INDIANAPOLIS - After qualifying two programs, Malone and Ursuline, for the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional last year, women's basketball programs in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference are looking forward to making their presence known once again during the 2017-18 season.
The next step will be working on advancing further in the bracket as the Pioneers had to face eventual national champ Ashland in the opening-round game and the Arrows fell victim to Grand Valley State in their regional matchup.
The level of competition has been raised once again with all 13 member institutions in the Great Midwest battling it out for postseason glory.
The Preseason Coaches Poll had 2016-17 regular-season champion Ursuline at the top of the list after the Arrows made the national tournament with an at-large bid. Malone pulled out the championship-game upset at Ursuline to earn the automatic qualifier. Each program will have considerable shoes to fill with all-conference talent not returning from last year's roster.
Two-time Great Midwest Player of the Year Laney Lewis has slowly rewritten the conference career record books in several categories, including rebounds and blocked shots. She is a daily double-double threat as one of the most skilled players in the country.
Coming from the GLIAC are first-year member institutions Findlay, Hillsdale, Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican and Walsh. Keep an eye on Lake Erie senior Kayla Gabor, who was the GLIAC scoring champion in 2016-17 at over 19 points per game.
Ohio Dominican's women's program was the top finisher of the incoming group with a second place finish in the South Division; the Panthers also served as host for the NCAA Elite Eight and will do so again in Columbus for 2019 and 2021.
Findlay and Kentucky Wesleyan's matchup will be spotlighted on ESPN3 via the WatchESPN app in late January as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase. The Oilers and Panthers women are also paired with the men's contest in Croy Gymnasium.
Tiffin will also join the Great Midwest following 2017-18 season; the Dragons were also a member of the GLIAC South Division in 2016-17.
Information in the capsules below was provided by each institution's sports information department.
| ALDERSON BROADDUS BATTLERS (Philippi, WV) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 10-19 Overall, 4-10 G-MAC (6th in G-MAC) |
Saturday, Nov. 18 vs. Bellarmine |
| Team Preview |
| Steve Tierney returns for his fourth season as the Battlers Head Coach…The Battlers are returning key contributors to the team led by senior shooting guard Jordan Parker…Parker averaged 14.2 points per game in 16-17, shooting 39.1% from the field…Parker was named 2nd Team All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference…She scored 20 or more points five times in 2016-2017…Forward Yasmin Norman also returns as she averaged 6.7 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds per game in 16-17…Danielle Franklin and Ta’Sharra Jefferies are returning in the backcourt as well both averaging 5.9 points per game their first season. |
| Players to Watch |
#3 Yasmin Norman (F, 5-7, Jr., Columbus, OH / Gahanna Lincoln HS)
#11 Ta’Sharra Jeffries (G, 5-8, Jr., Sandusky, OH / Sandusky HS)
#23 Jordan Parker (G, 5-10, Sr., Tuppers Plains, OH / Eastern HS) |
| CEDARVILLE YELLOW JACKETS (Cedarville, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 19-11 Overall, 9-5 G-MAC (3rd in G-MAC) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Wisconsin-Parkside |
| Team Preview |
| Head Coach Kari Hoffman begins her second year (19-11) at Cedarville and the 2017-18 Lady Jackets will have many familiar faces on the court. All five starters are back from last season and the top six scorers will be welcomed back by Coach Hoffman. Junior Regina Hochstetler, a 5-7 guard and G-MAC Second Team performer, was the team’s leading scorer at 14.9 points per game while leading the G-MAC in free throw shooting with a .900 mark (81-for-90). She topped the squad with 106 assists while connecting on a second-best 64 three-point field goals. Junior guard Baylee Bennett, also a G-MAC Second Team honoree, was CU’s second-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game while producing a second-best 99 assists. She proved to be a major weapon from outside the arc hitting on 94-of-218 attempts for a .431 tally - second-best in the G-MAC. Senior Breanne Watterworth, a 6-3 forward, was the third Lady Jacket to hit in double figures last winter producing 11.2 points per game and a second-best 7.3 rebounds per contest. Her .548 field goal percentage ranked third in the conference. Coach Hoffman will count on two other senior starters from last year. Kaitlyn Holm, a 5-7 guard, is Cedarville’s defensive stalwart and all-around solid performer. She averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while topping the squad with 37 steals. Emily Williams, a 5-11 forward, led the team in rebounding at 8.1 boards per night. Williams added 5.9 points per game while registering a team-high 43 blocked shots. One big question mark remaining to be answered is the health of junior guard Abby Wolford. The 5-7 junior missed the entire 2016-17 campaign due to a knee injury and was slated to make a healthy return to the program but suffered another injury in the preseason. Wolford earned G-MAC Second Team recognition while scoring 12.1 points per contest and handing out 99 assists for the Lady Jacket squad that advanced to the 2015-16 league championship game. Three freshmen will seek to make contributions in the 2017-18 campaign - Annabelle Hinds (5-9, Rochester, NY), Ashlyn Huffman (5-4, Columbus, IN), Stevie Johnting (5-8, Arcanum, OH). |
| Players to Watch |
#3 Baylee Bennett (G, 5-5, Jr., Springfield, OH / Kenton Ridge HS)
#11 Regina Hochstetler (G, 5-7, Jr., Berlin, OH / Hiland HS)
#44 Breanne Watterworth (F, 6-3, Sr., Lake Orion, MI / Lake Orion Baptist HS) |
| DAVIS & ELKINS SENATORS (Elkins, WV) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 19-10 Overall, 7-7 G-MAC (5th in G-MAC) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Michigan Tech |
| Team Preview |
| The Senators are coming off one of their winningest seasons in school history, finishing with 19 wins, tied for second most in the program’s 42 seasons. In his 10th season, Jason Asbell will have a several holes to fill, with the biggest hole being left by the Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s all-time leading scorer, Stephanie Wooten, who graduated with 1,800 career points and a 22.2 scoring average as a senior. The Senators return three starters and nine letter winners from last season, including last season’s second leading scorer Sydney Turner (F, Sr., 5-11, Poquoson, Va.) and G-MAC Freshman of the Year Jay Kilpatrick (G, So., 5-6, Newport News, Va.). Turner averaged 10.0 points per game, while also collecting 6.7 rebounds per game. Kilpatrick averaged 7.6 points per game in just 17.0 minutes of action per contest as a freshman. Kilpatrick also shot .504 from the field and .479 from behind the arc to lead the Senators. Davis & Elkins will also look to Kali Wilburn (G/F, Jr., 5-9, Indianapolis, Ind.) and Aliyah Dukes (G, Sr., 5-6, Clemson, S.C.), who were both key contributors last season. Wilburn, who started all but one game, averaged 9.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest in her sophomore season, leading the team with a shooting percentage of .611 from the floor. Dukes averaged 7.7 points per contest and was nearly perfect from the line, shooting .909, while also shooting .395 from the field. Coach Asbell will also have five newcomers and three redshirts added to his arsenal for the 2017-18 season. |
| Players to Watch |
#3 Kali Wilburn (G/F, 5-9, Jr., Indianapolis, IN / Arsenal Tech)
#20 Jay Kilpatrick (G, 5-6, So., Newport News, VA / Woodside HS)
#23 Sydney Turner (F, 5-11, Sr., Poquoson, VA / Poquoson HS)
#21 Aliyah Dukes (G, 5-6, Sr., Clemson, SC / D.W. Daniel HS) |
| FINDLAY OILERS (Findlay, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 13-15 Overall, 7-13 GLIAC (5th in South Division) |
Saturday, November 11 vs. Wayne State (MI) |
| Team Preview |
| The Oilers are coming off of a 13-15 season, but return their top-four scorers from a season ago and 12 players who lettered. Senior guard Haley Horstman is back after averaging a team-high 9.6 points per contest while junior center Christa Puthoff returns after posting 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Horstman is looking to become the Oilers 21st member of the 1,000-point club as she enters her final season with 759 career points. Senior guard Lynsey Englebrecht posted 9.1 points and shot 41.2 percent (61-of-148) from three point range while junior forward Anna Hintz stuffed the stat sheet with averages of 8.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. |
