MACOMB, Ill. - The Fighting Leatherneck women's basketball program will begin the season with a home game with Hannibal-LaGrange on Friday (Nov. 11) at 7 p.m. First-year head coach JD Gravina will attempt to end a two-year home opener losing streak. The last time the Purple & Gold won its home opener was Nov. 14, 2008 with a 70-53 victory over Robert Morris.Western Illinois women's basketball defeated Illinois-Springfield, 76-69, in the exhibition opener on Nov. 2. Returning Summit League Newcomer of the Year, Sadie Webb collected a team-high 19 points as three other Leathernecks scored in double-figures.
The Matchup
Who:Â Hanibal-LaGrange at Western Illinois
When: Friday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Location: Macomb, Ill.
Arena: Waste Management Court at Western Hall (5,139)
Coverage
Radio • WIUS (88.3 FM, Macomb) Flagship station
Live WIUS radio broadcast (Free)
Play-by-Play: Michael Broskowski
Color Analyst: Ryne Thorson
Streaming • Rocky Vision (Subscription)
Live Stats • GoLeathernecks.com (Free)
SCOUTING THE TROJANS: Head coach Caleb Harrison is in his first season leading the Trojans women's basketball program. Hannibal-LaGrange went 6-25 last season including a 4-12 mark in the American Midwest Conference (NAIA Division I). HLGU returns eight players and four starters. The program welcomes 11 newcomers to the mix. The opening game of the 2011-12 season will be the third meeting all-time between HLGU and Western Illinois and the Leathernecks have a 2-0 lead in the series. The last time the two programs met was in 2006.. The Trojans have opened their season up a loss to Culver-Stockton, defeating William Penn, losing to Union and won two games at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy Classic.
TROJANS TO WATCH: The Trojans will look to juniors Ashley Wilson and Trenee Thorton for offense, both are transfer additions. Wilson joins HLGU after starting five games and appearing in 12 for Purdue where she averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Thorton spent last season with Missouri and appeared in 29 games for the Tigers including nine starts. She averaged 3.1 points per game and 1.3 rebounds per game.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL: Western Illinois first-year women's basketball coach JD Gravina will look to prove the poll wrong as Western was picked to finish 10th in the 10-team league, in a vote by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media members. Defending champion Oral Roberts (411, 24 first-place votes) was tabbed as the preseason favorite. The Golden Eagles also have the Preseason Player of the Year in Kevi Luper who also collected the honor last season. Oakland (356, two first-place votes) was picked to finish second while South Dakota State (328, one first-place vote) was picked third in the poll.
COACHING STAFF: The women's basketball program added two new coaches to the staff this season. Seth Minter and Tiffany Coppage join the Purple & Gold's coaching staff. Kerry Juhlin remains with the team from the previous staff. Minter joins Western after spending last year as head women's basketball coach at Culver-Stockton College. During the 2010-11 season, Minter led CSC to five conference wins, matching in one year the program's total from the previous three years combined. Coppage spent the 2010-11 season at Wichita State as a graduate assistant coach, part of the Shockers' WNIT squad. A member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Black Coaches Association (BCA), she assisted with video breakdown, day-to-day office operations, practice preparation, team travel and recruiting visits.
RETURNING LEATHERNECKS: Sadie Webb (2010-11 Summit League Newcomer of the Year) leads a large group of returners that look to continue to rebuild the Leatherneck program. The senior averaged 12.0 points per game last season including a high mark of 26 at Southern Utah. Webb led the team in scoring on 11 occasions in 2010-11 and also averaged 4.8 rebounds per game to lead the squad. Senior guard Valencia Kelly returns and will be important in the transition game Coach Gravina looks to run this season. Kelly averaged 10.1 points and led the team with 79 assists. She was the team's leading scorer on eight occasions a season ago. Junior guard Michele Salvatori will be asked to continue her offensive contribution after a season where she average 7.7 points per game and led the Leathernecks in scoring during four games. Brittany Demery, Tricia Coates and Rachel Evans will also add depth to the Leatherneck inside game. Saule Kontautaite will bring her long-range game to the roster after missing last season due to injury. Jackie Rieger led the team in scoring twice last season and will add some experience and a scoring threat to the roster. Rebecca Henricson and Christina Jones both saw time at point guard last season.
NEWCOMERS: Junior Karis Phillips and freshmen Martyna Kudziela and Lindsay Carroll join the Leathernecks as the three new names on the roster. Women's soccer player Laura Atkinson also was added to the roster before official practice began. Phillips brings her talents to Western Illinois after an All-American season at North Dakota College of Sciences. She averaged 13.7 points per game while handing out 4.6 assists. Phillips shot 37 percent from three-point range and collected 142 assists. Her high school career was also impressive as she was a member of sectional and state championship teams. Carroll is added to the mix after four very successful seasons with Rockton Hononegah High School. She was a three-time team captain and an All-Area and All-Conference selection in each of her first three seasons. She was named All-State Honorable Mention by the Champaign Gazette. Carroll averaged 14.7 points and 7.4 assists during her senior season and made 293 career three-pointers and collected 520 assists. Kudziela looks to add length and athleticism to the roster as the six-foot Brisbane, Australia native joins the program. Atkinson joins the women's basketball program and looks to be a two-sport athlete as she also plays women's soccer at Western. She is a standout goalkeeper for the Purple & Gold, Atkinson has been named to the Summit All-League and All-Tournament teams on two occasions and during her freshman season earned All-Newcomer honors. Her high school basketball career was highlighted by All-Conference selections in each of her final three years and averaged 10 points per game for her career.
NON-CONFERNCE SCHEDULE: Trips to Vanderbilt, Northern Illinois, Valparaiso, Eastern Illinois, Iowa, Bradley and Nebraska-Omaha highlight the road non-conference schedule. Milwaukee and Nebraska-Omaha visit Western Hall as two of the marquee home non-conference games.
EXHIBITION VICTORY: The Fighting Leathernecks women's basketball program opened the JD Gravina era with an exhibition contest against Illinois-Springfield inside Western Hall on Nov. 2. An impressive 46-point second half powered the Leathernecks to a 76-69 victory. Sadie Webb collected a team-high 19 points and seven boards while Michele Salvatori contributed 11 points. Newcomers Lindsay Carroll and Karis Phillips scored 10 points each. Brittany Demery led the squad with eight rebounds to go with her eight points. NEW LOOK SUMMIT LEAGUE COMING: The Summit League has experienced a makeover in recent years. Centenary moved to Division III prior to this athletic year. Southern Utah will depart for the Big Sky Conference after this season. Nebraska-Omaha will begin Summit League competition in July 2012. South Dakota joins the Summit League for official competition this season. In October, Oral Roberts announced that it will become the Southland Conference's newest member beginning in July of 2012.
UP NEXT: The first road trip of the season will pit the Leathernecks against Vanderbilt. The Commodores and Leathernecks will meet in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES: Head coach Melanie Balcomb (Trenton State, 1984) is in her 10th season at Vanderbilt (215-84). This upcoming season will be her 19th overall as a head coach (378-188). The Commodores went 20-12 last season including a 10-6 mark in the SEC. Vandy lost to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team returns seven letterwinners and three starters from a season ago. It will be the first ever meeting between Vanderbilt and Western Illinois.
COMMODORES TO WATCH: Sophomores Jasmine Lister (Guard) and Stephanie Holzer (Center) lead a strong group of returners. Lister returns after a season where she averaged 11.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and started all 32 games. Holzer only started two games last season but averaged 11.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game coming off the bench. Another sophomore guard, Christina Foggie, put up 9.9 points per game in 2010-11.
