Varsity Athletics

BEREA, OHIO - Baldwin-Wallace College senior guard Natalie Winkelfoos, a graduate of Bucyrus High School, has been named as the STARR Student-Athlete of the Month for March 2003. The STARR Program is a pilot program introduced by the National Collegaite Athlete Association and stands for Students Taking Active Responsible Roles on campus, in the community, in the classroom and in athletics.

To date, Winkelfoos has helped the B-W women’s basketball team to a 24-4 overall record prior to hosting Wittenberg University on Wednesday (March 5) in a first round NCAA Division III Tournament game in Berea at 7:30 p.m. Winkelfoos and the B-W women are in the OAC Tournament for the seventh time in the last eight years.

"We are pleased thar Natalie has been named as the STARR Student-Athlete of the Month for March," said Yellow Jacket veteran coach Cheri Harrer. "Natalie is an outstanding role model on our campus and in our basketball program. She is active both on and off campus, has a high grade point average and is a leader on our team. We are very pleased for her."

In the classroom, Winkelfoos carries a 3.31 grade point average in communications and intends on going to graduate school with intentions of working in higher education administration. She has also been a nominee for both Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Verizon Academic All-District IV honors the past two years. Winkelfoos is active on campus as a member of the Public Relations Club and the Student Athletic Advisory Council. She is also a Student Ambassador for the admission office and an American Red Cross donor recruitment representative.

On the basketball court, Winkelfoos has been a key member of the Yellow Jacket women’s basketball program for four years. Prior to playing Wittenberg in the 2003 NCAA Division III Tournament (March 5), she has helped the Yellow Jackets compile a 99-16 career record. Winkelfoos has also helped B-W to capture two OAC regular season and two OAC Tournament titles as well as make three NCAA Division III appearances, including two "Elite Eight" finishes (2000 and 2001). She enters the Wittenberg game with 940 career points and is fifth all-time with 176 steals and is ninth all-time with 238 assists.

As a freshman, Winkelfoos played a solid role as a back up guard and helped lead the team to a school-record 28-2 overall record. She was seventh on the team in scoring with 6.6 points per game. Her best game was in an 81-63 win against CWRU in Berea on January 3, 2000, when she scored a career-high 17 points. She had four points and four steals in B-W’s 77-72 win versus Wilmington in the second round of the 2000 NCAA tournament. Winkelfoos helped lead the Yellow Jackets to their first appearance in the "Elite Eight" of the Division III NCAA Tournament.

As a sophomore, Winkelfoos again was a key player, averaged 7.3 points, shot 79.6% at the foul line, passed for 46 assists and making 39 steals in 26 games. She missed four games with a foot injury. Winkelfoos' best games this season was a pair of 16-point performances; first one on January 10, 2001, at Mount Union when B-W beat the Purple Raiders, 71-54. The second one came in the championship game of the NCAA Division III Sectional/ "Elite Eight" Tournament versus Ohio Wesleyan University. Winkelfoos also made a key steal late in B-W’s 60-59 win at Capital to clinch the regular-season title. For her efforts in the NCAA Sectional Tournament, she was named to the "Elite Eight" all-tournament team.

As a junior, Winkelfoos helped B-W compile a 20-7 overall record and second place finishes both during the OAC regular season and in the OAC Tournament. She played and started in 26 games. She was second on the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game, passed for 63 assists and made 47 steals. Winkelfoos scored a career-high 20 points against Otterbein on December 5, 2001. She reached double figures in scoring 12 games. For her efforts, Winkelfoos was tabbed as an honorable mention All-OAC player.

As a senior in 2002-2003, Winkelfoos has helped B-W compile a 24-4 record (prior to playing in the NCAA tourney) is a team captain and again earned honorable mention All-OAC accolades. She is third on the team in scoring at 10.3 ppg. and first with 50 steals and 42 three-pointers.

With a victory in its game versus Wittenberg on Wednesday, the Yellow Jackets would travel to Wilmington, Ohio this Saturday to face Wilmington College at 3:00 p.m. A loss would both end the season and Winkelfoos' career.

FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please call Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple at 440-826-2327, FAX him at 440-826-2329 or e-mail him at kruple@bw.edu.  To contact Head Coach Cheri Harrer, please call her at 440-826-3299, FAX her at 440-826-2192 or e-mail her at charrer@bw.edu.