The Yellow Jackets look to advance to the OAC title game for eighth straight year
BEREA, OHIO - The Baldwin-Wallace College women’s basketball team faces a rebuilding year in 2003-04. With only two returning starters, and no returning All-OAC players for the first time in 10 years, the Yellow Jackets will be putting a lot of new faces on the floor. B-W has a streak of seven straight seasons of 20 or more wins, and seven straight appearances in the OAC Tournament Championship Game on the line.
Senior forward Erika Schultz (Waterville/ Anthony Wayne) and senior guard Karissa Kusick (Chicora, Pa./ Karns City) are the lone returning starters. Schultz was the team’s fourth leading scorer, shooting 55 percent from the field and averaging 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Kusick started last season at the wing, then moved to point guard at midseason when freshman starter Nikki Altenweg (Perry) was injured. Kusick was third in the league in assists, averaging 4.2 per game, and was fourth in assist to turnover ratio. In addition, she averaged 9.1 ppg. and 3.6 rpg.
Another solid returnee is junior shooting guard Stephanne Musser (Miamisburg). She averaged 5.8 ppg. and has the ability to shoot the three-pointer and get hot. She also has good quickness. Altenweg, who started at the point guard spot until being hurt, averaged 4.6 ppg. and was leading the OAC in assist to turnover ratio.
In sophomore center Jenn Neal (Mentor), Harrer has an inside force if she fully recovers from knee surgery. As a freshman in 2001-2002, Neal came on strong at the end of the season and was among the team’s top players and led the team in field goal percentage and blocked shots. Her recovery could be critical to B-W’s inside game this year. Other returning players who contributed last season include junior wing Lindsay Meek (Huron/ Port Clinton), sophomore posts Lindsay Mamula (Massillon Jackson) and Alex Miller (Tiffin/Columbian) and sophomore guards Katie Kobelt (Tiffin Columbian), Melissa Moutry (Copley) and Ashley Torain (Pickerington).
In addition, Harrer had another solid recruiting year. Look for freshmen Andrea Boriska (Cleveland/ Lutheran West), Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua), Jessica Latimer (Brooklyn), Nia Bridges (Columbus/ Independence) and Michelle White (Hudson) as well as transfer Laura McClung (Avon Lake/ Centre, Ky. College) to all battle the upperclassmen for playing time.
The Yellow Jacket women open the 2003-3004 season on Friday, November 21, when they play Cleveland cross-town rival Case Western Reserve University in the opening round of the Greater Cleveland Tip-Off Tournament at Oberlin College.
FOR MORE SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX machine at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Yellow Jacket Head Coach Cheri Harrer by telephone, please call her at (440) 826-3299, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.
275 Eastland Rd.