LEBANON, Ill. - The Bearcats will be hosting and tipping off their 2023-2024 regular season with the GLVC/GMAC Crossover Tournament, Nov. 10-11 at the Melvin Price Convocation Center. Teams participating in the tournament include McKendree and Missouri S&T from the GLVC, Ohio Dominican University from the GMAC, and Ferris State University from the GLIAC.
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Ohio Dominican
The Panthers are set to finish 13th among 14 conference teams this year in the GMAC. In last year's season Ohio Dominican finished with an overall record of 6-21 and a conference record of 3-17. Last season the Panthers defeated McKendree's fellow GLVC members Maryville (72-70) and UIndy (80-73). The Black and Gold will be returning ten players from last season, including senior Gabby Stare, who averaged 20.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 2.3 apg as well as sophomore Macy Chapman who averaged 10.8 ppg and collected a team-high 50 steals last season. Ohio Dominican will be welcoming seven new freshmen and a transfer to the team this season. Friday's game will mark the first matchup in women's basketball history between the Bearcats and the Panthers.
Ferris State
The Bulldogs are set to finish second in the GLIAC this season and are voted No.20 in WBCA Preseason National Rankings. In last year's season, Ferris State finished with an overall record of 17-12 and a conference record of 9-9. The Bulldogs will be returning two key players, senior Chloe Idoni and senior Mallory McCartney. Idoni has been tabbed as GLIAC Preseason Player of the Year and ALL-GLIAC First Team. In the 2022-23 season, Idoni averaged 19.3 ppg and 7.8 ppg. McCartney was tabbed ALL-GLIAC Second Team and averaged 10.3 ppg and 5.6 apg. The Bulldogs bring back lots of experience from years past as they have one incoming freshman this season, Claire Erickson. This will be McKendree's and Ferris State's second matchup ever as the two met in 2021 for the first time.
Missouri S&T
The Miners are set to finish seventh in the GLVC this season right behind No.6 Bearcats. Missouri S&T is coming off an overall record of 15-14 and 11-9 in the GLVC. S&T's top returning scorers are sophomore Anna Finley with 7.1 ppg in her freshman season and junior Katelynne Roberts averaging 3.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and blocking 14 shots last season. The Miners will also be returning experienced players who recorded significant minutes in 2022-23: junior Addyson Kent, senior Erynn Puett, junior Chorus Davis, and redshirt junior Jada Lindesmith.
McKendree
The Bearcats were voted to finish sixth this year in the GLVC preseason poll. McKendree finished their 2022-23 regular season with a 12-16 record and a 9-11 conference record as well as a conference tournament appearance at the No.7 seed. The Bearcats return their entire roster from last year including top scorers senior forward
Naomi McDaniel (13.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg), senior guard
Maclayne Taylor (8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg), and junior guard
Clare Breden (10.0 ppg). McKendree has five new returners this year including freshmen
Baylie Parks,
Emma Slings,
Abby Drendel, and
Haley Ottenschnieder, as well as junior
Imani McNamee.
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