Bowling Green State University Athletics
Three-Time Defending MAC Champions Return to Action
November 07, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Since participating in their first collegiate game, a 77-26 win over Wayne State in 1973, the Falcons are 558-344 (.619) over the past 34 seasons and will look to improve that all-time record beginning Nov. 9 when the Crusaders of Valparaiso University make a trip to Anderson Arena. While tip-off for the home opener is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., last season's squad will gather one last time as BGSU unveils their NCAA Sweet Sixteen banner. The team will also receive their MAC Championship rings during the public pre-game ceremony.
GAME #1
Bowling Green vs. Valparaiso
Nov. 9, 2007 • Anderson Arena, 7:00 p.m.
RECORDS: BGSU 0-0, 0-0 MAC // Valparaiso 0-0, 0-0 Horizon League
RADIO: WFAL-AM 1610 (tape-delay on web) - Andrew Goetz and Anthony Bellino
Series: BGSU leads 2-0 // Last meeting: BGSU 127, at Valpo 99 (Jan. 5, 1992)
For Tickets Call 1-877-BGSU-TICKET
Complete Release in PDF Format (22 pages)
Cheering from the Cheap Seats, Couch or Virtual Highway
Falcon women's basketball can once again be heard on the airwaves and on the internet thanks to 88.1 WBGU FM. Internet broadcasts can be accessed via www.BGSRO.com. Live stats for all Falcon home games can also be tracked via gametracker. Note: Friday's broadcast of the Valparaiso game can be heard on 1610 WFAL AM.
Falcons Receive Votes in ESPN Preseason Poll
After finishing last season with a 15th overall final ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches poll, the Falcons begin 2007 right where they left off - with attention from national voters. On Oct. 31, the Falcons found themselves receiving sixteen votes in the initial poll of the new season. Two of December's non-conference opponents, Notre Dame (57) and Iowa State (6), also were listed as receiving votes; conference contender Ball State was the only other league affiliate to pick up a vote. The first regular-season poll will be conducted the morning of Nov. 13 and is expected to be released in the early afternoon.
BGSU was also mentioned among the top women's basketball programs in the GBALLMAG.COM preseason poll. The poll named its top ten teams and listed an additional fifteen other contenders where BGSU was mentioned. The Falcons were the only MAC school to earn a spot on the list. GBALLMAG.COM is a website devoted to girls/women's basketball. Each week the editors compile a poll to rate the top collegiate women's basketball programs across the country.
Falcons in Uncharted Territory in the MAC
Members of the MAC News Media Association selected BGSU to finish behind the Ohio University Bobcats in the Mid-American Conference East Division in their preseason poll in mid-October - just six points separated the divisional foes. Miami, Kent State and Buffalo are expected to follow suit as three, four and five, respectively.
In the West, Ball State was the clear favorite earning 36-of-41 first place votes and 240 total points in the balloting. The Cardinals, who were defeated by the Falcons in the tournament final just a year ago, are not only expected to return to the championship game but the pollsters are looking for BSU to be the team to beat in the post-season. Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Toledo and Central Michigan round out the remaining western division contenders.
Akron will serve as Bowling Green's first MAC test on Jan. 9. The afternoon tip-off (12:30 p.m. start) will take place in Anderson Arena.
No Falcon squad containing a current member of the active roster has been selected to finish lower than third in a preseason voting poll. In 2004, Kate Achter and fellow senior Whitney Taylor's freshman season, BGSU was predicted to finish third in the Western Division. In the subsequent seasons (`05-'06) the Falcons were selected as the preseason favorite for top finishes in the division, regular season and tournament title races.
Achter Repeats as Preseason All-MAC Selection
Bowling Green State University senior guard Kate Achter once again earned preseason all-conference honors in early October - she was also an Eastern Division representative prior to last season. The Oregon, Ohio native begins her final run with the Bowling Green Falcons as the lone starter from last season's historically successful squad and also returns as the most decorated student-athlete on the roster.
As a rookie (2004-05), Achter was named to the MAC All-Freshman squad and went on to earn the Kraft MAC Tournament MVP trophy as the Falcons won their second of three consecutive league championships (2005-06-07). To date, she has been recognized as a three-time All-Tournament performer as well as a two-time all-conference second-teamer. In three complete seasons, she has netted 1,086 points and ranks 18th amongst all Falcons in career scoring. For her career, Achter ranks fourth in free throws made (388), and fifth in career steals (451) and free throw attempts (510). She can also be found in the top ten of several individual season record lists.
