WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Li'l Giant]

My deepest condolences to all of you in the Witt family on your loss.

[David Collinge]

Oh, my, what terrible news.  Rest in peace, Coach Smith, and my condolences to all who were close to her.  I'm deeply saddened today. 

[David Collinge]

2007-08 schedule update:

NCAC:
Allegheny:  men (complete); women
Denison (not posted)
Earlham (not posted)
Hiram (not posted)
Kenyon:  men (complete); women
Oberlin (not posted)
Ohio Wesleyan (not posted)
Wabash (not posted)
Wittenberg:  men (complete); women
Wooster:  men (not posted); women (complete)

[David Collinge]

Pam Evans Smith '82 Memorial Scholarship Established To Honor Former Coach, Administrator (Wittenberg.edu)

[jscwittfan]

Wittenberg Names '98 Grad Sarah Jurewicz New Women's Basketball Head Coach

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2007releases/09_05.html

[David Collinge]

Congratulations, welcome back, and best wishes to Coach Jurewicz. 

[David Collinge]

Jennifer Reimer has stepped down as Allegheny's coach and accepted a similar position at Case Western Reserve University.  The all-time winningest coach in Allegheny history, she departs with a career record of 120-68 (.638), taking over a program that was 0-12 in the ultra-competitive UAA last season. 

First year assistant coach Kate Costanzo takes over on an interim basis while the school conducts a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.

Congratulations and best wishes to both of these women.

[David Collinge]

2007-08 NCAC Women's Basketball schedules:

Allegheny
Denison
Earlham
Hiram
Kenyon
Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan
Wabash (does not participate)
Wittenberg
Wooster

I am ready!  You go girls! 

[David Collinge]

The first two 2007-08 rosters are posted, so let’s take a look.

Kenyon brings back the top six scorers from their 14-13 (10-6 NCAC) squad of a year ago, a team that reached the NCAC semifinal round.  The only non-returnees are graduated role players Liz Narducci and Amy Thurber, and sophomore post Megan Smith (4.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, in 16.1 mpg with 5 starts.)  The remainder of the squad returns, bringing with them 88.4% of the scoring, 84.2% of the rebounding, and 85.2% of the minutes.  The ’07-’08 Ladies will be led on the floor by three all-conference returnees:

• Senior PG Alisha Moreno, named to the all-NCAC first team in 2007 and second team in 2006.  Alisha is the team’s best three-point shooter (.381), and had an A/TO ratio of 1.46 while dishing out 3.74 assists per game.  Alisha was also the team’s third-leading scorer (9.7) and grabbed a third-best 3.8 rebounds per game, an unlikely stat (she’s an elfin 5’6”) that is attributable to her constant hustle and superior positioning.
• Senior F Anne Dugan, the team’s leading scorer (11.5), rebounder (5.9), shotblocker (1.15), free thrower (.930), and thief (2.2), and a 2007 honorable mention all-conference selection.  Anne was selected as the conference newcomer of the year in 2005.
• Senior G Hilary Gowins, a second team selection last season, was second on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg), three-point shooting (.327), and assists (2.8 apg).  Hilary also contributed 3.7 rebounds and 1.63 steals per game.

Returning starters Eva George (sr., P, 8.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Laurel Stokes (so., G, 4.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and sixth-woman Brittany Clair (sr., G, 5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg) complete an imposing roster of upperclass threats.

Six first-year players join the Ladies this fall, including two players standing 5’10” (Kathleen Williams/Pickerington Central and Sam Reichenbach/Long Island Schreiber), as well as 5’0” guard Brittany Currey from my own hometown of Millersburg.  Kenyon also brings in a new assistant coach, Kati Todd, a 2007 graduate of Capital, where she was a two-time all-OAC player and 1,000 point scorer.  Todd replaces 2002 KC graduate Erin O'Neill and joins 13th-year head coach Suzanne Helfant and 9th-year assistant Matt Wilbur on the Kenyon sideline.

I had the honor of sitting beside a number of the Ladies at the Kenyon/Allegheny football game this past Saturday (while they had the pleasure of not knowing me from Adam), and they looked like a tight, ready group to me.  I certainly expect the Ladies to be a major factor in the NCAC race this winter.

[David Collinge]

The other posted roster is Oberlin's, but I'm going to hold off on my analysis as I try to get a question or two answered.  So you're just gonna have to wait! 

[jscwittfan]

The other posted roster is Oberlin's, but I'm going to hold off on my analysis as I try to get a question or two answered.  So you're just gonna have to wait! 

Oh, the suspense!  Ha ha

[David Collinge]

Oberlin’s preliminary roster is posted.  I’ve exchanged e-mails with Head Coach Christa Champion, and she emphasized that this roster, which was posted before practice even began, is subject to change, and I caution the reader to bear this in mind.  (I assume this is more or less true for all teams in the conference, at least until the opening games in November, but it’s good to be reminded of this.)

