| Weber State Gets Hot in Second Half to Win 70-51 |
| Sunday, November 29 2009 |
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| El Paso, Texas -- Weber State made eight of its first nine shots in the second half and scored 46 points in the period to defeat Youngstown State 70-51 on Saturday at the UTEP Thanksgiving Tournament. Weber State shot just 27.6 percent (8-for-29) in the first half, but it rebounded to shoot 72 percent in the second half (18-for-25) and 48.1 percent overall. After going scoreless in the first half, Ali Thorderson scored 10 points in the first 4:16 of the second half as Weber State outscored YSU 15-7 over that span. The Wildcats hit their first 3-pointers of the half as Ali Thorderson hit two and Abby Thorderson hit the other. Weber State upped its advantage to as many as 17 points midway through the second half, but YSU scored seven straight points to get margin to 10 at 49-39 with 9:05 remaining. Weber State, though, closed out the game by outscoring YSU 21-12 as it worked through YSU's trap defense. Caitlin Anderson scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Weber State, which improved to 3-3. Macey Nortey had 15 points and six assists in 34 minutes to lead YSU (0-6). Brandi Brown added eight points and nine rebounds, and Rachael Manuel scored all 11 of her points in the second half. Weber State took a 24-19 lead into the locker room despite being outshot 33.3 percent to 27.6 in the first half. Weber State was 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, however, and outscored YSU 10-5 off turnovers. The Penguins scored seven of the game's first nine points and held a 7-2 lead on Bojana Dimitrov's 3-pointer with 17:32 remaining. The Wildcats kept Dimitrov without another bucket the rest of the half, and they scored eight straight points to take and held a 14-9 advantage, which was their first lead of the game. Weber State led by as many as nine when Sarah Conner's 3-pointer put them ahead 24-15 with 3:35 left. Nortey had eight points on 4-for-6 shooting in the first half, and Brown had six points and six rebounds. They combined to go 7-for-13 from the floor, and the rest of the Penguins went 2-for-14. Anderson and Woodfield both had eight points in the first 20 minutes for Weber State. Youngstown State will travel home on Sunday and get ready for a game against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Tipoff at Beeghly Center is set for 7:05 p.m. as the Penguins welcome the Panthers to campus for the first time since Dec. 5, 1991. |
| Nortey Scores Career-High 20 as Guins Fall 70-55 to Kent State |
| Thursday, November 19 2009 |
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| Youngstown -- Youngstown State Macey Nortey scored a career-high 20 points to lead three guards in double figures, but Kent State overcame an early deficit and kept the Penguins at arms length in the second half to win 70-55. The Penguins led 10-2 through eight minutes, and they were able to trim a 16-point second-half deficit to 10 with 1:38 remaining before Kent State closed the game with five straight points. Macey NorteyMacey Nortey scored a career-high 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. YSU showed a big improvement from last season's game with Kent State. The Penguins lost 95-58 at KSU to open the 2008-09 campaign. Kent State improved to 2-0 with the victory, and YSU dropped to 0-3. Bojana Dimitrov added 15 points and Kenya Middlebrooks had a career-high 12, but the rest of YSU's roster combined for eight points. Kent State's high scorer was Jamilah Humes with 14, but nine more players scored as the Golden Flashes held a 29-0 edge in bench points. Kent State also outscored YSU 38-8 in the paint and 23-13 off turnovers. After Dimitrov and Humes traded buckets in the first two minutes of the game, YSU scored eight straight points and led 10-2 on a Dimitrov 3-pointer at the 13:01 mark. From that point, YSU went without a field goal until Macey Nortey hit a jumper with 3:47 remaining as Kent State built a 20-15 lead. Nortey's three-point play cut the deficit to 20-18, but Kent State closed out the half on an 11-4 run to take a 31-22 lead at the break. The Golden Flashes scored the first five points of the second half, and YSU answered with a seven-point run to make the score 38-31 on a Nortey jumper. Kent State scored the next five and extended its lead to 52-36 with 9:32 remaining, and YSU got within 11 five times in the next seven minutes. A Dimitrov 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining got the score to 65-55, but Stephanie Gibson hit a trey on Kent State's next possession, and two Humes free throws ended the scoring. Yoshica Spears added 12 points and 13 rebounds for Kent State, and she grabbed eight of the Golden Flashes' 19 offensive rebounds. KSU held a 50-32 edge on the glass. YSU shot 20.7 percent in the first half but improved to 46.2 percent in the final 20 minutes. The Guins were also 6-of-11 from behind the 3-point arc. YSU will remain at home to play Canisius on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. |