Achter, Goldsberry and Taylor to Captain 2007-08 Season
Head women's basketball coach Curt Miller has announced seniors Kate Achter and Whitney Taylor, along with junior Lindsey Goldsberry, will captain the latest Falcon squad. The trio brings experience to the team combining for 4210 minutes on the playing court as well as 1386 points.
Schedule Breakdown
* Of the Falcons' 15 possible non-conference opponents, five could be facing BGSU for the first time. The Dec. 1 game of the Cornell Classic has the potential to pit BG against first-time opponent Gardner Webb or host/first-time opponent Cornell.
* 11 conferences and one independent program are represented on the Falcons' non-conference schedule. Depending upon the outcome of their contests, BG may want to consider playing in the Atlantic Sun's conference tournament - four schools, Belmont, Florida Gulf Coast, Gardner Webb and Lipscomb, will compete against Bowling Green.
* Bowling Green boasts winning records over Chicago State (1-0, 06-07), Mount St. Mary's (1-0, 95-96), St. Bonaventure (2-1, 99-00/00-01*/06-07) and Valparaiso (2-0, 89-90/91-92). The Orange and Brown are also even keeled with Delaware (1-1, 05-06*/06-07), Indiana (2-2, 79-80*/83-84*/05-06/06-07) and Iowa State (1-1, 88-89/94-95) * denotes a Falcon loss.
* A Miller guided team has seen previous action against Chicago State, Notre Dame, St. Bonaventure, Delaware, and Indiana.
* All active Falcons had yet to be born the last time BGSU played Belmont (79-80). Likewise, some of the freshman class was born the same season BGSU first played both Iowa State and Valparaiso. Many of the Falcons were pre-teens the last time the program met the aforementioned squads on the hardwood; the same goes for Mount St. Mary's.
* In six seasons, Miller is 45-27 in non-conference games including a 16-6 record in Anderson Arena. The Falcons have not lost to a non-MAC team at home since Oakland edged BGSU by a mere seven points (63-70) on Dec. 13, 2003.
The Opponent - Valparaiso
Veteran head coach Keith Freeman (13 seasons, 229-152) and his Crusaders finished the 2006-07 season as the Mid-Continent league runners-up, but will compete in the Horizon League for the first time this season.
Valpo's eight returning players will play their first game in the new conference on Jan. 5 when Butler comes to the Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind. Valpo had played in the Mid-Con. for the past 15 seasons.
Last season, the squad won 20 games (20-11) for the fifth time in program history and the total victories are tied for the third most in school history. Additionaly, last season was the 16th winning season for the Crusaders in the past 17 years.
Despite losing three starters, and 3,170 career points, the Crusaders will return junior guard Launa Hochstetler, the Mid-Con. Sixth Man of the Year (06-07). Valpo will also fill the scoring void with, junior forward Amiee Litka. In two exhibitions she averaged 21.5 points including a 30 point outing against the Showtime Skins; Litka averaged just 3.7 points last season while seeing time in every contest. She also upped her rebounding output recording an average of 5.0 rpg in exhibition play - in 2006-07 she was good for 2.0 rpg.
In exhibition play, the Valpo defense held their opponents to a low 38 percent from the field (38-100). In the first half alone, opponents shot an even lower 28 percent (13-46) but improved to 46 percent in the second half, (25-54).
The Series - BGSU Leads 2-0
Jan. 28, 1990 - BGSU 91 - Valparaiso 79 (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Jan. 5, 1992* - BGSU 127 - Valparaiso 99 (Valparaiso, Ind.)
*The 1992 game was the highest scoring game for the Falcons in program history. The Falcons went on to score 100+ points in a program high six games that season. BGSU is 23-1 all-time when scoring in the triple digits. Two of Miller's team have hit the century mark, but have never done so at home.
31-4 and the Best Season Ever - Who's Gone?
The Falcons' win against Vanderbilt gave the team a total of 103 victories since the 2006 senior class arrived at BGSU prior to the 2003-04 season ... the win extended the school record for wins in a four-year period ... the old mark was 100 wins, amassed from the 1986-87 through 1989-90 seasons ... the 2006 class helped the Falcons to a 103-25 record during their four years ... they also led BG to four 20-win seasons (including one 30-win season), four MAC Tournament championship-game appearances, three MAC regular-season titles, three league tourney crowns, three trips to the NCAA Championships and a berth in the `Sweet 16' of the national tourney ... the class was really one of the finest in school - and MAC - history ... that group included four starters in Liz Honegger, Carin Horne, Ali Mann and Megan Thorburn ... additionally, Amber Flynn was one of the most improved players in the MAC in 2005 and in 2006 picked up right where she left off earning the MAC's Six Man of the Year award ... a sixth senior, Julie Gompers, missed each of the last three seasons due to injury ... the group graduated with a combined for 5,812 points, 2,854 rebounds, 695 assists, 671 steals and 345 blocked shots.
