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Bowling Green State University Athletics
1999-2000 Women's Basketball Season Outlook
December 28, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Sept. 1, 1999
When the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team convenes in October, there will be seven newcomers and just five returning letterwinners.
In fact, only three players on the 12-woman roster saw action in a BGSU uniform prior to Knoblauch's arrival at her alma mater in August of 1998. The roster features two seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and five freshmen.
The Falcons went 13-14 overall last year, and Knoblauch's first squad posted a Mid-American Conference record of 9-7. BG loses the services of nine letterwinners from the 1998-99 squad, including a four-member senior class. Jacki Raterman, one of those seniors, set the school record for scoring average in a season, while two other seniors -- Jill DeFosse and Jen Gafford -- joined Raterman in the starting five. The final senior, Netta Smith, gave the Brown and Orange quality play off the bench.
Additionally, five other players have departed for various reasons, so it could be said that Knoblauch's second team will put the "green" in Bowling Green. The coach sees some positives in the roster makeover, however.
"We're very excited, because we can go back to playing the way we love to play," said Knoblauch. "Our pressing and running style is back.
"We've got more new players than returning players, so we're thinking that the new blood, new energy and new attitude will be a boost.
"Our major concern, of course, is that we're going to be so young and inexperienced. Obviously, we'll be inexperienced playing-wise, but we will also be inexperienced in terms of playing together. So, we will need to learn quickly."
Two players that hope to provide some quick lessons for the youngsters are senior co-captains SHERRY KAHLE and JAYMEE WAPPES. Kahle, a wing, and Wappes, a point guard, have been in the starting lineup off and on since they arrived on campus, and have 97 games during that time.
Kahle started every game last year, and is the top scoring returnee, having averaged 10.9 points per game last winter. Wappes, who started 15 games, dished out over 4.1 assists per contest.
"Sherry really came on last year," said Knoblauch. "She is one of the strongest players on the team, which is a good thing, because she'll probably be guarding an inside player. We will count on her for her defensive play inside and rebounding. Plus, I'm sure she'll be one of our leading scorers.
"We just need Sherry to be consistent, and to bring the overall game that she's always brought.
"Now that we have the up-tempo style in place, Jaymee is a player who can really benefit," Knoblauch continued. "I think this is her type of game.
"I think Jaymee kind of got into a slump from three-point land last year and never really got out of it. We'll be looking for her to score a little more for us and be a leader from her point-guard position."
The lone junior returnee is ANGIE FARMER. After seeing limited playing time as a freshman, Farmer exploded onto the scene last winter, averaging 7.2 points per game. She had a pair of 21-point games and set the school record by draining seven three-pointers in a win over Ohio.
"Angie really came on last year," said Knoblauch. "She had a great second half, and pretty much forced me to play her. She shoots the ball so well, and she is a smart player who doesn't make a lot of mistakes. We're looking for her to work on creating her shot a little better, because we need her to score for us."
Sophomore FRANCINE MILLER was one of the top newcomers in the MAC last year, and Knoblauch expects her to pick up where she left off.
"Franny had a great year last year," said Knoblauch. "She's a hard worker and is very goal-oriented. She is probably one of our best overall players. She was our best defender and our best three-point shooter last year, and is a good passer. We're going to need her whole game, and we will rely very heavily on her."
The other returning sophomore -- DANA WESTERN -- was slowed during her freshman year by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered late in her high-school career. She saw action in all but six games, however, showing flashes of the player she could become.
"Dana showed glimpses of solid play last year," said Knoblauch. "We were just very deep at her spot, but now, she's our only returning post player. She just needs to work on her strength and get her knee 100 percent healthy.
"If there's a kid out there that I'm looking for when I recruit an inside player, it's a Dana Western, a kid that can run like a deer, be great on our presses, rebound and shoot the 'three'."
Knoblauch expects the five returnees to log a lot of minutes on the court, as the newcomers get acclimated. The guard-heavy Falcons will not be using a conventional lineup, and BG fans could see many different looks next season.
"We will not be talking about our lineup in terms of positions," said Knoblauch. "We don't have a lot of kids that we can say, 'You're a true forward' or whatever. Danny Ainge down in Phoenix (Suns head coach) calls it 'Small Ball,' and that's what we will go with out of necessity. Most of our returning players are guards, and we'd like to have a high percentage of returning players out there at all times. We'll probably play a lot of four-guard, one-post lineups, but we're not even going to call it that. It's positionless basketball.
"We're going to rely heavily on the returning players for their experience, maturity and confidence. We've got five of them, and they're gonna be playing a lot. We'll try to blend in the new players, though, because we will be playing 10 players night-in and night-out."
When talking about her newcomers, Knoblauch repeats herself a great deal, which is exactly what she prefers. The staff looks for players with the same qualities.