| Players to Watch |
#3 Haley Horstman (G, Sr., 5-8, New Knoxville, OH / New Knoxville HS)
#34 Christa Puthoff (C, Jr., 6-2, Versailles, OH / Versailles HS)
#11 Lynsey Englebrecht (G, Sr., 5-7, Eastlake, OH / North HS)
#10 Anna Hintz (F, Jr., 6-2, North Fairfield, OH / South Central HS) |
| HILLSDALE CHARGERS (Hillsdale, MI) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 14-13 Overall, 8-12 GLIAC (4th in South Division) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Lewis |
| Team Preview |
| First-year head coach Matt Fritsche joins a Charger program that returns experience at every position and is poised to contend for a conference title in its first season in the G-MAC…Four starters return, led by senior center Allie Dittmer, senior guard Maddy Reed, junior forward Makenna Ott and junior guard Allie Dewire…Dewire was named 2nd Team All-GLIAC in 2016-17 and is a fast, well-rounded guard…Ott is the ideal small forward, who can score in a variety of ways and can guard up to four positions…Reed is a relentless worker who crashes the boards effectively from the guard position…Dittmer is a reliable and talented post player who is strong in the lane…Senior forward Jessica De Gree, junior forward Brittany Gray and sophomore center Julia Wacker reinforce the frontcourt, giving the team enviable depth…Senior guard Michele Boykin has rebounded from injuries and is a big X-factor in the lineup this year…Freshman guards Jaycie Burger and Clare Mitchell have been key additions to the team and could contribute right away. |
| Players to Watch |
#11 Allie Dewire (Jr., 5-6, G, Toledo, OH / Ottawa Hills HS)
#20 Makenna Ott (Jr., 6-0, F, Haslett, MI / Haslett HS)
#52 Allie Dittmer (Sr., 6-1, C, Eaton Rapids, MI / Eaton Rapids HS)
#34 Maddy Reed (Sr., 5-9, G, Oshkosh, WI / Lourdes Academy) |
| KENTUCKY WESLEYAN PANTHERS (Owensboro, KY) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 19-8 Overall, 8-6 G-MAC (4th in G-MAC) |
Saturday, November 11 vs. Stephens |
| Team Preview |
| With the loss of seven seniors, the Panthers will look to its under classmen to step up this season. Kentucky Wesleyan has five freshman, four sophomores, two juniors and two seniors on its roster this season. Two starters return in Addie Reimbold and Shayla Wright to an offense that averaged 70.2 points per game last season. The Panthers welcome six newcomers in point guard Lily Grimes, guard Kirstie Henn, guard Kaylee Clifford, point guard Jenna Martin, guard Bree Cates and shooting guard Abbie Hesichman. |
| Players to Watch |
#1 Shayla Wright (G, 5-5, Jr., Indianapolis, IN / Southport HS)
#3 Addie Reimbold (G, 5-8, Sr., Fort Wayne, IN / Bishop Luers HS)
#14 Keelie Lamb (F, 5-10, So., Livingston, TN / Livingston Academy)
#32 Jasmine Shelt (F, 5-10, So., Indianapolis, IN / Lawrence Central HS) |
| LAKE ERIE STORM (Painesville, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 8-18 Overall, 6-14 GLIAC (6th in South Division) |
Saturday, November 11 vs. Tiffin |
| Team Preview |
| The Storm will look to build upon a 2016 season which saw some individuals reach career milestones. Head Coach Bob Booher will return three starters and will have seven players to call on who all played extensive minutes last season. Coach Booher will look for his team to play with intensity and to attack teams defensively, which will lead to pushing the tempo on offense. Offensively, Lake Erie returns the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) scoring champion from last season in Kayla Gabor (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) as she averaged 19.1 points per game. Last season as a junior Gabor eclipsed the 1,000 point plateau for her career. The Storm also return Christine Dawson (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor), who was seventh in the GLIAC last season in rebounds with 7.1 rebounds per game, as well as averaging 12.5 points per game. Lake Erie will also look for Josie Chaddock (Minerva, Ohio / Minerva) to build upon a strong freshman season as she was the third leading scorer on the Storm last season behind Gabor and Dawson. |
| Players to Watch |
#11 Kayla Gabor (G, 5-10, Sr., Mentor, OH / Mentor HS)
#44 Christine Dawson (F, 6-1, Sr., Mentor, OH / Mentor HS)
#4 Josie Chaddock (G, So., 5-7, Minerva, OH / Minerva HS) |
