2007-08 CCIW woMen's basketball season preview

The 2007-08 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s basketball season features several teams with a host of veteran experience, but also teams with question marks.
Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin are the frontrunners heading into the 2007-08 season as both finished in the top two in the latest CCIW preseason poll conducted by the eight head coaches in the conference. Both teams also enter the season ranked nationally by D3Hoops.com as Millikin is ranked 13th and Illinois Wesleyan is 15th respectively.

Illinois Wesleyan finished 22-6 (11-3 in the CCIW) last season and will look to Mallory Heydorn, a preseason all-American by D3Hoops.com, who averaged a team-high 17.1 points per game and made a school-record 85 three-pointers in the process. Senior guard Sarah Bull and junior guard Claire Sheehan return after posting scoring averages of 15.2 and 13.4 points respectively. Sheehan was an all-conference selection in 2006-07. Seniors Crystal Dye and Thea Rogers returns to the starting lineup as Dye led the team in rebounding while Rogers was the team’s leading shot-blocker.

Millikin’s Lindsay Ippel picked up numerous accolades en route to leading her team to a 20-6 record (11-3 in the CCIW) last season. Ippel comes into the season as a preseason all-American by D3Hoops.com after leading the conference in scoring and rebounding with 25.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in 2006-07. Ippel is one of 12 returning letter winners to the Big Blue in 2007-08. Senior guard Andrea Riebock returns after earning all-conference honors last season. Senior forward Megan Mateer is also back as is senior guard Kelly Steers. Both saw considerable time in the starting lineup for Millikin last season.

Carthage (15-11, 8-6) returns four starters from a team that clinched a spot in the CCIW Tournament last season. Returning is all-conference junior forward Katie Jarger who averaged 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. Also back is all-conference guard/forward Carlie Janowiak, who as a junior last season, averaged 6.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Starting junior point guard Shana Lieberman (11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists) and senior guard Erika Buchholz (8.4 points, 3.2 rebounds) also return for the Lady Reds.

Two-time defending conference champion Wheaton (20-8, 12-2) will be in a rebuilding mode in 2007-08 after losing Elizabeth Fox, Brittany Cooper and Emily Carwell to graduation. Jill Trenz left Wheaton early to attend nursing school. The team’s top returning scorer is junior Kathleen Fidelia who averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds en route to earning all-conference honors.

North Park (15-9, 7-7) will also be in a rebuilding mode after losing two-time team MVP and all-conference selection Laura Mount to graduation. Junior guard Stylianee Damianides is the team’s only returning starter and will move to the point guard position this season. Damianides averaged 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds last season. Senior forward Crissy Komperda returns after sitting out last season.

North Central (5-20, 4-10) returns four starters from a team that finished the 2006-07 season on a three-game winning streak including a 57-46 victory over second-place finisher Illinois Wesleyan. The top returnee is junior Brianne Parra who averaged 18.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game and was named all-conference in the process. Also returning to form a three-guard lineup are sophomore Jessica Davis and juniors Gia Navarra and Amber Cibrario.

Elmhurst (6-19, 2-12) will enter the 2007-08 campaign with new coach Tethnie Forbes who takes over after Hope Semper resigned to pursue other opportunities at the conclusion of last season. Senior guard Candice Sutton is back after averaging a career-high 11.5 points per game last season. Junior forward Brittany Bobruk returns after leading the team in scoring with 13.0 points per game and a team-high eight rebound average. Sophomore forward Lyndsie Long averaged 12.4 points per game during her freshman season, earning her third-team all-conference honors.

Second-year head coach Bobbi Endress will continue the process of turning around the Augustana program after the team finished 4-21 and 1-13 in CCIW play last season. Endress will have the services of senior guard Becky Rehn, one of three starters returning to the Vikings this season. Rehn started 18 games as a junior, averaging 6.0 points per game. Also returning is junior guard Sarah Rachwalski and senior forward Maegan Skahill. Skahill started 21 games last season while Rachwalski was a starter for 20 contests in 2006-07.