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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 2000-01 season |
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Calvin Eight letterwinners return from last year's team including five sophomores who played varsity ball as freshmen, giving the Knights their most youthful look in recent memory. Of the more than 6,000 individual minutes played last year by the Knights, only 38.5% return in the form of returning letterwinners. Sophomores Jennifer Plakmeyer (Calvin Christian), Tricia Dyk (Western Michigan Christian) and Mandy VanDenBosch (Grand Rapids Christian) are the returning players with the most experienced as all three members of the trio saw significant action as freshmen. Although Plakmeyer came off the bench as a freshman, she saw the most time of any returning player last year as she is averaged 24.6 minutes-a-game. When on the floor, the 5-7 guard produced as she averaged 7.3 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds a game. Able to play the point or shooting guard slot, Plakmeyer came up with several big individual performances last year, reaching double digits in scoring on nine different occasions including a career-high 19 points in Calvin's 76-72 double-overtime loss to Baldwin-Wallace in the NCAA III Tournament. Another highlight for Plakmeyer came in a 63-62 victory at Adrian in February as she nailed the game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds. In conference play, Plakmeyer led the MIAA in three-point shooting at a 42.9% clip and was among the league leaders in assists per game. Her ability to score and create will be critical to Calvin's fortunes this year according to head coach Kim Gall. A 5-6 guard, Dyk started in all 30 of Calvin's games last year, averaging 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds a game. A cat-quick defender, Dyk also collected 40 steals on the year while also blocking nine shots. VanDenBosch is a 6-0 center who can also play the power forward slot. As a freshman, she averaged 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds a game including a career-high 10-point effort in a 68-57 victory against Case Western Reserve at the Wittenberg Tournament. A solid rebounder and defensive player, VanDenBosch will have the opportunity to play increased minutes this year. One of the common denominators between the sophomore trio is having played in successful high school basketball programs. As a senior, Plakmeyer helped lead Calvin Christian High School to the Class B state finals while Dyk helped lead Western Michigan Christian High School to the Class B state finals in both basketball and soccer as a senior. In addition, VanDenBosch was a starter on Grand Rapids Christian's 1997 Class A state championship team. Another common denominator with is the versatile athleticism of the group. Dyk is a two-time first team All-MIAA soccer selection, having led Calvin in scoring in each of her first two years. VanDenBosch is a standout shot put and discus thrower on the Calvin women's track and field team, having established a school record in the shot put last spring while Plakmeyer also excelled in soccer during her high school career. Other sophomores looking to step up for the Knights include 5-9 forward Emily Mejeur (Kalamazoo Christian) and 6-1 center Emily Beard (Southfield Christian). Mejeur also hails from a highly successful high school program as she was a member of a Kalamazoo Christian girls basketball team that reached the Class C state finals in 1998. Mejeur also excels in softball as she split time between first base and catcher on the Calvin softball team last spring. On the basketball floor, Mejeur displayed flashes of potential as a freshman last year, averaging 2.0 points a game including a career-high 11-point effort against UW-Stevens Point. A good outside shooter, Mejeur converted 15 three-point field goals last year. Beard appeared in only 11 varsity games last year but also showed flashes of potential at the post position. Juniors Kendra Toonstra (Calvin Christian), Tara Bergsma (Calvin Christian) and Kris Bohlman (Madison, Wis.) also return. A 5-11 post player, Toonstra averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds a game including a career-high 17-point effort against Division II Saginaw Valley State last November. Bersgma was called up from the junior varsity late in the season and along with Toonstra and Plakmeyer, is one of three Calvin Christian graduates on the varsity roster. Bohlman appeared in six varsity games last year and will serve as a tri-captain along with VanDenBosch and Plakmeyer. Junior Liz Blevins (Marion) is another member of the junior group. A 5-9 forward who can also play guard, Blevins has been a member of the Calvin junior varsity the last two years. A solid group of freshmen will also push for playing time. Faces to watch include 5-10 power