| MALONE PIONEERS (Canton, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 23-7 Overall, 12-2 G-MAC (2nd in G-MAC) |
Friday, November 17 vs. Lake Superior State |
| Team Preview |
| The Malone University women’s basketball team is coming off of a 23-7 season in which it qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The defending G-MAC Champions lost three starters from last year’s squad, including First Team All-Conference picks Rachel Goddard and Hannah McCue. Senior forward Baylen Dyrlund, a Second Team All-Conference selection last winter, and junior guard Chrissie Vaughan both return to the starting lineup. Dyrlund, the only senior on the roster, averaged 12.2 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 47.4% from the floor in 2016-17. Vaughan tossed in 8.3 ppg and was 7th in the conference with 62 made threes. As a team, Malone was 7th in DII with 9.0 made threes per game last season. The Pioneers also had the number one scoring defense (60.9 ppg) in the conference. Second-year head coach Rick Tice and his staff are counting on continued improvement from junior forwards Naomi Grandison and Paiten Strother and a talented group of sophomores that includes point guard Holly Groff, an All-Freshmen Team selection last season. |
| Players to Watch |
#4 Baylen Dyrlund (F, Sr., 5-11, Hartville, OH / Lake H.S./West Liberty)
#10 Chrissie Vaughan (G, Jr., 5-9, Stow, OH / Stow HS)
#2 Holly Groff (G, So., 5-4, Macedonia, OH / Nordonia HS)
#20 Naomi Grandison (F, Jr., 6-0, West Chester, OH / Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) |
| OHIO DOMINICAN PANTHERS (Columbus, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 18-10 Overall, 13-7 GLIAC (2nd in South Division) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Ashland |
| Team Preview |
| Coming off of its two best seasons in its Division II era, Ohio Dominican’s women’s basketball team will look to continue its success with plenty of new faces on the roster for the 2017-18 campaign…The Panthers went 20-9 in 2015-16 and 18-10 in 2016-17, but graduated its two leading scorers and rebounders in Lauren Bates and Madi Rittinger…ODU returns experience in its back court as senior guards Darian Rose (28 starts, 9.2 ppg in 2016-17) and Megan Eyre (23 starts, 7.4 ppg) are back, as is junior Alexis Overly (20.3 mpg, 6.2 ppg)…In the front court, senior forward Sarah Futscher (nine starts, 5.9 ppg) is back…ODU has four freshmen on the roster and welcomed in four transfers, three of whom played high school ball in Central Ohio…Last year, ODU ranked second in the GLIAC in scoring (73.2 ppg) and led the conference in total rebounding (42.7 per game) while ranking second in rebound margin (+6.4 per game). |
| Players to Watch |
#5 Megan Eyre (G, 5-8, Sr., Fayetteville, OH / Fayetteville Perry HS)
#3 Alexis Overly (G, 5-9, Jr., Chillicothe, OH / Unioto HS)
#30 Darian Rose (G, 5-8, Sr., Fort Loramie, OH / Fort Loramie HS) |
| OHIO VALLEY FIGHTING SCOTS (Vienna, WV) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 6-20 Overall, 0-14 G-MAC (8th in G-MAC) |
Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. Indiana-East |
| Team Preview |
| Sonya Miller was tabbed as the head coach of the Fighting Scots after two seasons at the helm at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio and 15 years of coaching experience overall… Ohio Valley has to reshuffle the deck in 2017-18 as the team returns just five players, and only two starters Ariel Johnson and Haley Ackerman… Johnson is solid on both ends as she leads all returners with 7.1 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, 28 steals and nine blocks… Ackerman is an asset on offense as she led the team with 88 three point shots while having a free throw percentage of .710… Also returning to the fold are Imani McDowell, Rachel Browne, and Jazzmyn Simmons… McDowell is an offensive threat with a field goal percentage (.384) and free throw percentage (.737)... Browne is an efficient scorer with a .426 field goal percentage, which is the best among the returners… Simmons is a sophomore guard that saw limited action… With no seniors on the roster, OVU could see its five freshmen making contributions this season… Amiaya Melvins was named an All-Conference guard at Winslow Township High School for three straight seasons… Tanner Esposito is McKeel Academy’s all-time points and assists leader and earned Class 4A Player of the Year honors… Alexis Burchfield was named to the District 11 First Team twice at Bloom Carroll High School… Jordan Fox recorded 1,000 points and 500 rebounds during her career at St. Marys High School and earned All-Conference and All-State distinctions. |