| Quick Start for High Point Leads Panthers Past YSU |
| Tuesday, November 17 2009 |
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| Elon, N.C. -- High Point got off to a fast start offensively, and YSU never found its shooting stroke as the Panthers defeated the Penguins 73-50 on Saturday at Elon University's Alumni Gym. High Point cooled down after starting 11-for-17 but still shot 46.4 percent for the game. YSU was held to 25 percent from the floor and 18-for-38 (47.4 percent) from the free throw line. YSU freshman Brandi Brown recorded her first career double-double, finishing with a team-high 14 points and 11 rebounds. Fellow post Rachael Manuel scored a career-high 11 points, nine of which came from the free-throw line. Bojana Dimitrov finished with nine points to go with her 21 from Friday's contest against Elon. She was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts. High Point's all-tournament team selection Mackenzie Maier scored 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting. Shamia Brown added 15 points, and Jurica Hargraves had 10. YSU drops to 0-2 on the season while High Point evens its record at 1-1. High Point hit 11 of its first 17 shots and led 25-5 at the 11:39 mark of the first half. YSU started 1-for-14 as High Point scored the first 10 points and 18 of the first 21. Brown had the only YSU field goal in the first nine minutes until Dimitrov hit a bucket with 11:29 left. Six of YSU's first 13 points came from the free throw line as High Point had 10 fouls in the first 12 minutes. After High Point's quick start, the Panthers slowed down and made five of their next 16 shots. However, YSU was only able to cut the margin to 15, and High Point made its last two buckets of the half to take a 42-23 lead into the locker room. Manuel had six of her points in the first half, four of which came from the charity stripe, while Brown and Middlebrooks had five apiece. YSU shot just 22.6 percent in the first half while High Point countered with a 51.4 percentage. Maier was 6-for-9 in the first half for 14 points. After Middlebrooks hit a free throw at the 17:27 mark to make the score 45-27, High Point scored the next four points as part of a 15-6 run to go up 27. The score was not closer than 23 the rest of the way. After the initial 25-5 outburst by High Point, the score was 48-45 the rest of the game. The game featured 43 fouls and 61 free throws. Youngstown State opens the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday against Kent State. The game, which will be the front end of a doubleheader with the YSU men's basketball team, will begin at 5:15 p.m. |
| Dimitrov Scores 21 as Elon Pulls Away on Shorthanded Guins |
| Saturday, November 14 2009 |
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| Elon, N.C. -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team played strong through 25 minutes before the fatigue of playing with mainly seven players set in as Elon pulled away to win 86-66 on Friday in the season opener for both schools. Bojana Dimitrov had two of her team-high 21 points to make the score 45-40 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the second half. From that point, Elon went on a 13-3 run and never led by double digits the rest of the way. The Penguins' 66 points was one shy of their season-high from last year. Elon played up-tempo throughout the contest and got a game-high 23 points from freshman Ali Ford, the 2009 North Carolina Female Athlete of the Year as a high school senior. Three other players scored in double figures, and freshman Kelsey Evans had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The contest featured two teams who combined to win eight games a season ago, but both teams played much better in the first 25 minutes than those records would indicate. Both programs are in the second season under a new head coach. YSU shot 40 percent in the first half but just 32.5 percent in the second half it began to tire. The Penguins also went 6-for-13 from the free throw line and allowed Elon to get 46 points in the paint, many of which came on layups. Elon shot a blistering 63 percent in the second half and 58.9 