A year ago, Head Coach Cheri Harrer's team finished 27-3 overall and won the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and OAC Tournament titles and then advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament. This year, Harrer's team wants to forget last season and develop an identity of its own and again challenge for the OAC and NCAA Division III titles.

 

"Our young women are proud of and respect our winning tradition and heritage of excellence but also would like to establish their own identity," said Harrer, who enters the season with a 374-129 career record and has led the Yellow Jackets to seven OAC regular season titles, five OAC Tournament titles and into the NCAA tourney 10 of the last 13 years. "Our program has been very successful in the past. This group wants to take the program to the next level."

 

Back to lead the way are 10 letterwinners, including nine players who were part of Harrer's 12-player rotation last winter. Headlining that list is senior three-time All-OAC selection and team captain Amanda Mondrach, who averaged 8.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and had 51 assists and a team-leading 32 three-pointers.

 

Joining Monrach as a returning starter is senior point guard Rachael Quiring and 6'2" junior center Ariel Brough. Quiring scored 7.0 ppg. and led the team with 61 assists, and Brough scored 6.9 ppg., grabbed 5.9 rpg. and blocked a school-record 59 shots.

 

Off the bench, look for senior Jessica Butzer (3.6 ppg.) and juniors Sasha Samara (3.9 ppg. and 3.2 rpg.), and Serena Farage (3.3 ppg.) to each play like seasoned veterans. Also look for sophomores Amanda Schroeder (6.5 ppg.), Courtney Ritzler (5.8 ppg. and 25 three-pointers) and Carrie Ritzler (1.6 ppg. and 37 assists) all to be better with a year of experience. In addition to the veterans, add sophomore Ali Stack to one transfer and another strong recruiting class and Harrer has the ingredients for another run at the national title.

 

"Our goal every year is to win the OAC regular season and OAC Tournament titles and win the Div. III national title," said Harrer. "We feel that with hard work and consistent effort that this group of young women has the talent and ability to make their dreams come true."

 

BW opens its season on Saturday and Sunday, November 15-16 when it travels to the Kean (N.J.) University Tournament. BW plays Salisbury (Md.) University in its first game at 12:00 noon. Fans can listen to that game via campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM.  A determination has not been made to date whether the game will be live or aired via tape delay (the football team also plays Capital University at 1:30 p.m. that day).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact BW 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 or call Assistant SID Nick Minerd at 440-826-2780 or e-mail him at nminerd@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Cheri Harrer, please call 440-826-3299 or e-mail at charrer@bw.edu. You can get all of the latest BW athletics information by visiting our Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.