Photo by: R. Keith Cole
Women's Basketball Opens Season
11/8/2017 2:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
by Andrew Call
The Wright State women's basketball team finished 25-9 last year and won the Horizon League regular-season championship. All five starters return for the 2017-18 season.
It sounds like the Raiders are all set, but don't talk that way in front of head coach Katrina Merriweather.
"Banners are great; our championship T-shirts are great," Merriweather said. "But we are going to live in the present, not the past. We are not going to surprise anyone this year. We will see how we respond to having a target on our back as we go from chasing to being chased."
Merriweather started her head coaching career off in a big way, helping the Raiders qualify for a postseason tournament for the sixth time in seven years. Still, there is room for improvement. The five returning starters averaged between 31 and 36 minutes per game. The cumulative fatigue was evident down the home stretch as Wright State suffered three losses in its last five league contests.
Five new players have been added to the roster, and Merriweather hopes those newcomers can provide the quality depth missing at times last winter.
""We have 12 kids who can legitimately compete for playing time," Merriweather said. "Instead of playing 38 minutes and playing through mistakes, now we may be able to rest (our players) and eliminate some of the mistakes that come with fatigue. It is going to benefit us in the long run."
The returnees include 5-foot-9 senior Chelsea Welch, named first-team all-Horizon League after leading the Raiders in scoring (18.6) and assists (110) and pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game and playing any position or role you care to name.
"She exceeded every expectation we had," Merriweather said of Welch, who sat out the 2015-16 season after transferring to Wright State from Pittsburgh. "She is so versatile. You can't dismiss how much she contributed defensively. She can defend the other team's point guard, but she's strong enough to guard their center as well."
Junior Emily Vogelpohl is recovered from offseason shoulder surgery and back for her third season as a starter. Vogelpohl, named to the league's all-freshman team two years ago, was second on the Raiders with 101 assists and averaged 10.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.
"She's fearless," Merriweather said. "She is out there like nothing every happened. I would say that has been a very pleasant surprise, but not really, because that kid works her tail off."
Lexi Smith, a 5-11 senior forward, was second on team in rebounding (8.9) and scoring (12.8). Symone Simmons, a 5-10 junior, led the Raiders in rebounding (9.0) and was nearly the fourth starter to average double figures in scoring (9.9). Junior guard Mackenzie Taylor averaged 9.5 points and handed out 68 assists, third on the team.
Sophomores Jalise Beck and Carly Clodfelter appeared in 25 and 24 games respectively.
"Carly is another year away from ACL (surgery) and is moving a lot better," Merriweather said. "Jalise has had a breakthrough where we saw a different side of her that has notched up the competitiveness."
Dasia Evans redshirted last year, but the 6-2 forward should be one of the first players off the bench this time around. A pair of freshmen from South Carolina, 5-11 Nia Sumpter and 6-1 Kiana Adderton, were also vying for playing time during the preseason.
Freshman guard Breaunna Lloyd has impressed coaches with her strength and shooting range. The sky is the limit for 6-4 freshman Tyler Frierson, who "will give us an inside presence very early in her career," Merriweather said.
"The biggest thing for all the freshmen is defense," Merriweather said. "Offensively, they are all pretty talented. Defensively, they are still catching up"
The Raiders open with a home exhibition game Nov. 1 against Indianapolis, and begin the regular season Nov. 10 at Northwestern Ohio. The non-conference schedule includes four games against teams in the top 100 in last year's final RPI ratings—Missouri, Kent State, Belmont and Georgia.
"I think what (former coach) Mike Bradbury established was that we were going to play for championships," Merriweather said. "As a player and coach for him, that has always been my personal expectation. Those expectations have filtered down to our kids.
"However, we are very, very clear that each team is one unto itself. We are not the same team as last year. We will find out if we're better. I understand that, on paper, it looks that way."
The Wright State women's basketball team finished 25-9 last year and won the Horizon League regular-season championship. All five starters return for the 2017-18 season.
It sounds like the Raiders are all set, but don't talk that way in front of head coach Katrina Merriweather.
"Banners are great; our championship T-shirts are great," Merriweather said. "But we are going to live in the present, not the past. We are not going to surprise anyone this year. We will see how we respond to having a target on our back as we go from chasing to being chased."
Merriweather started her head coaching career off in a big way, helping the Raiders qualify for a postseason tournament for the sixth time in seven years. Still, there is room for improvement. The five returning starters averaged between 31 and 36 minutes per game. The cumulative fatigue was evident down the home stretch as Wright State suffered three losses in its last five league contests.
Five new players have been added to the roster, and Merriweather hopes those newcomers can provide the quality depth missing at times last winter.
""We have 12 kids who can legitimately compete for playing time," Merriweather said. "Instead of playing 38 minutes and playing through mistakes, now we may be able to rest (our players) and eliminate some of the mistakes that come with fatigue. It is going to benefit us in the long run."
The returnees include 5-foot-9 senior Chelsea Welch, named first-team all-Horizon League after leading the Raiders in scoring (18.6) and assists (110) and pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game and playing any position or role you care to name.
"She exceeded every expectation we had," Merriweather said of Welch, who sat out the 2015-16 season after transferring to Wright State from Pittsburgh. "She is so versatile. You can't dismiss how much she contributed defensively. She can defend the other team's point guard, but she's strong enough to guard their center as well."
Junior Emily Vogelpohl is recovered from offseason shoulder surgery and back for her third season as a starter. Vogelpohl, named to the league's all-freshman team two years ago, was second on the Raiders with 101 assists and averaged 10.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.
"She's fearless," Merriweather said. "She is out there like nothing every happened. I would say that has been a very pleasant surprise, but not really, because that kid works her tail off."
Lexi Smith, a 5-11 senior forward, was second on team in rebounding (8.9) and scoring (12.8). Symone Simmons, a 5-10 junior, led the Raiders in rebounding (9.0) and was nearly the fourth starter to average double figures in scoring (9.9). Junior guard Mackenzie Taylor averaged 9.5 points and handed out 68 assists, third on the team.
Sophomores Jalise Beck and Carly Clodfelter appeared in 25 and 24 games respectively.
"Carly is another year away from ACL (surgery) and is moving a lot better," Merriweather said. "Jalise has had a breakthrough where we saw a different side of her that has notched up the competitiveness."
Dasia Evans redshirted last year, but the 6-2 forward should be one of the first players off the bench this time around. A pair of freshmen from South Carolina, 5-11 Nia Sumpter and 6-1 Kiana Adderton, were also vying for playing time during the preseason.
Freshman guard Breaunna Lloyd has impressed coaches with her strength and shooting range. The sky is the limit for 6-4 freshman Tyler Frierson, who "will give us an inside presence very early in her career," Merriweather said.
"The biggest thing for all the freshmen is defense," Merriweather said. "Offensively, they are all pretty talented. Defensively, they are still catching up"
The Raiders open with a home exhibition game Nov. 1 against Indianapolis, and begin the regular season Nov. 10 at Northwestern Ohio. The non-conference schedule includes four games against teams in the top 100 in last year's final RPI ratings—Missouri, Kent State, Belmont and Georgia.
"I think what (former coach) Mike Bradbury established was that we were going to play for championships," Merriweather said. "As a player and coach for him, that has always been my personal expectation. Those expectations have filtered down to our kids.
"However, we are very, very clear that each team is one unto itself. We are not the same team as last year. We will find out if we're better. I understand that, on paper, it looks that way."
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