percent overall. YSU forced 28 turnovers and converted those into a 28-4 edge in points off turnovers. The Penguins shot 19 more times than the Phoenix but had six fewer field goals. Macey Nortey tied her career high with 14 points, Kenya Middlebrooks matched hers with two, and freshman Maryum Jenkins had eight in her collegiate debut. Freshman Brandi Brown and senior Rachael Manuel tied for the game high with 10 rebounds apiece. A Manuel bucket put the Penguins ahead 23-19 with 8:35 remaining in the first half, but Elon went on a 16-3 run over the next 4:20 to go up 35-26. Nortey's jumper with 2:21 remaining cut the Phoenix lead to 37-32, and Elon added a basket with fewer than five seconds remaining to take a 39-32 lead at the break. Dimitrov had 12 points in the first half on 5-for-12 shooting, and both Nortey and Jenkins had six apiece. YSU made 40 percent of its field goals in the first half and held an 18-4 edge in points off turnovers. Ford had 15 or Elon's 39 first-half points and hit all four of the Phoenix's treys. She also had five assists in the opening period. Senior Kaitlyn March played in two minutes as she continues to work her way back from a sprained ankle. Nortey played a game-high 37 minutes, and Dimitrov's 35 minutes were the second-most. YSU will play one more contest at the Elon Tip-Off Classic on Saturday against High Point at 7 p.m. The Panthers lost to Navy 70-67 in overtime on Friday in the first contest of the tournament. |
| Many New Faces Set to Debut in Tonight's Opener vs. Elon |
| Friday, November 13 2009 |
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| Plenty of Newcomers Arrive Of the 12 players on YSU’s roster, seven are newcomers. Bojana Dimitrov, Shea Johnson and Tieara Jones are JUCO transfers, and Maryum Jenkins, Melissa Thompson, Kaitlin Rohrs and Brandi Brown are freshmen. A maximum of five of the newcomers, though, will be able to make an impact on the floor. Jones will sit out the season while she meets academic requirements. Thompson is out for the year with a torn ACL that she suffered in open gym prior the start of practice. Johnson may miss the season with a back injury. A Quick Look at the Returners Sophomore guard Macey Nortey enters the season as the active career leader in points, rebounds and assists. Senior post Rachael Manuel has played in 85 games in three years, but she has played mostly a reserve role. Senior Kaitlyn March is a 3-point specialist who played in 23 contests last season after playing in 14 combined in her first two years. Sophomore guard Kenya Middlebrooks is a strong defender who should be an improved scorer, and sophomore guard Makala Gasparek is a hard worker who joined the team last season as a walk-on. Last Time vs. Elon Youngstown State fell to Elon 63-58 on Nov. 29, 2003, when the teams met in the consolation game of the Holiday Inn Mountain View Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. Jessica Forsythe finished with 17 points and eight rebounds to lead YSU while Kristy Gaudiose added 10 points. Courtney Nyborg had a double-double for Elon, finishing with 21 points and 10 boards. Tied at 27 through the first half, Elon went on a 24-10 run in the second half. YSU pulled within two with less than a minute remaining before Elon hit free throws to seal the win. The win was Elon head coach Brenda Paul’s 400th career victory. Martin Has Pedigree for Turnaround Head Coach Cindy Martin has experience and an impressive track record with rebuilding programs. In her three years as the head coach at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Martin led the Crimson Hawks to a 70-23 record. IUP had a 9.5-win improvement from the year before she took over to her first season. Martin was also an assistant coach at West Virginia University from 2001-05. Looking Back 10 Years The 2009-10 season marks the 10-year anniversary of Youngstown State’s last appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Penguins went 22-9 in 1999-2000, which included a 12-4 mark in the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League). After winning three games by an average of 11 points in the league tournament, YSU lost 83-63 at Penn State. The 1999-2000 season capped a five-year run in which the Penguins averaged 22.6 wins and went to three NCAA Tournaments. Martin Hopes Rebuilding Starts in Second Year Since that NCAA Tournament berth in 1999-2000, YSU has not had a winning season. The high for wins has been 14, and YSU has had four 20-loss seasons during the span, including last year’s 3-27 mark. Now that 10 of the 12 players on the squad have been recruited by Head