It has been too long since the buzz around the campus of Blackburn College has been high on basketball. Fortunately the trend is growing with the preseason madness event’s success as living proof that Beaver basketball is coming back. Head coach Jen Windmiller has brought in six new athletes to a competitive team that, although stumbled toward the finish line, found themselves playing meaningful games late in the season for the first time in several years last season.
The team will look to senior forward Briana Rae to lead the way this season. “Bri Rae has done nothing but impress me so far this season. She has really taken hold of her leadership role as a senior and came in the best shape she’s ever been in,” explained Windmiller. Rae, a former St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week, averaged a double-double last year with 13.2 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. Joining her will be fellow senior guard Alicia George. George joined the team in the second half of the season when she transferred to Blackburn for the spring semester. “I’m excited to see her help lead this team because she brings a lot to the table. She is very knowledgeable about the game and she pushes herself and her teammates every day,” Windmiller added. She took over the point guard position and shot 70% from the free throw line which was second on the team last year.
Guard Danae Smith is the lone junior on this year’s team. Smith sat out almost the entire season last year after tearing her ACL in the first game of the season. When asked about where she is with her injury coach Windmiller said “Danae is attacking well, and she is playing confident right now. Right now we want her to get into a rhythm and adjust.”
Sophomores new to the team this year are guards Marlee Lindstrom and Aleisha Stiltner. Four freshmen round up the squad: guards Candace Pollock, Halle Engel, Rachel Schreier, and forward Casey Fellin,
“With six newcomers it will be a different look for them. We don’t really lose any talent going to the bench,” said Windmiller, she added “For them it’s just adjusting to the college game and finding each other.
The Beavers will open up their season November 19th at Millikin University. The home opener will be on December 3rd at 6:00 pm when they host conference rival MacMurray College.