forward Katie Corner (Grand Rapids Catholic Central); 6-2 center Andrea MacDonald (Allendale); 5-4 point guard Laura Cammenga (Covenant Christian); 5-8 forward Kim Wolthuis (South Christian) and 5-7 guard Pam Grimes (South Christian). Capital Head Coach Dixie Jeffers has been the master carpenter on the job of building the Crusaders tradition by winning 20 or more games in each of the last 11 seasons, highlighted by a pair of national championships. Jeffers' construction project for this season will be to win an Ohio Athletic Conference championship for the first time since 1997, earn the program's 13th trip to the NCAA Tournament, and on the way notch career coaching win number 400. The experience-laden squad features 12 returning letterwinners including four starters, a pair of transfers with experience along with seven talented freshmen. Laying the foundation for this year's team are four returning starters in seniors Kendra Meyer and Marissa Rugg, junior Tara Dickensheets and sophomore Kori Payne. Meyer, the Lutheran Brotherhood National College Player of the Year, is a two-time Kodak All-American and three-time All-OAC selection who has led the Crusaders in scoring and rebounding for each of the last three seasons. She enters this season as the Crusaders' all-time third-best rebounder (793) and sixth-best scorer (1,258 points). Along with Meyer, Rugg led the team in assists (112), Dickensheets was the only other Crusader returning that averaged double figures in scoring last season, while Payne started 20 games as a freshman a season ago. Juniors Erica Hostetler, Tenise Moffis and sophomores Danielle Meyer and Kris Proy were first wave of Crusaders off the bench a season ago each playing in over 20 games. Hostetler was fourth on the team in scoring averaging 6.2 points per game, Moffis provides a potent outside scoring threat, while Meyer and Proy will each spell time for the guards and forwards respectively. Senior Kristy Rhodes and junior Laurie Barr round out the remaining role players that will add needed depth to this lineup. Junior Rochelle Germany and sophomore Michelle Budd are both transfers from NCAA Division I schools and bring instant experience to the Crusaders. Germany, a point guard, played the last two seasons at Central Michigan, playing in 27 games and averaging 3.3 points per game a season ago. Her ability to score instantly puts her in contention for the starting point guard, but her ability to command the offense will be the factor in when and where she plays. Budd is a 6-4 center that saw limited time at East Tennessee State last season and if she takes to Jeffers' system could give Capital added strength in the frontcourt. One constant for the Crusaders has been the ability to bring in talented freshmen that have made an immediate impact on the floor. Kendra Meyer, Tara Dickensheets and Kori Payne are the most recent players who did just that as freshmen and on paper this year's freshman class is no exception. Jennifer Hutchison, Emily Maier and Mari McAndrews lead the group while Kari Kitchen, Taylor McFarland and Mary Scheiderer complete the roster. Other than the usual challenges that a basketball season brings, construction of The Capital Center has left the Crusaders without a home. Both Capital men's and women's team will play only eight of their home games, the home portions of their conference schedules, at Bexley High School. On Feb. 3, 2001, both Capital basketball teams will host OAC-foe John Carroll at St. John Arena on the campus of the Ohio State University. The women's will tip off the twinbill at 1:00 p.m. and the men will play at 3:00 p.m. Without a home facility the Capital Classic Basketball Tournament is on one-year hiatus and non-conference schedule spreads from Texas to Michigan. The season will tip-off with a pair of games Nov. 17 and 18 at the Southwestern Invitational in Georgetown, Texas. Upon returning from the Lone Star State the Crusaders then travel to Wittenberg. A trip to Holland, Michigan and the Hope College Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30 will finish the non-conference schedule. Franklin The Grizzlies will be led once again by All-American candidate Anne Heile, a 6'2 senior center. For the second year in a row Heile led Franklin in scoring (13.1) and rebounding (8.3) to earn All-Conference status. Among returning players Heile ranked 10th in field goal percentage (.562) and 22nd in blocked shots (2.15) nationally. Franklin's other two seniors comprised the starting backcourt in 2000. Five-foot-seven Sherry Martin averaged 9.9 points and shot a remarkable 46.4% from the three-point line. A second-team All-Conference choice as a sophomore, Martin holds every single season and career three-point shooting record in school history. Returning at point guard is 5-3 Sara Sheets, who contributed 5.5 points a contest as a junior. Sheets was named to the HCAC All-Tournament