GREENWOOD, Ind. - The Defiance College Women’s Basketball team collected 44 points on its way to a fifth place ranking in the 2007-08 HCAC Preseason Poll. Manchester College was predicted to defend its HCAC title, while Transylvania and Anderson rounded out the top three. DC’s Sarah Bird (Fayette, Ohio/Gorham Fayette) and Mandy White (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf ) each earned a spot on the HCAC Player-to-Watch list.
In 2006-07 the Lady Jackets had an eight-game turnaround from the season before, going 14-11 overall and 7-9 in the HCAC. First year head coach Dic Doumanian will look for his team to build on that improvement in a quest to qualify for the conference tournament following a two-year absence.
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Despite losing All-HCAC guard Kayla Mengerink, the Jackets still return three all-conference performers from a year ago in seniors Bird and Katie McNamara (Grand Ledge, Mich./Lansing CC) and reigning HCAC Freshman-of-the-Year White.
Bird and McNamara, All-HCAC Honorable Mention selections last season, give DC valuable experience in the backcourt. Bird averaged 9.7 points per game last season, while also knocking down 40.5 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. McNamara, entering her second season after transferring from Lansing Community College, led the team in steals (54) and three-point field goals (35). White led the team in scoring and rebounding a year ago, averaging 11.7 points per game and pulling down seven boards a game.
Four other letterwinners return for the Jackets as senior Sarah Jacobs (Stockbridge, Mich./Lansing CC), junior Sarah Grime (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) and sophomores Elisa Hickman (Toledo, Ohio/Roy C. Start) and Kim Zura (Marblehead, Ohio/Danbury) will all play significant roles this season for Defiance. Joining them will be 12 newcomers who look to step right in and contribute for Coach Doumanian.
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