Women's Basketball

RADIO -- All away women's basketball games are broadcast on campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM. Today's game will also be broadcast live. Baldwin-Wallace College sophomore Pete Goche will call the play-by-play action and sophomore Katie Demby will offer the color analysis. This game also will be broadcast across the B-W Internet Web Site at www.bw.edu/athletics. The pre-game show is scheduled to begin at 2:45 p.m. on WBWC.

The 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets enter this game with a 10-0 overall record following their 59-46 win against Albion (Mich.) College on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 30) in Berea. B-W is also 3-0 in the OAC. B-W is dominating its opponents and outscoring the opposition by 22.8 points per game and outrebounding them by 13.1 rpg.

Marietta enters this game with a 6-3 overall and 1-2 OAC record following its 70-61 victory against Bluffton College in Bluffton on December 20, 2003. The Pioneers have not played in two weeks.

The All-Time Baldwin-Wallace vs. Marietta Series-- This is the 40th all-time meeting between Baldwin-Wallace College and Marietta College in women's basketball. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series, 26-13, including 17 straight victories. The Yellow Jackets won the last meeting, 85-48, on February 8, 2003. The last Marietta win occurred on December, 17, 1994 in Marietta when the Pioneers prevailed, 64-53. The first-ever meeting in 1981-82 resulted in a 71-48 win for B-W.

Last Meeting: Baldwin-Wallace -- 85, Marietta -- 48 on 2/8/2003 in Marietta-- The Yellow Jackets defeated Marietta College, 85-48, on February 8, 2003 in Marietta at the Ban Johnson Fieldhouse. 2003 B-W graduate Sarah Gordon led B-W with a game-high 14 points and current sophomore guard Katie Kobelt (Tiffin/ Columbian) scored a career-high 11 points, all in the first half. Graduate Holly Koepp also chipped in with 10 points. Forward Beth Bakos led Marietta with nine points.

Off the bench, look for 5'9" senior wing Lindsay Meek (Huron/ Port Clinton) and 5'11" junior post Jenn Neal (Mentor) to be key. In addition, 5'8" freshman forward Jessica Latimer (Brooklyn) will also see action inside. At the point, 5'5" freshman Kelly Williams (Canfield) backs up Altenweg. At the wing, look for 5'9" freshman Michelle White (Hudson) and both 5'4" freshman defender Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua) and 5'9" sophomore transfer Laura McClung (Avon Lake) to see action.

The Marietta College Probable Starters and Preview-- Look for Head Coach Vicki Griffin to start 5'4" junior guard Heather Bowman, 5'8" sophomore Amanda Baum and 5'5" senior guard Lish Yoder in the backcourt. On the inside the Pioneers will start 5'9" junior Beth Bakos and 5'9" junior forward Katie Moriarty. Bakos is the top scorer at 15.9 ppg. and second with 5.1 rpg. Moriarty scores 8.3 ppg. and grabs 3.4 rpg.

Off the bench, look for Coach Griffin to play 5'4" sophomore guard Ashley Vope, 5'6" sophmore guard Emily Klodowski, 5'8" sophomore forward Tabi Taylor and 6'2" junior center Rebecca Tokodi.

 B-W's Last Game -- B-W -- 59, Albion (Mich.) College -- 46 on Tuesday, December 30 in Berea - The Yellow Jackets won their 10th straight game to open the 2003-2004 season when they defeated Albion (Mich.) College, 59-46, at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. It also gave B-W a 22-game regular season home winning streak. Albion also had entered the game with a 10-1 overall record. Offensively, B-W was led by senior forward Erika Schultz with a game-high 19 points and 13 rebounds. She was joined in double figures by sophomore point guard Nikki Altenweg with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Albion was lead by Ruthie Sventickas with a team-high 15 points and two steals.

Marietta's Last Game -- Marietta College--70, Bluffton College -- 61 on Saturday, December 20 in Bluffton, Ohio -- The Pioneers improved to 6-3 overall with a 70-61 win against host Bluffton College in Bluffton on December 20, 2003. The Pioneers were led by Rebecca ToKodi with 16 points and Lish Yoder with 11 points.

Yellow Jacket Chatter

Getting Back to OAC Play; Turning the Tables on the 2003-2004 OAC Preseason Coaches Poll -- B-W is 3-0 in OAC play entering this game.

Defending OAC regular season and 2003 OAC Tournament champion Wilmington College was picked to finish first by the OAC Coaches and Otterbein was picked to finish second in the 2003-2004 OAC Coaches Preseason poll. But, B-W, picked to finish third, was not paying attention to the Coaches.

Five Straight Tourney Titles -- The Baldwin-Wallace College women have won five straight tournament titles dating back to the 2001-2002 season. B-W won the Marymount (Va.) Tournament in 2001-2002. Last year, the Yellow Jackets captured the Greater Cleveland College Tipoff Tournament and the first-ever Surf & Slam Tournament in San Diego, California. This winter, B-W won its second straight Greater Cleveland College Tipoff crown and won the Franklin College of Indiana Tournament two weeks ago.

Michelle White Was the Franklin Tourney Most Valuable Player -- Freshman guard Michelle White (Hudson) was named as the Most Valuable Player at the Franklin Tournament. In two games, White scored 23 points, including a career-high 17 in the 82-45 win versus Webster in the first round.

Stephanne Musser and Lindsay Meek Join White on All-Tourney Team -- Junior guard Stephanne Musser (Miamisburg) and senior forward Lindsay Meek (Huron/ Port Clinton) joined Michelle White on the Franklin Tournament all-tournament team. Musser scored 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds and passed for three assists. Meek tallied 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds and also had three assists.

Balance and Team Work -- Balance is a key to the Yellow Jacket success this year. Head Coach Cheri Harrer regularly has a 12-player rotation, so balance and depth are key. At Franklin, Harrer got all 15 players who traveled into each game and 14 of the 15 scored. Michelle White, the tourney MVP, and Lindsay Meek, who made the all-tourney team, both come off the bench.

Neal and Altenweg Are Making a Strong Comeback-- Sophomore forward Jenn Neal (Mentor) and sophomore point guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry) have returned to the B-W lineup after knee surgery a year ago. Altenweg, who missed part of last year, is the starting point guard and is currently averaging 7.4 ppg., and a team-leading 32 assists and 19 steals. Neal, who missed all of 2002-2003 after knee surgey, is beginning to regain her stride. She is averaging 4.4 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. and tops the Yellow Jackets in blocked shots with 13.

Cheri Harrer is Winningest Coach in School History -- Head Coach Cheri Harrer is in her 14th season and has accumulated a 265-104 career mark and is the winningest coach in B-W history. She has led the Yellow Jackets to seven appearences in the NCAA Division III National Tournament in the last eight years and earned two consecutive spots in the "Elite Eight" during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.

The Yellow Jacket Tradtion of Excellence -- B-W is seeking an eighth straight 20-win season in 2003-2004 and have also appeared in the last seven OAC Tournament championship games. B-W also made two consecutive appearances in the "Elite Eight" NCAA Division III National Tournament in 1999-2000 and in 2000-2001.

The National Polls -- The The Baldwin-Wallace College women's basketball team was ranked 12th in the latest (December 21 ) Division III national poll conducted by the d3hoops.com Internet Web Site. B-W began the season ranked 22nd. The next poll is released on January 4, 2004.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, Please visit the Baldwin-Wallace Athletics website at www.bw.edu/athletics for up to date results and statistics. For further inquiries, please contact B-W SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. B-W Head Coach Cheri Harrer can be reached by phone at (440) 826-3299, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.