"I want kids who like to play defense," Knoblauch said. "I don't want to get them here and then have to convince them to play defense, I want it the other way around. And I think that's the case with the kids we're bringing in. I'm hoping that it will be contagious, and that we'll have more of an aggressive attitude.
"I'm always looking for the athletic kid that can run the floor, play in our pressing system and shoot the 'three.' The biggest reason that these players were still available (NOTE: Knoblauch and her staff came on board late last summer, and missed much of the recruiting season) is that they're not the tallest kids. A lot of teams want much taller kids, or define their positions as such. Our inside kids will always be short, but they'll be able to do a lot of things other than just hang out in the low block."
One of the newcomers, AFRA SMITH, is a junior who spent the last two years at Cloud County CC in Kansas. She has played every position except center, which fits right in with Knoblauch's system.
"Afra is exactly the type of player that I like," said Knoblauch. "She is a nice, versatile kid that can play ball. She is a good passer, and can take it to the hoop as well. Afra is a very athletic player."
Another Smith, REGINA SMITH, joins the Falcon program. The 5-3 point guard from Euclid, Ohio, led Villa Angela-St. Joseph to the state title last March.
"Regina is the quickest player that I saw (during recruiting)," said Knoblauch. "She has a real strong sense of leadership, which is important, because she will be playing at the point-guard position. She seems to be a natural leader."
KIM GRIECH took her Tallmadge squad to the state tournament, which Knoblauch considers a tribute to her ability.
"Kim really carried her team down the stretch last year. She saw a whole lot of box-and-one defenses, and did a great job. She played both the point- and shooting-guard spots, and she will be a wing player for us. She's another player that is very athletic."
MEGAN JEROME, who became Knoblauch's first recruit to her alma mater last November, is a smart, fundamentally-sound player, according to her coach-to-be.
"Megan is a quiet player," said Knoblauch. "She will do all of the things necessary to get everyone else involved. But, if you need scoring, then she'll have a big game scoring-wise. Whatever you need to win, she'll do it. And, the thing I like most about her is the way she plays defense."
PAM BROWN, who prepped at Cortland Lakeview High School, is another athletic player with solid defensive skills, according to Knoblauch.
"Pam is a lefty with a good-looking shot. She will be able to run the floor for us, and she can guard anyone. She just needs to become a little more polished."
Knoblauch describes freshman KAREN STOCZ as "a banger. Karen is a well-rounded player who passes well, and she doesn't shy away from contact. She will probably be our strongest player."
Stocz, like Brown, is from the Youngstown area, having played at Warren Harding High School.
Sophomore walk-on RACHAL HAMILTON could play a key role for the Falcons as well. She provides something lacking in many of her teammates: size.
"I very nearly added Rachal to the team last fall," said Knoblauch. "She is a strong player with a good work ethic and great attitude. She's going to be a real nice addition to our team as well as our team chemistry. I think Rachal will make a real run toward playing time."
Knoblauch realizes that her newcomers will be counted on more than your average frosh, but also welcomes the influx of youth.
"The freshmen are in kind of a different situation. Usually, freshmen coming in are not expected to play right away. They may expect it, but normally, they don't have to contribute right away, and they get an acclimation period. Our kids, though, will be jumping right into the fire, and they better be ready.
"A lot of our newcomers -- Afra, Kim, Megan and Regina -- have played point guard in the past, so hopefully our passing will be better and our turnovers will decrease. We have added some fast people, and we are much quicker and more athletic than last year. That is perfect for our 'Small Ball' style."
The 1999-2000 schedule, in keeping with BGSU tradition, is a difficult one. The Falcons play just two home games in the 10-contest non-conference slate. BG faces Detroit, Ohio State, Xavier and Youngstown State on the road, and the Falcons will travel to tournaments at Montana State and Virginia Tech.
The Brown and Orange will ring in the year 2000 with the MAC opener, which will be on the road vs. arch-rival Toledo (Jan. 2). The 16-game league slate culminates in late February, with the league tournament taking place in early March.
As with the youthful roster, Knoblauch sees the positives in her team's daunting schedule.
"We've got a great schedule. I'm a firm believer in having a very tough non-conference schedule to 'beat you up' a little bit, and prepare you for the league.
That's certainly the type of schedule we've got. It's going to be good for us."
Knoblauch sees no easy wins on a league schedule that has her team playing two games apiece against UT, Buffalo, Miami and Ohio and one game vs. each of the other eight league squads.
"I don't know if there's a clear-cut favorite in the MAC this year, but I do know that a lot of teams made great strides last year. Every year, people say 'it'll be a wide open race,' but I really think that there is more quality depth in the league than there's been in a while. There are certainly no 'gimme's' on the schedule."
So, fans looking for an up-tempo brand of basketball need look no further than Anderson Arena. Just be sure to pick up a program on the way to your seat.