Coach Cindy Martin, the second-year coach is hoping that the rebuilding process begins in 2009-10. Looking for First Win Against North Carolina, SoCon Opponent Youngstown State is 0-4 in program history against teams from North Carolina and 0-1 against Southern Conference teams. YSU has lost one game apiece to Clemson, Elon, North Carolina State and UNC-Wilmington. Elon is the only current member of the SoCon that YSU has played. Penguins Among Youngest Teams The Penguins will be among the youngest teams in the county with only six players on the roster having Division I experience. One of those, transfer Tieara Jones, will redshirt as she fulfills her NCAA requirements. Jones played at Buffalo her freshman year before transferring to Foothills College. Rachael Manuel has the most experience with 85 games, but she’s started only eight times. As a whole, the entire team has a combined 47 starts at the Division I level. Lots to Replace From Last Season With the departure of seven players from last year’s team, the Penguins will have to get contribution from a lot of new faces. The top five scorers from last season are all gone, as is 74.4 percent of the scoring, 75.3 percent of the rebounding and 62.9 percent of the minutes played. Furthermore, sophomore point guard Macey Nortey is the active career scoring leader with 169 points. Seniors Manuel and March, Sophomore Nortey Elected Team Captains Sophomore Macey Nortey joins join seniors Rachael Manuel and Kaitlyn March as captains of the 2009-10 YSU women’s basketball team. Manuel and March are the lone seniors on the roster, and Nortey is the active career leader in several categories despite being a sophomore. March was also a captain last season, joining three seniors. The trio earned their captainship in a vote by their teammates. Penguins 10th in Horizon League Poll Youngstown State has been picked to finish 10th out of 10 teams in the Horizon League in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches. That matches where the Penguins finished at the end of the 2008-09 season. Green Bay was picked to win its 12th-straight league title with 266 points, but Cleveland State was a close second with 243 points. The Vikings have the preseason Player of the Year in Kailey Klein and a preseason first-team guard in junior Shawnita Garland. Who’s the Shooter? An early goal for YSU this season is finding out who its primary outside shooters will be. The active players on the roster have hit a combined 21 3-pointers at the Division I level. Kaitlyn March is the leader with 15 in her career, 14 of which came last season. Macey Nortey and Kenya Middlebrooks each have two in their careers while Makala Gasparek and Rachael Manuel have hit one trey apiece. Looking to Snap Season-Opener Streak The Penguins will try to win their season opener for the first time since a 76-59 victory over Saint Louis in 2004-05. Since that time, YSU has lost at Robert Morris, against Cincinnati, at Buffalo and at Kent State. YSU is 20-14 all-time in season openers. Martin Still Looking for First Road Win Although YSU earned three wins during Cindy Martin’s first season, she is still looking for her first “true” road victory as the Penguins’ head coach. YSU defeated Weber State on a neutral floor at the University of Pittsburgh for her first victory. The other two wins were both at YSU’s Beeghly Center - against Akron and Valparaiso. Nortey’s Assists Among Best for Frosh Point guard Macey Nortey finished with 80 assists in her freshman campaign. That total ranks as the sixth-best among freshmen in school history. She started 25 games and played 805 minutes, which ranked second on the team only to senior Kelsey Gurganus. Loss of Three Posts Leave Guins Thin With the departure of three senior posts from last year’s squad, the Penguins’ frontcourt will be thin in experience this year. Rachael Manuel is the only post on the roster who has played in a collegiate game. The Penguins will have to rely on talented freshmen Brandi Brown and Kaitlin Rohrs to step in and play right away. Kluesner Joins Coaching Staff In addition to the seven new players on this year’s YSU team, Kristina Kluesner has joined the program as a Volunteer Director of Operations. Kluesner comes to YSU with two seasons of operations experience in the WNBA, two years of coaching at the high school level and six months of graduate assistant work at Central Methodist University. Her main responsibilities will be film exchange, assisting with travel and helping in the office. Three Players Sign NLIs to Attend YSU YSU welcomed three new players to the program on Wednesday as guards Monica Touvelle and Jill Herman joined post Heidi Schlegel in signing a National Letter of Intent. Touvelle is a 3-point specialist from nearby Boardman, Ohio, who has hit 135 3-pointers in three seasons. Herman, a native of Powell, Tenn., can play the wing or post. She has already scored 1,000 points in her career. Schlegel is a 6-foot post who led Wapakoneta (Ohio) High to the Division II state title game as a junior. |
