Scot Women Expected to Finish in Middle of NCAC Pack

WOOSTER, Ohio — For the second consecutive year, The College of Wooster women’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth by the coaches and media in the nine-team North Coast Athletic Conference during Thursday’s NCAC Basketball Media Day.

The coaches expected the Scots to finish alone in sixth-place, just behind Ohio Wesleyan University in fifth, while the media also picked Wooster in sixth behind the Battling Bishops.

Kenyon College, last season’s regular season champion, returns the core of its starting lineup from a year ago and was the favorite in both polls, while Wittenberg University, Denison University, Allegheny College, and Ohio Wesleyan rounded out the top-five, with each school receiving a first-place vote in the media poll.

The bottom-third of the coaches’ poll consisted of Earlham College, Hiram College, and Oberlin College in that order, while the Yeowomen were picked seventh by the media, followed by the Quakers and Terriers, respectively.

Wooster, under the direction of ninth-year coach Lisa Campanell Komara, returns 10 letterwinners, including five with starting experience. The Scots may switch things up a bit this year with a more guard-dominated lineup, but at the heart of Wooster’s strategy will be second-team All-NCAC honoree Carly Loehrke. Loehrke paced the conference last season in field goal percentage (.561) and free throw percentage (.829), while leading the Scots in points (14.0 ppg), rebounds (7.7 rpg), and blocked shots (1.2 bpg).

The Scots will make their 2005-06 debut on Nov. 19-20, when they play host to Alma College, Notre Dame (Ohio) College, and Seton Hill University for the Nan Nichols Classic.