team after averaging 13.3 points and 4.0 assists during the playoffs. Heile is joined in the frontcourt by a tall and athletic collection of forwards. Junior Tara Jordan, a 5-10 two-year starter, averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds while providing outstanding defense. Five-foot-eleven sophomore Sayra Hoskins made an immediate impact as a rookie, putting up 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 57.6% from the floor. The Grizzlies lose nothing when going to their bench. Six-foot junior Andrea White pitched in 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while providing the team with a second shot-blocking threat, while 5-11 junior Tiffany Pittman added 7.2 points as a versatile inside/outside threat. Franklin's other returning regular is 5-4 junior Suzie Thompson. The veteran point guard averaged 5.1 points and led the team with 2.7 assists while seeing 20 minutes of action per outing. Two transfers have the potential to crack the playing rotation. Junior 5-4 point guard Tiffany Thomas comes from Division II Indiana Purdue-Ft. Wayne with a scorers mentality and a proclivity for tough defense. Christy Brouillette is a 5-11 sophomore forward who played last season at UW-Platteville. Brouillette is much in the same mold as White and Pittman, athletic with the ability to play inside or out. Franklin also welcomes three 5-10 freshmen shooting guards who should make up the bulk of the backcourt for the next four seasons. Jenny Cramer is a strong defensive player and solid shooter who comes from an outstanding Franklin High program that reached the state championship game her sophomore year. East Central High's Kindra Moorman is an explosive athlete who was named one of the Top 40 high school seniors in Indiana last season, while Rachel Naugle led her Corydon High squad to a Top Five state ranking on the strength of her outstanding shooting and intelligent play. Hanover John
Carroll The Blue Streaks top returnees include senior Meghann Hubach (10.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and junior Stephanie Gianni (11.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who will be big forces inside as they are not only strong at the boards but are the only two returning starters from last year's team. Also returning from last season are sophomore forwards Katie Benjamin (8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and Katie Walsh (2.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.5 spg). Senior Allison Brown (2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.0 spg) and sophomore Sarah Boyle (2.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg ) are each back at guard. New to the program are seven freshmen guards. Tracee Garland and Beth Antkowiak are both from Pittsburgh and accumulated over 1,000 points in high school. Representing the Chicago area are Shannon Slawson, Shannon Moore and Julie Duffy. Nathalie Dibo is from Michigan and played in the Michigan State semifinals her senior year. Another big plus is the arrival of Julie Saxen, a sophomore transfer from Division I St. Bonaventure. The Blue Streaks will open their season Nov. 18 at the Susquehanna Tournament, featuring Susquehanna, Alvernia, and Gallaudet. Other key games this season include Baldwin-Wallace, the 1999-2000 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Champions, on Jan. 6 and Capital, the 1999-2000 OAC runners-up, on Jan. 17. "We will have many ups and downs this season but we are building towards the future," said Maravalli, "I am excited because of the commitment and intensity every player has shown. It will just be a matter of how quickly the chemistry will come together." Wilmington As the Lady Quakers approach the opening tip for the 2000-01 season, they will try to keep that impressive string intact as new members of the Ohio Athletic Conference — a conference that consistently sends teams to the NCAA Final Four. The Lady Quakers, however, must first deal with their non-conference schedule, which begins in the Damon's/Wilmington Inn Tip-Off Tournament. WC will host Albion in an 8 p.m. game, while Ohio Wesleyan and Bluffton will battle at 6 p.m. The Lady Quakers will dive into the upcoming season without a group of four former seniors that graduated with a combined record of 81-21. Among the key losses are two-time All-American honorable mention Josie Eilerman, who finished off her career with 1,500 points and 741 rebounds. Last season she averaged 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. The Lady Quakers also lost guard Amy Ashbrock and post players Melissa Farber and Erin Oldham. Heading up the list of returning starters is Heather Meranda (Georgetown/Georgetown). She will be the team’s only senior this season and will be expected to take on a huge leadership role. The 5-8 shooting guard led the team in scoring last season with an average of 16.2 points per game. She