanoke system in their pockets, Michelle Ely, Megan McCue, and Emily Smith will all see increased playing time. Four freshmen, Chandra Forrester, Kayce Smith, Annie Roehm, and Jennifer Schafer, add depth to the Maroon bench. Washington
& Lee The strength of the Generals will once again be in the frontcourt this season where Hollack welcomes back two of the most decorated players in the program’s history. Senior Jessica Mentz, one of the top players to ever don the Blue and White at W&L, returns for her fourth season. She is already W&L’s all-time leading scorer with 1,223 points. Mentz claims 15 other school records, including career points per game (16.3), career field goals (434), and points in a game (37), which she set against Eastern Mennonite last season. Last season, Mentz was a First-Team All-ODAC selection as she finished second in the conference with 20.7 points per game and third in the ODAC in rebounding with 10.1 boards per game. Mentz was also an honorable mention selection as a sophomore and as a freshman she was named the ODAC Freshman of the Year. Mentz will be complemented in the frontcourt by 6-1 classmate Megan Babst, who has been an honorable-mention All-ODAC selection the last two seasons. Babst averaged 15.7 points per game and led the conference with 11.9 rebounds per game last season. She enters the 2001-02 season needing only 228 points to reach 1,000 for her career. Babst has been one of the top rebounders to ever play at W&L, as she grabbed a school-record 285 last season. She needs just 93 rebounds to become the all-time leader at W&L. Hollack will also look for two newcomers to provide depth in the frontcourt. Junior Austin Calhoun (5-10) and freshman Emily Barker (5-11) will give Hollack some height off the bench. In the backcourt, Hollack will look to freshman Bethany Dannelly to run the show. According to Hollack, Dannelly has the ability to make an immediate impact at point guard. Senior Carter Thomas, who was the starting point guard last season, should also see some minutes there again this season. However, Hollack plans to use Thomas as a shooting guard this season. Seniors Sarah Schmidt and Alison Kudlacik will also battle for minutes at the guard spots. Schmidt averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season. Kudlacik, who missed most of the 1999-2000 season with knee problems, chipped in with 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. Hollack believes sophomore Heather Coleman, junior Elizabeth Igo and freshmen Michelle Wentz and Peggy Altman will give her added depth at guard. Coleman, who is also a starting midfielder on the women’s soccer team, averaged 2.8 points and 2.0 assists per game last season. Hollack described her as one of the scrappiest players on the squad. Once again, W&L will face a difficult schedule, including its opening contest against four-time defending national champion Washington University. "Playing a team of their caliber, as well as four other good non-conference teams will prepare us for the tough ODAC games," Hollack said. Thomas
More The Saints return their top four leading scorers and rebounders from a year ago in seniors Bridget New and Shawna Kelley, junior Bethany Vice and sophomore Joanna Bess. New led the team in both categories for the 2000-01 season, averaging 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Kelley finished third on the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game and in rebounding at 4.2 rebounds per game. She also led the team in assists with 62. Vice was second on the team in rebounds at 4.3 per game while finishing the season fourth in scoring with an average of 7.6 points per game. In her first season of college basketball, guard Joanna Bess played big despite her small size at 5-3. She was second on the team in scoring, 11.0 points per game and was tied for fourth on the team in rebounding at 3.8 rebounds per game. She led the team defensively with 62 steals and was second in assists with 52. All four players return with significant starting and playing experience for this season with as the quartet combined 77 starts last season and all averaged at least 26 minutes per game. The team will also welcome back a very talented reserve cast who have made significant contributions of their own throughout their careers. Guard Jodi Schroeder averaged just under five points and 20 minutes per game last season, seeing action in 17 contests. The Saints will also benefit from the return of junior Denise Beam who played in 19 games during the 2000-01 season, averaging 2.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. In addition to the veterans, Thomas More will welcome a talented group of newcomers. Brumfield has brought in nine new faces, all of whom were accomplished athletes in high school. Chowan The Braves come off of a very exciting year as provisionary members of the Dixie Conference. The Braves posted the second winning season in women's basketball history since making the transition to a four-year school when they finished 13-11 in the 2000-2001 season. The Braves proved to be outstanding versus Dixie Conference foes finishing 9-2, the best in the conference. Flamini hopes to continue to move forward from the success of last season. "The positive attitude is their and this year we have more depth to try new things we didn't have the luxury of doing last season with only eight players" Led by three returning starters and a Division II transfer the Braves will be sure to be contending for a top spot in the Dixie. "Last year we demonstrated what we are capable of accomplishing. This year will challenging because we have a lot of young kids but I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We are certainly aiming high and I am excited with the people I have to work with to get there." Flamini will put much of this year's coming tasks on a "pack" of three returning starters. That "pack" is led by senior guard Megan Brenegan. Brenegan will bring a positive attitude and leadership, as well as, on court intensity and determination. Brenegan is one of the most consistent players on the team and we will need this stability for the younger kids to look to. Last season Brenegan led the team in free throw percentage and is someone you want at the line at the end of a game. Junior post player Ashley Winslow will also be called upon to help carry the load this year. Winslow had 10 double doubles (points and rebounds) last season and will need to do more of the same this season. Winslow also will need to once again need to lead the team in blocked shots and shoot 50% or better from the floor. Ashley is also a solid defender and will be called upon again to shut people down in the paint. Look for Winslow to gain National recognition this year in her position. The final returning starter is junior Amanda Murray. Murray led the team in three pointers attempted and made last season. Murray had a very productive season averaging nearly 10 points per game. Murray averaged 34 minutes a game last year, which was second leading minute holder on the squad. Murray hit some clutch shots last year and the game winning 3-pointer versus Meredith in the final seconds to give the Braves a two-point win and the first win ever against M.C. Division II transfer Candice Fleming will be a key asset and probable starter for the 2001-2002 Braves. Candice brings solid post play both offensively and defensively to the team as well as leadership skills and confidence. Fleming will not only be a force to recon with on the inside but had the ability to be a force from the perimeter. Fleming can hit the outside shot with consistency. Look for Fleming and Winslow to be the one-two punch in the middle. Several juniors will also be key to guiding this years squad. Nicole Mehalick returns after a one-year lay off and will bring leadership and another ace shooter to the mix. She is capable of playing the one, two and three positions this year and look for her to see time at all three. Along with Murray she will be needed to open up the middle by hitting the outside shot on a consistent basis. She also brings tenacious defense and a strong will to win to the floor. Joining Mehalick is Shauntae Cruse and Sherae Mullins. Both are also versatile and can play either the two or three positions. Both are solid defenders and will bring valuable experience and hard working attitudes to this year's squad. The team will field 11 freshmen this season, all with the opportunity to contribute this season. With a fast paced style of play and a pressing defense there will be plenty of opportunity for these new faces to show their talents. For the Braves to have another productive season they will need to realize that, as Flamini puts it, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." She continues, "Everyone will be called upon to contribute each game and once again defense will be the key. We started a winning attitude in this program and we will continue to strengthen that and flourish from it. We have made great strides with this program and we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what we are capable of accomplishing. If everyone stays healthy and focused this season should provide more excitement than last." |
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