WBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

Ohio Wesleyan opens the 2007-08 campaign with 10 letterwomen, including the top three rebounders of a year ago as well as all-conference honoree Steffi Graf, the team's top returning scorer at 9.8 ppg.  Longtime head coach Nan Carney-DeBord has added eight first-years and four upperclasswomen in an effort to improve on last year's 14-12/9-7 team which finished fifth and lost to Kenyon in the first round of the NCAC tournament.

Collectively, the returning players contributed 59.6% of the scoring, 77.6% of the rebounding, and 67.0% of the minutes on last year's team.  Aside from Graf, the top returnees are 5'9" senior wing Lindsey Macklin (4.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.4 A/TO), 5'10" senior post Kelli Lester (7.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg), and 6'1" junior post Laurel Lawson (6.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 blocks/gm).  Graf and Macklin each started 22 games last season, while Lester and Lawson started 27 games between them.  The Bishops need to replace all-conference starters Rachel Messaros (14.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Emily Lloyd (9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), but appear to have the veterans and depth to make a run for a top four seed in the 2008 NCAC tournament.

[David Collinge]

Last season, Wooster posted a winning record (14-12/9-7) for the first time in fourteen years.  That team had contributions from twenty players over the course of the season, thirteen of them appearing in at least 10 games.  However, as the saying goes, that was then, and this is now. 

The 2007-08 Scots roster includes just eleven players, three of them first-years.  The eight returnees are led by sophomore guard Kym Wenz (11.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg), the conference co-Newcomer of the Year a season ago and the team's only returning starter.  The only other returnees who contributed significant minutes to last year's team are 6'0" sophomore C Kaitlin Krister (2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 11.1 mpg), sophomore guard Priscilla Staples (1.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 11.3 mpg), and junior guard Meredith Wilson (2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 8.8 mpg).  Collectively, the eight veterans accounted for just 28.8% of the scoring, 23.8% of the rebounding, and 28.9% of the minutes last season.

The Scots will have to find ways to replace the contributions of three-time all-conference honoree Carly Loehrke (graduated) as well as graduated starters Beth Besancon-Sidle and Maria Gonzalez, and all-conference starting point guard Winnie Adrien (transfer to Ithaca College.)  Among the first-years, Hannah Kerkian-Winton of Wadsworth (listed as 5'11" in the roster and 6'1" in the season outlook) appears to have the best chance at significant playing time.  All in all, it looks like it might be a difficult season in Wootown.

[David Collinge]

As of this writing, there are no rosters posted for Wittenberg (15-11/11-5, tied for 2nd last year), Earlham (4-22/3-13, tied for 7th place), or Hiram (6-19/1-15, last place).  I'll copy the blurbs from the conference website:

Change at the top has also occurred at Wittenberg and emotions run high as the Tigers take the court for the first time since 1986 without Pam Smith at the helm. Former Tiger standout Sarah Jurewicz takes over for her mentor with 12 returning letterwinners, but just one starter from last year's 15-11 squad that tied for second in the North Coast. Leading the list of returning players is senior post Katie Gregorevich, a first team All-NCAC honoree last season after averaging 11.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Helping with leadership will be senior post Ali Rohlfs, a player who has started 40 games over the past two seasons.

Three of the nine returning players for Earlham received conference recognition last year. Sophomore guard Shontavia Davis was a Co-Newcomer of the year, while senior guard Whitney McBurrows and sophomore forward Tasha Merrill were both all-conference selections. Senior Samantha Lurie returns to the team after missing the second half of last season studying off campus.

Hiram is the third team with new leadership heading into the 2007-08 season as Andrea Preston takes over. The Terriers have 10 returning players and one starter to work with. Hiram hopes returning players Brittany Mayle and Stephanie Zunic can lead the team to an improvement from their ninth place conference standing.

Based on my brief analysis of the other six, posted above, and trying to get in before the media day vote in a couple of days, here's my prediction for the 2007-08 standings:
1. Kenyon
2. Denison
3. Ohio Wesleyan
4. Wittenberg
5. Allegheny
6. Earlham
7. Oberlin
8. Wooster
9. Hiram
I reserve the right to change these if there are any significant surprises in the missing rosters.

[David Collinge]

Here's what the head coaches think:

1.  Denison [6]...76
2.  Kenyon [2]...67
3.  Wittenberg [1]...64
4.  Ohio Wesleyan...59
5.  Allegheny...42
6.  Wooster...32
7.  Earlham...28
8.  Oberlin...23
9.  Hiram...14

Speaking only for myself, I hope they're right and I'm wrong about Wooster.