was the Heartland Conference’s MVP and a member of the D3hoops.com Team of the Year. Meranda enters the season with 1,208 career points and a school record 253 career steals. Guard Sara Stark (Cincinnati/Mercy) and forward MacKenzie Hammond (Troy/Troy) are WC’s other returning starters. Stark, a junior, scored 5.3 points per game and dished off 2.4 assists. Hammond, also a junior, scored 6.8 ppg and led the team in rebounding with an 8.2 average. Also look for sophomore Megan Woodruff (New Vienna/East Clinton) to make an impact this season. She was named the HCAC tournament MVP and closed out her freshman season with averages of 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. She topped those numbers off by sinking 41 percent of her three-point attempts. The group of returning players will be supported by an incoming freshman class that lacks size, but makes up for it in athletic talent and shooting accuracy. On the bench, head coach Jerry Scheve returns for his 11th season. He is the reigning HCAC Coach of the Year and carries an overall record of 167-86. Wittenberg So after a year that many other women's basketball programs would be satisfied with, it is back to the drawing board for the Tigers in 2000-2001. This year's roster includes a lot of familiar names, many of whom gained valuable experience a year ago, but it's an influx of new talent that promises to provide the kind of lift necessary to get Wittenberg back in the familiar position of title contender in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The first task for Head Coach Pam Smith, who enters a 15th year at her alma mater with a 262-115 overall record, is to replace three departed starters. Gone are seniors Amber Sherman (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Mechanicsburg), the team's leading 3-point shooter with 33 treys in 1999-2000, and Anne Johnson (Zionsville, Ind./Community), who topped all Tiger scorers (10.9) and rebounders (7.0). Also out of the mix this year is Amy Schmehl (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty Benton), who started all 25 games a year ago at point guard. The good news begins with the fact that 10 letterwinners return for the Tigers, starting with a trio of experienced seniors: Natalie Estep (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn), Melissa JayJohn (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) and Jamie Brafford (Monroe, Ohio/Lakota). Brafford is the top returning scorer (8.4) and rebounder (5.9) after starting all 25 games in 1999-2000, including 12 of them alongside JayJohn. Estep played in all 25 games and started two. Brafford heads a deep frontcourt. Joining her in the paint will be four returning letterwinners: junior Jen Smith (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern), sophomore Tiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw), junior Jill Swary (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview Heights) and sophomore Rebecca Meers (Moline, Ill./Moline), as well as freshman Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood), who tied the Wittenberg women's soccer record for most goals in a season with 18 this fall. Estep and JayJohn are the most experienced backcourt players, but there promise to be plenty of options for Smith here as well. Four returning letterwinners: junior Jennifer Korsberg (Dayton, Wash./Dayton), sophomore Kirsten Richter (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing Area), and sophomore Kate Rolf (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Carroll), will be joined by a host of newcomers challenging for playing time, including sophomore Stephanie Campbell (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern), a transfer from Taylor University. Wittenberg's 2000-2001 schedule is
typically loaded with some of the top NCAA Division III teams in the
Midwest. Among the early tests will be a visit to Greensboro College in
North Carolina for a season-opening tournament, home dates with perennial
powerhouses Capital and Defiance, and a road contest against one of this
year's preseason national title favorites, Baldwin-Wallace. Wooster "As young as we still are, we're a year older," Komara said about her team, which has just one returning senior, three juniors, and a host of sophomores and freshmen on the roster. "We're still learning the system, but the players have already been put in situations where they've learned from previous mistakes. All in all, I think there's room to improve and mature, but we should do so at a much quicker pace this season." Not only are the Scots more experienced, but they enter the year riding the momentum of a very strong finish in 1999-00. In fact, over the final 12 games of that season, Wooster was 6-6 with three of those losses coming by five points or less. "At mid-season, the young players on the squad finally decided to go into games thinking that they