Blackburn College Women's basketball is set to start the season Saturday, February 27th at 1 o’ clock, hosting Iowa Wesleyan University. The season will consist of 10 conference games and the SLIAC tournament at the end of the season. All eight teams will make the tournament this season rather than the top four teams in the conference. 

The Beavers enter the season under 2nd year coach Nick Morgan. Blackburn finished ninth in the conference with a 5-19 (3-15 SLIAC) record last season. The Beavers had started the season 2-0 for the first time in over 20 years. Blackburn was plagued by a lack of a roster and a late coach hire. Since the season ended, coach Morgan has added two coaches and 10 players to the roster. The Beavers are hoping to have a much improved season with a full off-season, an improved coaching staff, and returning three starters. 

Key Returners: 

Jenna Dudra (Senior)

Dudra was second on the team, shooting  41.5 percent from the floor and averaged 10.3 points a game. She has a chance to score 1,000 career points; she sits at 773 points throughout her three years. She currently sits in second in the record books at Blackburn with 198 career steals. Dudra has played in 73 games and started in 69 of them, averaging 11 points a game, three steals, and 32 minutes a game. During her sophomore season Dudra scored a career high 32 points in a loss to St. Mary Wood. She has also recorded eight steals in one game. 

Savannah Kruse (Senior)

Kruse enters her senior season with a total of 855 career points and only needs 145 points to achieve 1,000 career points. She is coming off a career year where she averaged 16 PPG, seven RPG, and two steals per game. Her 16 points per game was third best in the conference. Kruse was a part of the SLIAC Academic All-Conference Team. The forward scored a career high of 27 points in a loss to Iowa Wesleyan last season. Kruse has been a contributor throughout her career playing in 71 games and starting in 62 of those. Kruse has averaged 12 points, 30 percent from the three point line, and five rebounds per game throughout her successful career. 

Lexi Black (Junior)

Black is entering her third year in the program coming off a solid season averaging nine points a game and two assists. Her nine points a game was third best on the team. Black has served as the primary ball handler her first two seasons playing in 48 games and starting in 42 of them. As a Beaver, Black has won SLIAC Player of the Week and SLIAC Acdemic All-Conference award last season. Black scored a career high 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a win over Principia last season. 

Callista Francis (Junior)

Francis was only a part of the team for one semester last year, after transferring back to Blackburn after a semester at a different school. Francis played her freshman year in the program, but decided not to come back. During her two years in the program she has averaged eight PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 21 minutes a game. Francis has participated in 36 games and started in 12 games. She has recorded seven double-doubles throughout her career. Last season she averaged 9.5 rebounds a game which was fourth best in conference. Francis has a career high of 20 points in a loss her freshman year. Her most noticeable game was last season where she tallied 16 points and 17 rebounds against MacMurray. 

Key Additions: 

Courtnee Riley (Junior)

Riley is entering her junior year after playing her freshman year at Kankakee Community College and her sophomore season at MacMurray College.  During Riley’s freshman season at Kankakee, she played in 25 games and averaged three points per game and three rebounds. After one season with the Cavaliers she transferred to MacMurray college, where she participated in 11 games, averaging three points per game and three rebounds. 

Madison Jernigan (Junior)

Jernigan also was a part of the successful Lincoln Land program. During her two seasons, Jernigan played in 63 games and started in three games. She scored 378 points and played a total of 487 minutes. During Jernigans freshman season, she scored a career high 18 points, shot 75 percent from the floor.

Hanna Box (Junior)

Box is another player that transferred in from Dyersburg Community College after two seasons. Box brings in a lot of experience playing in 61 games and started in 38 games. Box averaged eight points per game and three rebounds per game. She has scored a total of 469 points throughout her collegiate career. Box scored a career high 32 points shooting 78 percent from the floor in a win over Motlow State Community College. 

Key Losses: 

Maria Cline (Graduated)

Cline started in 22 games and played in all of the 24 games last season. She averaged nine points a game and eight rebounds a game. Cline played in 91 games, totaling 247 field goals made for 685 points and 577 rebounds (9th best all-time).

Annika Ochs (Graduated) 

 Ochs has played three years in a Blackburn uniform. She graduated after three seasons.. Ochs logged 1,180 minutes including 18 three pointers and 36 field goals.

Coach Morgan has also added two coaches to his staff during the off season, adding assistant coach Jasmine Shelt and student assistant Kenzie Adams.