| Boardman's Monica Touvelle Joins Two in Signing NLI's |
| Wednesday, November 11 2009 |
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| Youngstown -- Boardman High guard Monica Touvelle, guard Jill Herman and post Heidi Schlegel have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend their academic and basketball careers at Youngstown State University, Penguins head coach Cindy Martin announced. "We are just thrilled to be signing such quality players, students and people," Martin said. "Monica, Heidi and Jill all have offensive skills, can really shoot the ball and have a great basketball IQ. They also are all coming to YSU from elite High School and AAU programs, which gives them great insight about what to expect as a collegiate student-athlete. My assistant coaches worked really hard with our 2010 recruits to sign ladies that have already bought in to our team’s philosophy. They will come in and contribute right away to the rebuilding process that has already begun." Monica TouvelleMonica Touvelle Touvelle, a 5-foot-8 shooting guard from Boardman, Ohio, is a 3-point specialist who has nailed 135 treys during her first three seasons for the Spartans. She set Division I Boardman’s school record for 3-pointers in a game as a freshman with nine, and her 55 3-pointers as a sophomore set the single season record. Touvelle averaged 13.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 steals as a junior to earn second-team All-Federal League honors. Boardman coach Ron Moschella called Touvelle the best 3-point shooter he's seen in 28 years of coaching. “Monica made a verbal commitment to YSU in December of 2008, and we are just so happy to make this official today," Martin said. "She is deadly from the 3-point line, and our team is going to be able to count on her to hit that game winning shot. She is a local student-athlete, and we are targeting all of the local players that can help our program.” "I made my decision to play at YSU because I really like the atmosphere here, and I feel the school has a lot to offer in both athletics and academics," Touvelle said. "Also, I am very impressed with Coach Martin and her staff. I’m really excited about playing in my hometown in front of my family and friends." Heidi SchlegelHeidi Schlegel Schlegel is a 6-foot post from Wapakoneta, Ohio, who helped lead Wapakoneta to the Division II state title game as a junior. She averaged 15 points and nine rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the free-throw line as a junior for the Redskins. She was even better in the postseason, averaging 16.6 points and 10 rebounds. Schlegel owns the school single-season rebounding record with 244, and her 405 points last season rank as the second-highest in school history. She currently heads the career list in field goal percentage at 55 percent, and her 481 career rebounds rank fourth. "Heidi is a strong and physical post player that will be able to play with her back to the basket or facing the rim," Martin said. "She is aggressive when it comes to rebounding and setting screens, and she has good timing with the guards on those plays. Heidi has a nice touch and will be able to step out and shoot or put the ball on the floor and drive strong to the basket.” "I chose YSU because I believe I will receive the best education for my career as a teacher and future basketball coach," Schlegel said. "I believe the coaching staff will push me and make me the best player and person I can be. I believe we can win a championship at YSU with perseverance, hard work and dedication. I am excited for the opportunity to bring that to Youngstown in the next four years!" Jill HermanJill Herman Herman, a native of Powell, Tenn., is 5-foot-11 and can play in the post or on the wing. She has already scored 1,000 points in her career and has a chance to break Powell High's all-time scoring record. As a junior she scored 411 points and led the team in rebounding as she earned all-district, all-region and all-district tournament team honors. Herman shot 42.6 percent from 3-point as a sophomore, when she also named all-district and team MVP. Powell made the state quarterfinals in Herman's junior year. “Jill is a