BGSU HEAD COACH DEANNE KNOBLAUCH
Deanne Knoblauch, a Bowling Green State University alumna, enters her second season as the Falcon head coach. Knoblauch (pronounced: kuh-NOB-low), named the coach at her alma mater August 21, 1998, is just the sixth person to assume the helm in the storied 26-year history of Falcon women's basketball.
A native of St. Clair Shores, Mich., Knoblauch guided the Brown and Orange to a 13-14 record in her first season. She now has an overall mark of 195-133 in 12 years as a collegiate head coach.
Knoblauch, one of those responsible for bringing the program to prominence, returned to Northwest Ohio after spending 11 years as the head coach at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. In that time, she posted a record of 182-119 (.605). Over her last five years, the Purple Raiders were one of the top NCAA Division III teams in the nation, going 116-32 (.784) and making three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Mount Union went to the NCAA "Final Four" twice, including in Knoblauch's final season there, and advanced as far as the "Sweet 16" on another occasion.
Knoblauch's 1997-98 team set a school single-season record for wins, going 29-3 and winning the Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles en route to the appearance in the national semifinals. Mount finished third nationally that season. For her efforts, Knoblauch earned a plethora of Coach-of-the-Year honors, including OAC, NCAA District 3 and Ohio C-O-Y awards.
Knoblauch also had earned the OAC Coach of the Year award in 1994, and she captured the NCAA District 3 honor in 1996.
In addition to the success enjoyed on the court, Knoblauch's teams have fared well in the classroom, too. Her Mount squads perennially earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better, and her final year's MUC team had a cumulative GPA of 3.417, which ranked 17th nationally among NCAA Division III programs.
While at Mount Union, Knoblauch's duties included coaching the women's tennis team as well as teaching classes in the School of Health and Physical Education. In the spring of 1998, Knoblauch was named the OAC's Coach of the Year for women's tennis. She previously had coached women's soccer at MUC and was the league's C-O-Y in that sport in 1988.
Prior to her lengthy stay in Alliance, Knoblauch spent a year (1986-87) as a women's basketball graduate assistant coach at Eastern Michigan. The then-Hurons went 13-13 that season, finishing in a fourth-place tie in the MAC with an 8-8 mark.
From 1983-86, Knoblauch was the head girls' basketball and volleyball coach at Clearview High School in Lorain, Ohio.
Knoblauch earned four letters for coach Kathy Bole as an undergraduate at BGSU (1979-83). A point guard, she was a two-time captain and a three-time team Most Valuable Player for the Falcons. She started all but one game in her BG career, and her name still can be found throughout the school record books.
Knoblauch holds all of the school's assist records: single-game (18), season (229) and career (673). In fact, Knoblauch led the MAC in that category in each of the first two seasons that the league sponsored women's sports, dishing out 229 helpers as a junior (1981-82) and 166 assists as a senior (1982-83). Additionally, Knoblauch ranks second at the school in career steals, with 218.
During her four years, the Falcons posted a 52-55 record. In her final two seasons, the Brown and Orange went 32-22 and posted a pair of fifth-place MAC finishes.
A two-time All-MAC Second-Team selection, Knoblauch was named to the Academic All-MAC First Team for the Falcons in her senior season.
Knoblauch graduated Cum Laude from BGSU in 1983, majoring in physical education with a minor in health and coaching. She earned a Master's Degree in physical education from Eastern Michigan in 1987.
1999-2000 BGSU RETURNEE BIOS
ANGIE FARMER:
A 5-9 junior guard from Wayland, Mich. ... could challenge for a starting spot, as BGSU may utilize a multiple-guard look ... saw action in 20 games last winter, including the last 18 ... ranked fifth on the team with 7.2 points per game ... had eight double-digit efforts, including a pair of 21-point games ... was 29-of-66 (.439) from three-point land ... finished fourth in the league in that category in conference games only (.439 in league games) ... did not have enough attempts to qualify for the league lead in overall games ... went 9-of-13 from long range in the last four games, and 14-of-22 over the last six contests ... exploded for a school-record seven treys en route to 21 points vs. Ohio ... tied the BG record (MAC games only) with 12 long-range attempts in that contest ... after playing in just three of BG's first 10 games, and totalling four points and 11 minutes in that time, had three-straight double-digit efforts ... tied her career best with 21 points in 18 minutes at Central Michigan ... hit game-tying shots at the end of each of the first two overtimes in a four-OT win at Ball State.
