Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team will hit the road to officially open the 2014-15 season this Saturday, November 15
th. The Cru women will travel to Sherman to face Austin College in a 2:00 PM non-conference game to open the campaign for both teams.
UMHB welcomes back four starters and 12 letter winners from a team that posted one of the largest single-season turnarounds in the country last year. The Cru went 18-10 overall and finished 16-6 in American Southwest Conference play. UMHB advanced to the Championship Game of the ASC Tournament before falling to U.T.-Tyler and the Cru also led the country in rebounding margin last season.
The back court will be led by the return of five players who started at least one game last season.
Alyssa Dean (Sr., Houston) was voted ASC Newcomer of the Year and also earned a spot on the ASC All-Conference Team. She averaged 13.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season.
Macy Moore (Sr., Houston) was also an ASC All-Conference choice after averaging 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest.
Alisha Mosley (Jr., Temple) and
Destini Oakmon (So., Pflugerville) split time starting at point guard last year and
Kourtney Bevers (So., Liberty Hill) is an experienced player who has started games in each of the past two seasons.
Tori Tucker (Jr. College Station) and
Chantal Franco (Jr., Conroe) were both limited by injuries last season, but will have a chance to step into larger roles this year.
The back court will also benefit from the arrival of point guard
Meghan Turner (Fr., Midlothian).
Reagan Magee (Fr., Conroe),
Selina Apodaca (Fr., Colleyville) and
Elizabeth Rutherford (So., Greenville) are also talented newcomers who will compete for playing time at guard this season.
All-Region selection
Taylor Tucker (Sr., College Station) highlights the front court after averaging team highs with 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season. She missed the final eight games of the year with a knee injury, but seems healthy to start the year this season.
Jonelle Smith (So., Pflugerville) and
Bridjai Chaney (So., McKinney) also both started games last year, with Smith shooting a team-high 41 percent from three-point range.
Ashlee Sargent (Jr., Arlington) and
Corrigan Tibbs (So., San Antonio) were valuable reserves who should challenge for frontcourt roles this year and
Mackenzie Coffey (Jr., Pflugerville) continues to work her way back from injuries that limited her to one game last season.
Newcomers
Taylor Dangerfield (Fr. Watauga),
Kaci Azbogu (Fr., Murphy) and
Haven Neal (Fr., Farmersville) will also be part of the mix for playing time up front. UMHB is searching for a replacement for graduated starting post
Jovana Miles, a four-year letter winner and one of the team's top rebounders a year ago.
Head Coach
Lisa Curliss-Taylor is entering her third season at UMHB and has guided the Cru women to back-to-back appearances in the ASC Championship Tournament. Curliss-Taylor is 26-27 in her two years in Belton and the Cru women were picked to finish third in the ASC in the league's annual Preseason Coaches and Media Poll. Dean, Moore and
Taylor Tucker were all named to the Preseason Players to Watch list.
You can follow the Cru women at Austin College through live statistics. The link is available on the Cru Athletic Department web site at
www.cruathletics.com. Austin College will also offer live video on a pay-per-view basis. Following Saturday's opener at Austin College, the UMHB women will return home to host three non-conference games before opening ASC play. The Cru's home opener comes Saturday, November 22
nd, with a 6:00 PM start against Texas Lutheran University at the Mayborn Campus Center.