| Players to Watch |
#22 Ariel Johnson (F, 6-0, Jr., Cincinnati, OH / McAuley HS)
#33 Haley Ackerman (G, 5-5, So., Vienna, WV / Parkersburg HS)
#24 Imani McDowell (F, 5-9, So., Houston, TX / Tabb HS)
#50 Rachel Browne (F, 6-1, Jr., New Albany, OH / Gahanna Lincoln HS) |
| TREVECCA TROJANS (Nashville, TN) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 7-18 Overall, 3-11 G-MAC (7th in G-MAC) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Drury |
| Team Preview |
| Chad Hibdon enters his second year as the Trojans head coach, looking to build upon last season’s 7-18 finish. Hibdon will rely on a flurry of newcomers (his first full recruiting class) to spark his team this season. Notably, Division I transfers, Brittin Boyer and Callie Hackett join the Trojans squad eager to contribute. In all, the Trojans will introduce eight new players to compliment the seven returning players from last season. The Trojans leading scorer, Adi Hale (10.8 points per game), is back and ready to compliment Hannah Pendergrass. Pendergrass will be the lone senior on the team. Pendergrass started in nine games last season averaging 3.9 points. With six of the top seven leading scorers from last season gone, the Trojans will use the beginning portion of the season developing an offensive strategy. The Trojans begin their season with a pair of exhibition games against Middle Tennessee State University and Mount Vernon Nazarene before beginning the regular season on Nov. 10 against Drury University in the Trojans Fieldhouse. |
| Players to Watch |
#13 Hannah Pendergrass (G, 5-9, Sr., Murfreesboro, TN / Riverdale HS)
#24 Adi Hale (G, 5-7, Jr., Lexington, TN / Lexington HS)
#25 Brianna Bryant (G, 5-9, So., Athens, TN / Christian Academy of Knoxville) |
| URSULINE ARROWS (Pepper, Pike, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 23-8 Overall, 13-1 G-MAC (1st in G-MAC) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Ferris State |
| Team Preview |
| The two-time defending Great Midwest Regular Season Champions returns seven players from last season’s roster including two-time G-MAC Player of the Year Laney Lewis… Lewis was named to the Great Midwest All-Conference First Team for the second straight year… Along with Lewis the Arrows return a strong frontcourt that includes senior Camryn Hill who averaged 10.3 points per game and 7.2 rebounds… Sophomore Carly Koncz will provide an outside threat for the Arrows after shooting 49 percent (35-71) last year from beyond the arc…Transfers Paige Salisbury (Kent State) and Morgan Mattimore (Urbana) will provide depth and experience at the guard spot… Freshman guard Sarah Lairson could also be a key contributor…Ursuline boasted one of the top offenses in NCAA Division II last season averaging 80.1 points per game. |
| Players to Watch |
#21 Laney Lewis (G/F, 6-1, Sr., Lynchburg, OH / Lynchburg-Clay HS)
#33 Camryn Hill (F, 6-2, Sr., Strongsville, OH / Strongsville HS)
#22 Camille Gist (G/F, 5-7, Sr., Toledo, OH / Toledo Christian HS)
#20 Carly Koncz (G, 6-0, So., Doylestown, OH / Chippewa HS)
#5 Morgan Mattimore (G, 5-9, So., Delta, OH / Delta HS/Urbana) |
| WALSH CAVALIERS (North Canton, OH) |
| 2016-17 Record and Standings |
First Game |
| 15-13 Overall, 11-9 GLIAC (3rd in South Division) |
Friday, November 10 vs. Quincy |
| Team Preview |
| Walsh will have a lineup filled with experience between 10 upperclassmen and five seniors. Alex Hochstedler (Sr., 5-9, Fishers, Ind./Fishers) returns as the team's leading scorer after averaging 11.7 points a year ago in all 28 games. Brittni Clopton (Sr., 5-11, Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) will join her as the other Cavalier to average double-figures throughout the season with 11.1 points. Clopton also served as a dual threat as she led the team with 6.0 rebounds per game as well. The Cavaliers will open up the season with an exhibition at Ohio University before starting the regular season against Quincy at Trevecca Nazarene. Walsh's first G-MAC game will take place on Thursday, Nov. 30, at home against Davis & Elkins. |
| Players to Watch |
#15 Alex Hochstedler (F, 5-9, Sr., Fishers, IN / Fishers HS)
#13 Brittni Clopton (F, 5-11, Sr., Fort Wayne, IN / South Side HS) |