SHERRY KAHLE:
A 5-10 senior guard/forward from Lima, Ohio ... one of just two returning starters ... should return to the starting five at a forward or wing spot ... started all 27 games last winter ... finished second on the team with 10.9 points, making her the top-scoring returnee ... also averaged 2.6 assists (third on the squad) and 4.0 rebounds ... second on the team in steals ... hit double figures in scoring in 15 games ... ranked seventh in the league in assist/turnover ratio (MAC games only) ... exploded for 24 points, a career high, at Central Michigan ... also had nine rebounds, including five at the offensive end, and three steals ... had a career-high seven assists vs. Marshall ... had her second career double-double, with 15 points and 11 boards at Miami, and was a perfect 3-of-3 in three-point attempts ... averaged 26.0 minutes per game, second on the team.
FRANCINE MILLER:
A 5-11 sophomore guard from Kalida, Ohio ... one of two BGSU returning starters for 1999-2000 ... named to the MAC's All-Freshman team in 1998-99 ... played in all 27 games, starting 22 ... moved into the lineup in the season's fifth game, and stayed there with the exception of "senior day" ... placed third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding, with 10.0 points and 4.9 caroms per game ... is the top returning rebounder ... led the team in steals (37) and three-pointers made (34) ... in MAC games, led the entire conference with a .500 long-range pct., making 25 of her 50 attempts ... overall, had a three-point pct. of .430 ... tied for 16th in the league in blocked shots (MAC games only) ... had 13 double-digit scoring efforts ... exploded for a career day vs. Eastern Michigan ... had career highs with 25 points, 10 rebounds (her first career double-double) and seven assists ... hit a three-pointer with just 3.1 seconds left in regulation, sending the game to OT ... in the extra session, hit another trey with just over a minute left to close the door ... had 23 points and nine boards in win at Miami ... recorded five steals vs. Detroit.
JAYMEE WAPPES:
A 5-5 senior guard from Kendallville, Ind. ... looks to assume the starting point-guard spot on a full-time basis after splitting time during each of her first three years ... shared the starting role with Jen Gafford last year ... played in all 26 games, starting 15 ... averaged 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and a team-high 4.1 assists ... had 111 assists last season, after totalling 63 two years ago ... scored a season-high 11 points in the MAC Tournament game at Akron ... twice hit double digits in assists, with 10 vs. Youngstown State (in just 24 minutes) and a career-high 11 in the first Northern Illinois game ... scored eight points vs. both Detroit and George Washington ... had six points and a career-high seven rebounds vs. Youngstown State ... in league games only, ranked 13th in the MAC in both assists and assist/turnover ratio.
DANA WESTERN:
A 5-11 sophomore forward from Whitestown, Ind. ... BGSU's lone returning post player ... saw action in 21 games off the bench as a freshman ... averaged 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds ... had five points vs. both George Washington and Miami ... made three three-pointers on the year ... had a career-best five rebounds in just nine minutes of action at Western Michigan ... four points and two boards in her collegiate debut, at Wisconsin.1999-2000 BGSU SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER
Mon. 1 PREMIER ALL-STARS (Exhibition)______7:00 Sun. 15 FOREIGN TEAM (Exhibition)___________2:00 Sat. 20 at Youngstown State_________________7:00 Mon. 22 ST. BONAVENTURE_____________________7:00F-Sa 26-27 -- at Montana State Tournament (Bozeman, Montana) (BGSU, Montana State, Mississippi, Morehead State)
DECEMBER
Wed. 1 at Xavier___________________________7:00 Sat. 4 at Ohio State_______________________2:00 Sat. 11 at Detroit__________________________2:00 Mon. 20 WASHINGTON STATE____________________7:00W-Th 29-30 -- at Virginia Tech Tournament (Blacksburg, Va.) (BGSU, Virginia Tech, Hampton, UNC-Charlotte)
JANUARY
Sun. 2 at Toledo *_________________________TBA Wed. 5 MIAMI *_____________________________7:00 Sat. 8 at Buffalo *________________________7:30 Sat. 15 at Ohio *___________________________TBA Wed. 19 at Western Michigan *_______________TBA Sat. 22 EASTERN MICHIGAN *__________________2:00 Wed. 26 at Akron *__________________________7:00 Sat. 29 KENT *______________________________2:00
FEBRUARY
Wed. 2 at Marshall *_______________________TBA Wed. 9 at Northern Illinois *______________7:05 Sat. 12 BALL STATE *________________________2:00 Wed. 16 CENTRAL MICHIGAN *__________________7:00 Sat. 19 at Miami *__________________________2:00 Wed. 23 TOLEDO *____________________________7:00 Sat. 26 BUFFALO *___________________________2:00 Tue. 29 OHIO *______________________________7:00
MARCH
Fri. 3 MAC Tournament Quarterfinals (at campus sites) Sun. 5 MAC Tournament Semifinals (site TBA) Mon. 6 MAC Tournament Championship (site TBA)* Mid-American Conference game All HOME contests are played at Anderson Arena Starting times are p.m. and local to site
