Bowling Green State University Athletics
Francine Miller Named Women's Basketball P-O-Y
April 28, 2003 | Women's Basketball
April 28, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Senior Francine Miller was named the Bowling Green State University women's basketball Player of the Year for the 2002-03 season. The team was honored at the annual Women's Basketball Banquet, held at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union on the BGSU campus Saturday evening (April 26).
Miller, who earned the award in a vote of team members, led the Falcons in scoring with 15.2 points per game, and also topped the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg), blocked shots (0.68 bpg) and minutes played (29.9 mpg), and was second in steals (2.0 spg) and three-point field goals made (43). She finished her career ranked third on the BGSU scoring list, with 1,574 points.
Miller, the lone Falcon to start all 28 games in 2002-03, was an honorable-mention selection to the All-Mid-American Conference Team. In conference games only, she finished fifth in the league in scoring and 12th in rebounding, with 15.9 points and 6.7 boards per game. Miller was one of just three players to finish in the top-12 in the league in both categories.
Senior Megan Jerome earned the Falcon Award, presented to the player who exemplifies commitment, dedication and loyalty to the women's basketball program. Jerome played in all 28 games, starting three times, in 2002-03. She averaged 4.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, tying for second on the team in the latter category. Jerome led the Falcons in assist/turnover ratio (1.88), and started the season's final two games, averaging 7.0 points, 5.0 assists and 34.5 minutes in those two games.
For the second consecutive season, senior Kim Griech was named the Impact Player of the Year. Griech, earned the award, presented to the player who made significant contributions throughout the season, after averaging 10.3 points per game, good for second on the team. She led the Falcons with 53 three-point field goals made, and ended her career as the school's career leader in three-point field goals attempted. Griech also finished her Falcon career ranked 18th in school history in scoring, with 923 points.
Junior Lindsay Austin was named the team's Playmaker of the Year for the second consecutive season. Austin, who was fourth on the team in scoring (9.0 ppg), led the Falcons in assists, with 4.00 per game. She also led the team in steals (2.23 spg) and was second in minutes played (29.0 mpg), and ranked fourth in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.73).
Senior Karen Stocz was named the Power Player of the Year, given to the top post player. Stocz averaged 4.1 points per game on the season, shooting .476 from the field. Over the season's final month, she averaged 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. Stocz, who played in all 28 games, made 26 starts.
Freshman Jill Lause was named the Most Improved Player of the Year. Lause played in 27 contests, starting two, in her initial season in the Brown and Orange. She averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds, and was second on the team with 0.67 blocked shots per game. Lause shot a team-best .519 from the field on the season, and made 31 of her last 52 field-goal attempts (.596) on the season.
Junior Stefanie Wenzel earned the Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year award. Through two-and-a-half years at BGSU (entering the spring semester), Wenzel maintains a 3.96 grade point average as a language arts education major with a minor in communications. Wenzel was named to both the Academic All-MAC Team and the Verizon Academic All-District Second Team. On the court, Wenzel averaged 10.1 points and 4.2 rebounds, ranking third on the Falcons in scoring and second in rebounding.
In addition to the aforementioned award winners, Lause and fellow freshmen Britt Anderson and Marisa Smith were presented with their BGSU letter jackets after earning their first letters in 2002-03.
Several of the team's boosters were recognized as well. The Booster of the Year award went to Steve and Rhonda Melchi, while Betsy Kenniston was honored as the Road Warrior (booster that went to the most road games). Joan Slebos was named the Morale Booster, given to a booster that was most positive in their support of the program.
The Falcons' senior class, consisting of Griech, Jerome, Miller and Stocz, as well as fourth-year junior Pam Brown and transfer Giani Bowles, was honored for the group's contributions to the program. Brown is on track to graduate, and will not return to the Falcons for the 2003-04 season. Bowles, a transfer from St. John's University, never saw action for the Brown and Orange due to injury.
The Falcons of second-year head coach Curt Miller and assistants Jennifer Roos, Brandi Poole and Kevin Eckert finished with an overall record of 12-16, and BGSU posted a MAC record of 5-11. BGSU had a total of seven non-seniors (two juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen) on the 2002-03 squad, and Miller and his staff will have eight newcomers -- seven signees and a transfer -- join the program for the 2003-04 campaign.
BGSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS:
(sponsored by Dan & June Long/Long's Cleaners)
(sponsored by Joan Slebos)
(sponsored by George & Susan Lang)
(sponsored by Ron Thompson)
(sponsored by Bill & Helen Lloyd)
(sponsored by Phipps, Levin & Associates)
(sponsored by Steve & Rhonda Melchi)