skilled, multi-position player that will be able to cause match-up problems for our opponents," Martin said. "She is extremely smart and is always looking to see what the defense is leaving open and then takes advantage of it since she is such a skilled passer. Jill scores in a variety of ways as she can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or take the jumper. She is also a tremendous 3-point shooter.” “I chose YSU because it has a great atmosphere, and it is a place I can see myself fitting in and helping to rebuild the program," Herman said. "Not only am I excited about the cold weather, I am also excited about playing with this group of girls and playing for all the coaches.” |
| Penguins Strive for Big Improvement in Martin's Second Year |
| Saturday, November 7 2009 |
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| Prior to last season, Youngstown State head women’s basketball coach Cindy Martin had never been part of a team that finished with more losses than wins in her entire coaching and playing career. She describes herself as the most competitive person someone will ever meet, so you can imagine how determined and excited the Penguins’ second-year head coach is to show a big improvement in 2009-10. Martin’s club went through some growing pains during the 2008-09 season. Playing with three new starters and five student-athletes who had never suited up for a Division I game, nagging injuries forced Martin to start freshmen often and hold back on her preferred full-court pressure defense. However, Martin saw the squad show a big improvement as the season progressed. That was epitomized by YSU’s 54-38 win over Valparaiso in the regular-season finale, a team the Penguins lost to 86-43 two months earlier. Now, Martin is hoping the experience her younger players gained last season combined with the addition of seven new Penguins will bring a big improvement in the win column. Macey NorteyDespite being a sophomore, co-captain Macey Nortey is the active career leader in points, rebounds and assists. "I think we definitely continued to improve," Martin said of the first season of her rebuilding effort. "Our goal in year one was to improve every day. We had a heck of a turnaround, and that’s something we’re talking about a lot this year. "We’re still in a rebuilding phase, and we have to continue to get better every day. If we work hard every day, we’re hoping that the preseason is our time to develop and grow this year so we’re ready to go for the start of the conference schedule." The Penguins will be among the youngest teams in the county with only six players on the roster having Division I experience. One of those, transfer Tieara Jones, will redshirt as she fulfills her NCAA requirements. The top five scorers from last season are all gone, as is 74.4 percent of the scoring, 75.3 percent of the rebounding and 62.9 percent of the minutes played. Furthermore, sophomore point guard Macey Nortey is the active career scoring leader with 169 points. Martin, though, is hoping that those five players that do return benefitted from a lot of playing time in the first season of her regime. "We had a lot of youth on the floor for the duration of most games, and I think that game experience will pay off at critical times this year," she said. "People like Kenya Middlebrooks, for example, that really got thrown into the starting line-up on a consistent basis out of position last year, really grew from that. Confidence is the thing that I’m seeing the biggest improvement in with the five returners." Rachael Manuel and Kaitlyn March will carry the leadership torch as the Guins’ two seniors and only two players who have been at YSU longer than Martin. Manuel has played in 85 games in her career, 57 of which came in her first two collegiate seasons at Southern Miss, but she’s never been counted on to start and score as she’s likely to be this year. March had played in 14 games combined her first two seasons before appearing in 23 as a junior. "Kaitlyn and Rachael have done a great job communicating with all of the underclassmen about how to be on time for things, and about campus, classes and my expectations on and off the court," Martin said. "They may not have as much experience on the court as some seniors, but they have just as much experience off the court. I think both of them are excited about this year, and I’m expecting big years for both of them. I think this is going to be their best years. That’s the way they can leave Youngstown feeling like they started a tradition." Three sophomores – Makala Gasparek, Middlebrooks and Nortey – are the only other