F 14 Carin Horne (5-10 • Sr. • Lima, Ohio) 11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg
F 22 Ali Mann (6-1 • Sr. • Chelsea, Mich.) 15.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.5 apg
C 13 Liz Honegger (5-11 • Sr. • Lafayette, Ind.) 9.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg
G 44 Megan Thorburn (6-1 • Sr. • Mason, Mich.) 5.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg
G 4 Julie Gompers (5-6 • Sr. • Wheeling, W.Va.) Missed season due to injury
F/C 50 Amber Flynn (6-0 • Sr. • Cincinnati, Ohio) 10.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg
31-4 and the Best Season Ever - Who's Still Here?
The Seniors
Seniors Kate Achter and Whitney Taylor will join forces as the duo prepares for their last season in Orange and Brown ... Achter, a two-time preseason All-MAC honoree, returns as the lone starter from last seasons' 31-4 squad ... in fact after entering the line-up on Dec. 18, Achter has seen the opening tip from the floor on 89 consecutive occasions ... the point guard leads the squad in scoring with 1,086 career points and ranks 18th overall on the career scoring list ... six additional Falcons who have played for head coach Curt Miller join Acher with membership in the 1,000 Point Club ... after sitting out a majority of last season, Taylor will return to the Falcons with 53 games under her belt, including a start in her freshman season ... as a junior she took to the floor nine times and averaged a career high 12.2 points ... Achter and Taylor boast a MAC regular-season and Tournament championship title for each of their three seasons with BG ... since arriving on campus, BGSU has an overall record of 85-15 and a league record of 53-4.
The Junior
Junior Lindsey Goldsberry will begin her third season under Miller and Co. ranking second in minutes (1071) and games played (64) amongst all active Falcons ... beyond the arc, she leads the team in three-point field-goals made (35) and enters the season ranking 10th on the career three-point field-goal percentage list (36.1%; 35-97) ... known for her defensive play, Goldsberry led the Falcons in steals last season averaging 2.0/game (69 total) ... Goldsberry has helped the Falcons to consecutive MAC regular-season and Tournament championship titles ... since arriving on campus, BGSU has an overall record of 59-7 and a league record of 37-1.
The Sophomores
Tara Breske, Laura Bugher and Sarah Clapper return for their second season with the squad and welcome the addition of transfer Niki McCoy to their class ... Breske leads the sophomore class with 23 games played ... over that span, the reserve player averaged 1.4 ppg and 1.0 rpg ... she posted a career-, and class-, high 9 points vs. Akron (2/14/07) ... Bugher earned time in 20 games as a rookie and also average 4.8 minutes per contest ... she was .500 from both the free throw (9-18) and three-point (1-2) lines ... Clapper played in 13 games last season before sitting out much of 2007 due to injury ... in 98 minutes played she averaged 2.2 points per game including a career-high 6 points on two occasions ... to date, the three have won one regular season and one MAC Tournament championship with BG and are the only class in league history - men's or women's - to boast an average of 31-wins per season ... since arriving on campus, BGSU has an overall record of 31-4 and a league record of 15-1 ... McCoy, who spent the past two seasons with the University of Akron, will have two years of eligibility with the Falcons after sitting out this season due to NCAA transfer rules ... as a Zip, she was a member of the All-MAC Freshman team (05-06) and a third-team All-MAC selection (06-07), as well as a two-time conference Player of the Week (06-07).
The Freshmen
Seven freshmen, Chelsea Albert, Bianca Hooten, Crystal Murdaugh, Tracy Pontius, Lauren Prochaska, Jen Uhl, and Kelly Zuercher, will make their debut as Falcons in 2007-08 ... the class represents three states (Ill., Mich., Ohio) and contains a pair of top six finishers in their respective state `Miss Basketball' race ... Pontius was third in the Illinois race while Albert was sixth in the state of Michigan ... three guards, two forwards and two centers make-up the class ... six of the seven players stand at 5-11 or taller; three are 6-1 or taller.
##BGSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL##