were going to win," Komara explained. "The team's confidence level changed significantly, as we were able to realize that even though we were playing good teams, we were good, too." Those factors combined with the fact that Wooster only has to make up for the loss of one key player in forward Aleashia Washington, who averaged 9.0 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior, have the Scots believing they can make a major improvement on their eighth-place NCAC finish from a year ago. "Our goal is to be in the top four of the conference," summarized Komara. "I think we have a real shot at obtaining that goal. We're going to have to work hard for each game and stay focused by not looking ahead to the next game. Our goal for each game is to play as hard as we would, if it was our last." The team's lone returning senior is point guard Joci Horn. As the floor general last year, Horn finished 15th in NCAA Division III in assists at an average of 5.4 per game, and also tossed in an average of 6.3 points. More of the same will be expected of her this season, as she enters the campaign second in school history in career assists with 300. Other returning starters in Wooster's three-guard lineup include juniors Kerri Horst and Stephanie Woodruff, the two top defenders on the squad. Woodruff is coming off a year in which she received honorable mention on the All-NCAC Team after ranking sixth in the league in scoring (13.4 ppg), fourth in assists (3.6 apg), and third in steals (2.4 spg). Horst started the final 17 contests last season after Maureen Mull transferred at the end of the fall semester, and averaged 8.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per outing. Megan Hogue is another perimeter player who saw action in every game during the 1999-00 campaign. A scrappy hustler, Hogue only averaged eight minutes per contest as a sophomore, but always provided an emotional and intense spark for the team when she stepped on the floor. Other contributors at guard will include
sophomores Michaelyn Brunner and Courtney Davison, who each gained
significant experience last year with the junior varsity squad. Brunner,
who played in 18 varsity games as well, has made significant strides in
improving her shot and should see some time at shooting guard, while
Davison will most likely serve as Horn's backup at point guard. After a phenomenal first-year in which she became just the second player in school history to be selected the NCAC Newcomer of the Year, Nara DeJesus is back to lead the Scots' post players. The second-team all-conference honoree topped Wooster in scoring and rebounding in 1999-00. In fact, she tallied 15 double-doubles in the 25-game season and averaged a double-double with 13.8 points and 10.9 boards per contest. Additionally, she was fifth in the conference in scoring, second in rebounding, and third in both field goal percentage (.502) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg). Another key returnee in the frontcourt is sophomore Kristen Rice, who chose not to play volleyball this past fall to focus on improving her basketball skills. Last winter, Rice scored 4.3 points per game, but was primarily a force on defense, averaging 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots. Morgan Ramsdell, a senior, returns to the squad after missing all but three games as a sophomore and sitting out all of her junior season due to knee injuries. If she remains healthy, Ramsdell could play a pivotal role for Wooster, as she was the team's second-leading scorer as a freshman at 10.5 points per game to go along with an average of 4.8 rebounds. Other returning forwards include Jessica Merritt, who played in 18 varsity games as a first-year, Suzanne Lucas, who missed most of last season due to a knee injury, and Alison Ingles, all of whom are sophomores. Komara also brought in a talented group of newcomers at the forward positions, highlighted by Abby Cook, Jen Flavin, and Kirsten Lucas. Komara has put together a pretty strong non-conference schedule for Wooster in the 2000-01 season in order to prepare the team for what is expected to be a tightly contested race for the conference championship. Wooster opens at the Mt. St. Joseph Tournament on Nov. 17-18, but then gets right into NCAC play with three consecutive league games, beginning with a trip to defending champion Ohio Wesleyan. After that stretch of conference games, the Scots will host the annual Nan Nichols Classic. This year's field includes a tough Ohio Dominican squad that won 27 games in 1999-00, Westminster (Pa.), which is in the transition process of going from Division II to Division III, and Ursuline, a first-year program. At the end of December, Wooster will take a trip to California where it will play two traditionally tough teams in Chapman and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. |
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