returning players on the squad, but they’re an experienced group with 88 games combined under their belts. Three junior college transfers and four freshmen in Martin’s first full recruiting class will be charged in improving an offense that was held to 50.2 points per game last season and adding athleticism and speed on the defensive side. Based on precedent, the Penguins have no clear-cut "go-to superstar" on the offensive end. "I’m actually excited about that," Martin said. "I think I’m a very motivational coach, and I do well coaching the underdog because I’ve been part of rebuilding programs for the last 12 years. I like walking into a gym and having people wonder who’s going to score big. I challenge our ladies to ‘let that be you.’ "We’re going to have to win with team ball, and we don’t need anyone to be a superstar. We need everyone to do their jobs. If you’re a rebounder, that means rebound. If you’re a scorer, that means score. If you’re good a setting screens, you set the best screen you can set. As long as everyone does their job, you can beat anyone on a given night." Backcourt Four of the five returning student-athletes and five of the newcomers are guards, so depth in the backcourt should definitely be a strength. Nortey was the only true point guard on the team last year, and she got the clichéd "baptism by fire." Nortey, a quick guard whose leaping ability allows her to play taller than her 5-foot-3 frame, started at point guard in 25 games last season and played in all 30 in her first collegiate season. Her 26.8 minutes per game ranked second on the team, and she showed the ability to be an all-around player by averaging 5.6 points, 2.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds. Junior Bojana "Boki" Dimitrov was brought in to compliment Nortey as an accomplished point guard, but the Paracin, Serbia, native will be asked to play a big role on the wing as well. Last season at Carl Albert State College, Dimitrov averaged 10 points and 4.5 assists as a sophomore, and her 5.9 assists as a freshman ranked 18th nationally in the NJCAA Division I. She was ranked 68th out of 205 junior college prospects across the country by the All Star Girls Report. Gasparek joined the team early last fall as a walk-on and earned a scholarship because of her work-ethic and potential. She played in 28 games last season and has been on campus throughout the summer working to improve. "I’m excited about the point guard spot because I think we’re going to have depth and versatility there," Martin said. "Macey gained valuable game and conference experience last year, and she has really learned what I expect with our offensive system. "Boki is just a natural leader who is tough and tenacious. We knew that when we recruited her. Now that she’s in the mix of things, she’s everything we thought she’d be and a little more. We’re excited that she’s going to be able to score more [as an off-guard]. "Makala is the hardest working player on this team, and her 3-point shot looks great." March displayed a huge improvement when she was healthy at the early part of last season, and she’ll be looked upon to provide leadership and scoring from the wing. After playing in 14 games combined her first two seasons, March played in 23 contests last season and set career highs in nearly every statistical category. She scored at least eight points in three of the first five games, and nine of her 14 3-pointers came in the first seven contests. She, along with Dimitrov and Gasparek, will be counted on to be YSU’s primary 3-point threats. Middlebrooks is a stalwart defender who played in all 30 games and started nine a year ago. She led the squad with 37 steals last season and averaged 23.8 minutes. She’ll play the majority of her time at the No. 3 position this year after ranging from the two to four in her freshman season. Freshman Maryum Jenkins was a four-year starter as both a shooting guard and point guard at Monrovia High in California, and she’ll play mostly on the wing in 2009-10. She averaged 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals as a senior in leading her team to the league title. She was ranked 290th out of 1,725 high school prospects across the country by the All Star Girls Basketball Report. Shea Johnson joined the Penguins in July after a solid career at Midland (Texas) College, one of the top JUCO programs in the nation. She averaged 8.3 points and played in all 32 games for the Chaparrals last season, who finished 30-2 and ranked fifth in the final national poll. Melissa Thompson was a Third-Team Northeast Lakes District selection as a senior in