[David Collinge]

The media forecasts a virtual dead heat at the top:

1.  Kenyon (9)...164
2.  Denison(9)...163
3.  Wittenberg (1)...140
4.  Ohio Wesleyan (1)...124
5.  Allegheny...96
6.  Wooster...79
7.  Oberlin...57
8.  Earlham...54
9.  Hiram...23

Media members submit their ballots after the conference call, so these results may in some way reflect the strength of the presentations of the head coaches.

[jscwittfan]

Awesome news out of Wittenberg today.  I was hoping that this was something the school would do.

HPERC Court to Be Renamed After Pam Evans Smith

[David Collinge]

Here's a preseason look at the Wooster women's team by Zach Bollinger of the Wooster Daily Record:

Wooster Women will have a Whole New Look


Elsewhere...

Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan senior Steffi Graf who was recently named to the academic all-District first team in volleyball.  Being a first-teamer means she is eligible for consideration for the academic all-America team.  Graf is an English major with a 3.81 GPA while performing at a very high level in (at least) two varsity sports. 

[David Collinge]

Tonight's NCAC action:

Bluffton 70, Allegheny 56 (at Allegheny)
Denison 54, Salisbury 40 (at Marymount)...Big Red outscore Gulls 35-17 in 2nd half
Franklin 70, Earlham 56 (at Rose-Hulman)
Kenyon 64, Wesleyan 54 (at Brandeis)...Alisha Moreno 18 points, 5/7 from downtown
#4 Hope 93, Oberlin 44...ouch
Thomas More 75, Ohio Wesleyan 45...ouch

Tomorrow's slate:
Marietta at Allegheny
Denison vs. New Jersey (at Marymount)
Earlham at Rose-Hulman
Kenyon at #14 Brandeis
Oberlin vs. Rochester (MI) (at Hope)
Ohio Wesleyan vs. Dubuque (at Wilmington)
Misericordia at Wooster
Hiram women open on Nov. 21
Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20

[jscwittfan]

Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20

DC, you're still closer to the NCAC scene than I, so maybe you have an answer for my question.  I know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.

[David Collinge]

Wittenberg women open on Nov. 20

DC, you're still closer to the NCAC scene than I, so maybe you have an answer for my question.  I know that the Witt women were originally scheduled for a tournament this weekend at Johns Hopkins.  Any word on why the Tigers are no longer in it?  I'm assuming it has to do with the adjustment period after losing Pam, but I was just wondering if you had heard anything about that.

I hadn't noticed that, Josh.  I see that Wittenberg has only a 23-game schedule this season.  I guess you're right about the adjustment period, which I'm sure was tough administratively as well as emotionally, but I don't know any more about it that you do.

[David Collinge]

Today in the NCAC:

Kenyon 67, #14 Brandeis 62 (at Brandeis)  8)   GO LADIES!!!
Oberlin 74, Rochester (MI) 58 (at Hope) 
Allegheny 69, Marietta 47  8)
Ohio Wesleyan 72, Dubuque 53 (at Wilmington) 
Misericordia 65, Wooster 64 (at Wooster) 
New Jersey 66, Denison 53   
Rose-Hulman 59, Earlham 36 

Huge, huge, huge win for Kenyon.  Anne Dugan scored 26 on 10/17 shooting as was named to the all-tournament team.  Alisha Moreno (9 today, 18 yesterday) was named tournament MVP.  Recap; box score.

I was at the Wooster game, and was very pleasantly surprised with the Scots.  They had a 4-point lead with 00:40 left, and after blowing that still had the ball with 00:10 left and a good look at the hoop by Kym Wenz.  It didn't work out, but they played excellent defense and with great passion, so there's lots of good to take away.  Wenz scored 19 on 8/14 shooting, but the rest of the team was ice cold (16/46, .348), and that's why they lost.  Box score.

[David Collinge]

Today in the NCAC:
Gwynedd-Mercy 82, Denison 69...Big Red slips to 1-2,  No details available at this time.
Fredonia St. 61, Wooster 55...box.  Kaitlin Krister (13 pts, 11 reb.) had a great game, but Kym Wenz (6 pts. on 2/11 shooting) had a lousy one.  It looks like both Kaitlin and Kym need to be present and accounted for for Wooster to have a chance.