Oberlin enters the season needing to replace three-fifths of their starting lineup, including the all but irreplaceable Jessica Oram.  Jessie, a two-time all-NCAC honoree and 1,000 point scorer, was first or second on the team in most categories, including scoring (15.4), rebounding (7.4), blocked shots (1.36), free throw percentage (.780), and minutes played (30.9).  Also not returning are starting guards Monica Zell and Kira Rivera, who combined to provide 12.9 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 steals per game last season.  Consequently, the Yeowomen figure to rely heavily on junior guard Alyssa Clark, the NCAC leader in assists (4.3) as well as the team’s leading rebounder (7.8 rpg) and second-best scorer (11.7 ppg), and 6’2” senior center Roneisha Kinney, who averaged 9.0 ppg and 6.8 rpg with team-best .451 FG% a year ago. 

The Yeowomen return 10 upperclasswomen, including six players who averaged at least 8.5 minutes per game, as well as three players standing 6’2” or taller (6’3” soph. C/F Fran Holoman and 6’2” jr. C January Baker, in addition to Kinney).    The roster also includes three first-year players, all guards, who hope to see significant playing time.  Overall, the team must replace 50.1% of its scoring, 36.5% of its rebounding, and 45.5% of its minutes from last year’s seventh-place (7-19/3-13) squad.  The Yeowomen have a challenging non-conference schedule which begins on the home floor of the 2005 national champions, Hope College, in just under 4 weeks’ time.

[David Collinge]

Denison University had a season for the ages last year, winning the NCAC regular season and tournament championships, ousting defending national champion Hope College, and falling to eventual champion DePauw by a scant 8 points in the second round of the national tournament.  Overall the Big Red compiled a 25-5 record, including a 15-1 NCAC slate, and were ranked 23rd in the final D3Hoops.com poll. 

The 2006-07 Big Red were a senior-dominated squad, however, and return just four of the ten players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season.  Denison must find a way to replace two all-conference performers, including 2007 NCAC Player of the Year and 4-time all-NCAC honoree Kristin Sheffield.  Kristen, the all-time top rebounder in DU history, led last year's squad in scoring (12.3), rebounding (8.2), blocked shots (2.4), 3-point FG % (.420), and minutes played (26.7).  She was joined at the baccalaureate ceremony by two-time all-NCAC honoree Tammy Hoch (6.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg), starter Caitlin Krupka (7.4 ppg, 2.6 apg), and key reserve Lauren Vashaw

Fortunately for DU fans, two of the four key returnees are all-conference players: juniors Carolyn Simpson (6'0" post), all-conference in each of her first two seasons in Granville (10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and point guard Ellen O'Brien (7.3 ppg, 3.9 apg), the conference leader in A/TO last season (1.75).  Joining them are junior wing Sarah Perrine (7.1 ppg, 16.4 mpg) and 6'0" senior post Mimi Pierson, as well as six other upperclasswomen; combined, these ten returnees contributed 55.0% of the scoring, 55.8% of the rebounding, and 56.8% of the minutes played. 

2007 NCAC Coach of the Year Sara Lee has recruited a class of eight first-years from six states to complement the returnees.  Denison opens the season Nov. 16 vs. Salisbury in Arlington, VA, and has a key non-conference game Dec. 1 when 2007 national runner-up Washington Univ. visits Granville.

[David Collinge]

NCAC Media Day for both men's and women's basketball is set for Nov. 1.  The conference website has also been updated with capsule outlooks for each squad.  Check it out.

[David Collinge]

2006-07 NCAC runner-up Allegheny opens the new season without the services of five '07 graduates (two of them all-conference performers), three other reserves, and its all-time winningest head coach, Jennifer Reimer (now the head coach at Case Western Reserve).  Just four veterans of the 2006-07 team, two of them starters, return to inaugurate the Kate Costanzo era in Meadville.  Junior G/F Stephanie Wolf is the top returnee in most categories, including scoring (10.1 ppg), rebounding (6.4), assists (3.5), steals (2.1), blocked shots (0.7), and minutes (30.0).  The other returning starter is junior guard Hilary Collins (2.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.3 apg), who will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Brittany Bell (6.4 ppg, 1.6 apg), the top returning three-point shooter (.418).  5'9" F/C Emilie Simone (3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 13.1 mpg) should start in the frontcourt.  Collectively, these four players accounted for 38.3% of the scoring, 38.7% of the rebounding, and 43.6% of the minutes on last season's team.

The balance of the roster, which is devoid of seniors, is made up of two juniors (guard Jessica Morelli and 5'10" F/C Jennifer Robinson) who do not appear in the scorebooks of the past two seasons, and six first-years.  According to Coach Costanzo, "[t]here are a couple players I think can come in and challenge for immediate playing time – the rest I feel can provide solid depth for us."