2008-09 Women's Basketball Season Outlook

Scots Look to Climb NCAC Ladder Behind Four Returning Starters

Junior Kym Wenz returns to the floor following a knee injury that ended her 2007-08 season prematurely, and looks to help lead the Scots up the NCAC ranks this season.

Despite some late-season struggles in the 2007-08 season, The College of Wooster women’s basketball program finds itself in an exciting position entering 2008-09. That’s because the Fighting Scots have four returning starters, along with three other letterwinners in tow and a 10-member first-year class, all of whom look to propel the team back up the North Coast Athletic Conference.

That potential ascent will be fueled by a healthy Kym Wenz, according to 12th-year head coach Lisa Campanell Komara as she welcomes back one of the best guards in the conference. Wenz was the 2006-07 NCAC Newcomer of the Year and on her way to more postseason accolades last season before a knee injury caused her to miss the final 12 games. Wenz still led the league in scoring with an average of 17.5 points, including a standout rate of 23-for-44 from 3-point range (.523), and she also contributed 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 steals, however, Campanell Komara stressed that Wooster won’t be a one-woman show by any means.

“Our consistency at both ends of the floor, coupled with how our younger players gel with the returnees, are two of the factors for us to have a successful season,” she stated. “We have enough talent both returning and coming in, and some added depth to push toward a strong finish in the conference race.”

Similar to past years, the Scots will look to push the tempo via a perimeter-oriented lineup as well as post players who can “get up the floor and finish on the break,” according to Campanell Komara. Joining Wenz on the outside will be senior starter Meredith Wilson, coming off a season in which she tallied career highs in points (11.5 ppg), rebounds (3.7 rpg), and assists (1.3 apg), while pacing the squad in free throw percentage (.809) and shooting a solid 35.2 percent from beyond the arc (58-for-165). For her efforts, Wilson received honorable mention on the All-NCAC Team.

Junior Colleen Goodwillie, who like Wenz missed significant time to injury last year, will likely assume the starting point guard responsibilities, and sophomore Taylor Keegan is expected to see extended minutes on the wing once she returns to the team in December after studying abroad in India this semester.

Continuing to be the focus of the post is junior Kaitlin Krister. She established a strong presence last winter, earning second-team all-NCAC accolades with her 12.8 points, and team-best 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots. Junior forward Becca Hartsock, a two-year team captain, is a returning starter who has the ability and desire to excel defensively and in rebounding.

While Wenz, Krister, and Wilson have all proven to be high-caliber players, Campanell Komara thinks she will have improved depth this season, thanks to an influx of newcomers. If she turns out to be right and the team stays healthy, Wooster could be in contention for a wining record and NCAC championship by the end of the season.

“One thing we will strive for as a team is believing in ourselves at both ends of the floor and our ability to beat anyone out there,“ commented Campanell Komara. “Last year, we were competitive against most anybody we played, but couldn’t quite finish games. With the nucleus of players we have coming back who saw the floor in crucial situations, along with the talented newcomers, we can learn and build off those successes and move to that next level.”

The Scots face a variety of non-league opponents to prepare them for what is expected to be another parity-filled NCAC schedule. Wooster will play a series of regional foes four of its first five games and then take a trip to Massachusetts, which Campanell Komara believes will challenge her team and make it better for the grueling conference schedule.
The following is a more in-depth look at the 2008-09 Scots:

BACKCOURT
One of the most valuable and versatile players in the NCAC, Wenz was averaging 33-plus minutes (33.3 mpg) prior to her injury. She paced the team in scoring in nine of her 13 games played, making 77.8 percent of her free throws (49-of-63), good for third-best in the conference, in addition to her standout 3-point shooting. Not afraid to crash the boards, Wenz finished as the team’s second-leading rebounder, and is considered one of the top defenders. Additionally, Campanell Komara praised her for “off-season improvement of her footwork both offensively and defensively.”

With 70 career games to her credit, Wilson is the team’s lone four-year player. She will be building off her first season as a starter, aiming to continue to be explosive both off the dribble and from outside. Wilson, who has made 91 career 3-pointers (40 shy of the school record), is expected to carry a portion of the scoring load.

Goodwillie, who started four times last year but also missed nine games to injury, has the potential to be one of the league’s better point guards. She will control the offensive flow, but also look to score and increase her averages of 4.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.4 steals.

When Keegan returns to the squad from her studies abroad, Campanell Komara will have another veteran threat in the backcourt. A streaky shooter, she was the Scots’ fourth-leading scorer a season ago (6.7 ppg) while making 41-of-129 3-pointers (.318).

There are five first-year guards joining the program – Sarah Abboud, Keshia Butler, Samantha Justice, Chelsea Raines, and Marissa Stover – along with junior Deanna Pickett who rejoins the program after taking last season off. They will all be pushing for playing time, providing Wooster much-needed depth during 2008-09.

FRONTCOURT
With Krister leading the way, the Scots possess a mobile frontcourt. The six-footer produced a breakout season a year ago, ranking fourth in the league in scoring, fifth in rebounding, and second in blocked shots. Very efficient on the offensive end, she compiled a .537 field-goal percentage and a .674 free throw percentage, ranking second and ninth in the NCAC in those respective categories.

Hartsock may not put up big numbers, but she is an integral part of the team’s success as well. The 5-7 power forward translated her desire and intensity into averages of 2.3 points and 3.4 rebounds over 25 starts last winter.

Newcomer Christina Cruce has the size and skills to make an immediate impact as a first-year, according to Campanell Komara. The tallest player on the squad at 6-2 and with a wide wingspan, she may end up being a nice complement to Krister in the low post. Others who could see significant time down low include freshman forwards Kristin Hare, Kristen Schwartz, Samantha Sulzer, and Kinsey Walker.