[David Collinge]

Congratulations to Kenyon's Alisha Moreno, who added an NCAC Player of the Week award to her burgeoning trophy case this week.  Alisha was also named the MVP of the Brandeis Tip-Off tournament, won by the Ladies, on the strength of her 27 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and three steals.  I'll get my first look at Alisha and the 2007-08 Ladies this evening against Ohio Northern up in Ada; stop by and say hello if you are there.  Congratulations, Alisha! 

[David Collinge]

Well, it was just a miserable night.  I drove 2 hours to have the privilege to sit in Ohio Northern's drafty barn of a gym, listen to the ONU fans ride the refs all night, and watch the Kenyon Ladies play poorly and lose 68-57.  Kenyon started the game executing well on both ends of the floor, and opened up an 18-9 lead by the 8:40 mark of the 1st half, but then the wheels came off and it was all ONU from that point forward.  On the offensive end, ONU effectively took Alisha Moreno and Eva George out of the game, and nobody else was able to hit their shots with any consistency.  On defense, Kenyon continually was beaten to the hoop along the baseline and in the paint.  Some of the credit is due to ONU's effective ball movement in their screen-based offense, but Kenyon simply gave up too many layups and open 8 footers to have any chance to win.  These are reflected in the shooting stats for the game:  ONU hit 25 of 37 (67.6%) after starting 3/19, while Kenyon started by hitting 8 of their first 13 shots, then just 13 of 42 (31%) the rest of the way.  Add to this that Kenyon turned the ball over 14 times and was beaten to nearly every loose ball (Kenyon led in rebounds 34-29, but keep in mind the enormous shooting disparity), and you end up on the wrong end of an 11-point margin.

To make matters worse, I had the displeasure of having to listen to the ONU supporters berating the referees all night.  There was not a single call made against ONU that did not meet with vociferous objection from the ONU fans in attendance, as if in their considered opinion ONU's players committed no fouls and no turnovers on the evening.  I'm not exaggerating: every single call.  It was tiresome in the extreme, especially when you consider that their team led for the entire second half and was firmly in control of the game for most of it.  I simply can't understand why people go to the trouble of attending if they dislike the game so much.  I attend games because I love the game and I want to show my support for the players on both teams.   It should be and usually is a positive experience for me; If I wanted to be a crotchety old jerk and have a miserable time, I could stay at home.  Maybe tonight I should have. 

Box score.

Elsewhere, Wittenberg opened their season by defeating Mt. St. Joseph 66-52, but Allegheny fell to Washington & Jefferson 58-44, Bluffton upended Earlham 75-49, and John Carroll thumped Oberlin 87-53, and the NCAC went just 1-4 on the night. 

[David Collinge]

Ohio Wesleyan easily dismantled an aggressive but undertalented Frostburg St. squad tonight, 82-48, in the first round of the 'Hoops for Hope' Classic in Delaware.  Their reward is a date tomorrow afternoon with #20 Capital, vanquishers of Carnegie Mellon by a deceptively close 77-39 score. 

OWU looked very good, moving the ball crisply, rebounding well, and shooting with poise, but they were not challenged by their opponents who mostly just flailed their arms on defense and bumped around like blindwomen on offense.  Tomorrow's game will be an entirely different story, and OWU will have their hands full and then some with a tall and talented Capital squad.  OWU had lots of height, with four players at 5-11 or better, and they tried to take advantage by continually lobbing the ball into the post.  Unfortunately, they were generally unable to make that play work, either overthrowing the lob (resulting in a turnover or a post too deep under the hoop) or telegraphing it (resulting in a steal or batted pass).  If it didn't work much against the waterbugs of Frostburg, it won't work at all against the tall, talented, and athletic Captial squad.  Still, if OWU plays to their ability, they can certainly give Cap a game.  I'm considering returning for that game tomorrow, eschewing the sure-to-be-a-massacre Denison at Capital men's game that I'm in town for.

OWU is not the only NCAC squad set to test their mettle against a national power, as Kenyon will take on #6 Wash U. tomorrow in St. Louis.  Elsewhere in the NCAC tomorrow, Denison takes on New Jersey City U. (at Marietta), Allegheny visits Mt. Union, Earlahm travels to Mt. St. Joseph, and Hiram faces Carlow (Pa.) Univ. at Ursuline's tournament.  Here's hoping for a 6-0 day!