what was her first season at Solon High. Prior to leading Solon to a district title, she averaged 12.1 points and 9.2 rebounds as a junior at Bedford High. "I think we’ll have some versatility on the wing because we’ll have people out there who can also play point guard," Martin said. "Kenya, Maryum, Shea and Melissa are all good jump shooters who can ‘stop and pop’ or get to the rim. I’m really excited about Kenya this year because she’s back in her natural position, and her confidence is definitely up. Kaitlyn has worked on driving so she can become a dual-threat, and Maryum is just a baller who knows how to play. Shea averaged 26 points in high school, so we’re hoping to help her become a consistent scorer. Melissa scores very well from the free-throw line in and can be a nice combo player at the No. 3 and 4 positions." Frontcourt Although there are only three true posts on the roster, Martin is pleased with the group’s versatility to play inside and out. "I’m excited about the posts’ versatility this year. I’m excited that we can set an on-ball screen and not always roll. We can teach them this year to read it. They can pop out and shoot the 3 if their man drops." Manuel is the only returning post player from last year’s squad that saw forwards Nikita LaFleur and Tiara Scott lead the team in scoring. Manuel will look to follow in their footsteps with an increased role on the floor and as a mentor to two incoming freshmen. Rachael ManuelSenior Rachael Manuel is by far the most-experienced player on the squad with 85 career games played. Manuel is by far the most-veteran player on the squad with her 85 career games, and she averaged 1.9 points and 2.1 rebounds over 27 games as a substitute for LaFleur and Scott last year. She’ll look for a breakout campaign similar to LaFleur’s last season in which she more-than-doubled her scoring and rebounding averages. Freshman Kaitlin Rohrs averaged 14 points and eight rebounds as both a sophomore and junior at Liberty Center High to earn first-team all-district honors both seasons. She went on to earn honorable mention All-Ohio honors as a senior when she averaged 11.8 points and 7.7 rebounds. Fellow freshman Brandi Brown comes to Youngstown as a highly-accomplished player out of Claremont High in California. She averaged 24 points and 19.6 rebounds as a senior and retired as the school’s all-time leader in points and rebounds. She earned Second-Team All-CIF Southern Section honors as a senior. "I’d love to have two true posts on the floor at all times, but we’re prepared to go in this year with a four-out, one-in mentality," Martin said. "That is the style of half-court offense we want to get to. We want to have one post inside and one on the perimeter somewhere. We have good range with our posts and have nice touch. It will be nice to adjust what we want to do based on what we think will work for each game." |
| Manuel, March, Nortey Named Team Captains for 2009-10 |
| Monday, November 2 2009 |
| Courtesy of: |
| Youngstown -- Sophomore Macey Nortey will join seniors Rachael Manuel and Kaitlyn March as captains of the 2009-10 Youngstown State women's basketball team, Penguins head coach Cindy Martin announced. Manuel and March are the lone seniors on the roster, and Nortey is the active career leader in several categories despite being a sophomore. The trio earned their captainship in a vote by their teammates. "I think these three ladies will do a fantastic job as captains this season," Martin said. "I am excited to meet with them and get their honest feedback as we progress through the season." "It's a fun group with a lot of personality, and I'm sure the captains will help our team bond both on and off the court." Manuel is the most veteran player on the squad with 85 career games played, 57 of which came in her first two collegiate seasons at Southern Miss. The Grayslake, Ill., native averaged 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 11.8 minutes last season, but the senior post is expected to have a much bigger role this season after a strong summer. March appeared in a career-high 23 games last season as a junior after playing in 14 contests her first two seasons combined. March is one of YSU's top outside threats from the wing. Nine of her 14 3-pointers last season came in the first seven games. Nortey started 25 games at point guard and played in all 30 last season as a true freshman. She is the top returning player in points (5.6 points per game), rebounds (2.7) and assists (2.7) from last season. The Penguins will play Lake Erie College at Beeghly Center in an exhibition on Friday at 7:05 p.m. |