Millikin Women's Basketball Ready for 2012-13

DECATUR -- Despite the fact the Millikin University women’s basketball team welcomes back 12 letterwinners, Big Blue Head Coach Lori Kerans returns only one starter and only four players that have significant varsity experience.

Kerans believes the four experienced players mixed with a core group that gained experience on the junior varsity level will provide the Big Blue with enough talent to compete in the always difficult College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. A solid recruiting class has provided the Big Blue with several more weapons as they prepare for the 2012-13 season.

Senior guard Olya Cholewick (LaGrange, Lyons Township H.S.) and forward Nikki Tipsword (Newton, H.S.) are the most experienced players returning in 2012-13. Cholewick has seen significant action in the last two seasons including last year when she played in all 26 games starting in 20 and averaged 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Cholewick has won the Big Blue’s top defender award the last two years. Tipsword played in all 26 games last year averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. Senior Brittney Gallivan (Monticello, H.S.) will be counted on for leadership and contributions on the court.

Junior guard Brittany Czaplicki (Bourbonnais, Bradley Bourbonnais H.S.) and center Bria Williams (Naperville, Neuqua Valley H.S.) will be looked to for major contributions in 2012-13. Czaplicki played in 24 games with nine starts last season. Williams saw action in 11 games and scored a career high 10 points in the win over North Central University.

Kerans will look to a strong sophomore class for additional playing time. Guard Holly Haskins (Decatur, St. Teresa H.S.) leads the group after being named the junior varsity’s Most Valuable Player in 2011-12. Others in the group battling for court time include wing Moli Copple (El Paso, H.S.), center Ashley Fulk (Altamont, H.S.), center Rachel Kindred (Ottawa, H.S.), center Lindsey Ross (Chrisman, Shiloh H.S), wing/forward Shelby Schmale (St. Libory, Freeburg H.S.) and wing Sam Zerrusen (Effingham, H.S.).

Heading the group of newcomers is a junior Jasmine Johnson (Springfield, Marshalltown College) a 5-10 wing/forward transfer. Kerans also will be counting on contributions from forwards Hannah Millington (Argenta, Argenta-Oreana H.S.) and Alyssa Saklak (Schaumburg, H.S.). Millington is 6-0 and averaged 15.5 points and 11 rebounds as a high school senior. Saklak is a 5-11 frontline player who averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds as a senior. Kerans expects Sydnee Sturdivant (Decatur, Eisenhower H.S.) to contribute on the varsity level after averaging 22 points per game as a high school senior.

Millikin opens the season November 16-17 hosting the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament. This year’s field is a full of traditional NCAA Division III women’s basketball powerhouses including the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) and Calvin College. Millikin will play Stevens Point on Friday night and face St. Thomas Saturday.

2012-13 Millikin University Women’s Basketball Varsity Roster
#       Name                       Pos.     Ht.     Yr.     Hometown/High School
1       Lindsey Ross*               C       6-1     So.     Chrisman, Ill./Shiloh
3       Ty Eubanks                   G       5-4     Fr.     Matteson, Ill./Rich Central
4       Rachel Kindred*            C       6-0     So.     Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa
5       Jasmine Johnson        W/F     5-10    Jr.     Springfield, Ill./Marshalltown College
10      Rachel Sapp                 G       5-5     Fr.     Decatur, Ill./Meridian
11      Bria Williams**             C       5-10    Jr.     Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley
12      Olya Cholewick**        G        5-7     Sr.     LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township
14      Sam Zerrusen*         W       5-9     So.    Effingham, Ill./Effingham
20      Hannah Millington       W/F      6-0     Fr.     Argenta, Ill./Argenta-Oreana
21      Brittany Czaplicki**     G        5-8     Jr.      Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais
22      Brittney Gallivan**       G       5-8     Sr.      Monticello, Ill./Monticello
24      Sydnee Sturdivant       W/F     5-7     Fr.     Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower
25      Moli Copple*                W       5-8     So.     El Paso, Ill./El Paso
30      Kelly Skorczewski       F/C      6-0     Fr.     Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg
32      Nikki Tipsword**      F        6-1     Sr.     Newton, Ill./Newton
33      Holly Haskins*             W       5-8     So.     Decatur, Ill./St. Teresa
34      Beth Wild                   F/C     6-0       Fr.     Brighton, Ill./Southwestern
40      Shelby Schmale*       W/F     5-10    So.     St. Libory, Ill./Freeburg
43      Kelsey Going               C       6-1       Fr.     Butler, Ill./Litchfield
43      Alyssa Saklak            W/F     5-11      Fr.     Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg
50      Ashley Fulk*              C       5-9     So.     Altamont, Ill./Altamont

Junior Varsity
#       Name                       Pos.    Ht.     Yr.     Hometown/High School
1       Lindsey Ross*              C       6-1     So.     Chrisman, Ill./Shiloh
3       Ty Eubanks                  G       5-4     Fr.     Matteson, Ill./Rich Central
4       Rachel Kindred*           C       6-0     So.     Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa
5       Breanna Cambre         W       5-6     Fr.     Pawnee, Ill./Pawnee
14      Sam Zerrusen*       W       5-9     So.     Effingham, Ill./Effingham
15      Markie Childers           W       5-7     Fr.     Taylorville, Ill./Taylorville H.S.
20      Hannah Millington       W/F     6-0     Fr.     Argenta, Ill./Argenta Oreana
21      Delanie Monn              W       5-6     Fr.     Lewistown, Ill./Lewiston
22      Rachel Sapp                G       5-5     Fr.     Decatur, Ill./Meridian
23      Susan Durkin               G       5-4     Fr.     Chicago Ridge, Ill./Mother McAuley
24      Sydnee Sturdivant       W/F    5-7     Fr.     Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower
30      Kelly Skorczewski       F/C      6-0     Fr.     Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg
32      Alex Smith                   W       5-6     Fr.     Dayton, Ohio/Fairborn
34      Beth Wild                   F/C      6-0     Fr.     Brighton, Ill./Southwestern
34      Alice Moorehead          W       5-7     Fr.     Mt. Auburn, Ill./Taylorville
35      Kailey Hurst                W       5-5     So.     Clinton, Ill./Clinton
40      Shelby Schmale*      W/F     5-10    So.     St. Libory, Ill./Freeburg
43      Kelsey Going               C       6-1     Fr.     Butler, Ill./Litchfield
50      Ashley Fulk*             C       5-9     So.     Altamont, Ill./Altamont