Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Open With Exhibition Game
2/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 1999
MOUNT PLEASANT - The Central Michigan University women's basketball team tips off the 1999-2000 campaign this Wednesday, Nov. 3, with an exhibition game against the Premier All-Stars. Action begins in Rose Arena at 7 p.m.
Fourth-year coach Fran Voll returns three starters and eight letterwinners from a team that finished 11-16 overall and 7-9 in the MAC last season. This year's roster is again dominated by underclasssmen with two seniors, six sophomores and five freshmen making up the squad.
"We're working hard and all things considered with our youth, I think we're further along than the previous three years," Voll said. "We have a group of people battling for front line positions and I don't think we've settled on a starting group at all. With our young team it could vary week by week based on production, effort and practice performance. The reward for that will be playing time."
In the preseason games, the coaching staff hopes to gain playing experience and solidify the lineup. "We'd like to come up with at least a better order of players," Voll said. "We know who's going to contribute, we just need to shed light on how much they will be able to."
The Chippewas first test is the Premier All-Stars, a group of former collegiate players led by player/coach Lisa Cline. Cline was a Kodak honorable mention All-American at Ohio State in 1989. Two-time MAC "Player of the Year" Amy Sherry (Kent) and former Toledo star Angel Drake are two names CMU fans may recognize.
"The All-Stars are all former college players who are still highly touted and competitive players," Voll said. "They are smart, experienced players and the game will give us an opportunity to play someone other than ourselves. We should also be able to gauge our progress."
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Fran Voll begins his fourth season with the Chippewas. The veteran MAC coach enters the season ranked second in conference history with 176 career wins. He trails current Kent coach Bob Lindsay's total of 186. Voll is 32-49 in his three seasons at CMU. He coached at Bowling Green from 1984-91 and led the Falcons to four MAC championships. Voll was named MAC "Coach of the Year" in 1987 and '89 and District "Coach of the Year" in '87.
SUPER SOPHS: The Chippewas return only two upperclassmen in seniors Shelly Woods (Midland) and Jodi Culbertson (Fort Wayne, IN). Six sophomores and five freshmen make up the remainder of the roster. The six sophomores are experienced, though, as they accounted for 53 percent of the CMU's minutes last season. Vershaun Jones (Detroit) started all 27 contests as a true freshman and Molli Munz (Bellefontaine, OH) and Rochelle Germany (Columbus, OH) split starting time at the point. Sophs Rory Wendt (Okemos) and Alicia Rozak (Sterling Heights) were the top two of the bench.
MILESTONE AHEAD: Shelly Woods will be counted on to carry a great part of the offensive load for Central. The 6-3 forward/center is CMU's returning scorer after netting 10.7 points per game a year ago. She started 26 games and scored a season-high 19 points at Ohio. The senior needs 260 points this season to reach the 1,000 point barrier. She would become the 12th Chippewa to reach the plateau. "Shelly's game seems to be more mature and solid," Voll said. "I foresee her contributing in other areas besides scoring, such as rebounding and defense. She's stepped up her leadership along with fellow senior Jodi Culbertson."
THE 'J' IS FOR JUMPER: Senior sharp shooter Jodi Culbertson has made the most out of her playing time during her career. The reserve guard has hit 35 three-pointers to rank ninth in the CMU career record books. She is 29-for-33 from the foul line in her career for a percentage of .879. "We've put Jodi in a front line position right now and are giving her the opportunity to show us what she can do," Voll said.
SHOW STOPPER: Sophomore Vershaun Jones was asked to become the team's defensive stopper last season as a freshman and she answered the call. The forward used an emotionally charged demeanor on the court to step up as a team leader. She started all 27 games as a true freshman and posted a team-high 39 steals. Jones averaged 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, posting two double-doubles. She could become a tough all-around player with the development of a stronger outside shot.
REBOUNDIN' RORY: Sophomore Rory Wendt had a huge year for the Chippewas as the first option off the bench. She led the team in rebounding with 6.7 caroms a game and she also averaged 8.0 points per contest. The 6-2 forward/center posted a team-high four double-doubles, including a career-high performance against Miami with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Wendt was involved in a car accident in the offseason and the Chippewas hope to have her back in the lineup sometime during the season. She has not practiced with the team in full action yet.
ON POINT: CMU will have experience back at the point position after Molli Munz started in the backcourt 21 times as a freshman last season. The 5-6 floor general averaged 4.8 points while dishing out 108 assists on the year. Her 4.0 assists per game tied for 10th in the MAC and she ranked sixth with an assist-turnover ratio of 1.54. She can light it up from behind the arc, too. Munz hit 29 three-pointers, good for 10th best on CMU's season list.
ON GUARD: Central's guard position is deep with sophomores Rochelle Germany and Alicia Rozak coming off the bench. Germany started six games at the point last season, scoring 17 and 10 points in back-to-back starts early in the season. She averaged 2.4 points and dished out 32 assists on the year. Rozak averaged 5.9 points per game and hit 14 three-pointers in her reserve role. Her speed on both ends of the floor provided the Chippewas with a spark all season long.
WWW.POST'EMUP.COM: The Chippewa post could have its own website with Shelly Woods, Rory Wendt and Mandy Winner (Ft. Loramie, OH) patrolling the paint. The three "W's" took care of things inside last season with Woods averaging 10.7 points and Wendt leading the team in rebounds with 6.7 an outing despite coming off the bench. Winner was solid in her reserve role and she is primed to step up her contribution with the injury to Wendt. Winner led the team in scoring at Michigan last season and made a big impact during a five-game stretch early in the year.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Fran Voll racked up the mileage during the recruiting season by signing four outstate players and only one from Michigan. Joining the Chippewas this season are 6-0 forward Desiree Eidson (Bowling Green, OH/Toledo Catholic Central), 5-10 guard/forward Laurie Henderson (Newark, OH/Newark), 5-11 forward Beth Kindel (Clare, MI/Clare), 5-10 guard/forward Abby Lawinger (Menomonee Falls, WI/Milwaukee Pius XI), and 6-2 forward/center Jackie Wiederholt (Fennimore, WI/Fennimore). Voll didn't have to travel far to sign the lone Michigan recruit, Kindel. She's from Clare, a small town 15 miles north of Mount Pleasant.
ON CALL: If last year was any indication, the freshmen class should expect to get some significant playing time this season. Beth Kindel and Laurie Henderson have both looked strong in early workouts. "Both of those two have showed good progress adjusting to the college game," Voll said. "They are vying for some significant playing time." Newcomers Desiree Eidson and Abby Lawinger have been slowed with nagging injuries in the preseason.
NEW STAFF: Three new assistant coaches -- Ina Nicosia, Kristin Irwin and Renee Bostic -- will bring a new chemistry to the team. Nicosia was an assistant at James Madison for the past two seasons and Irwin spent the past two years as an assistant at Ohio Northern. Bostic comes to CMU after two years as an assistant at American International.
UP NEXT: The Chippewas host another exhibition game against Soproni Postas (Hungary) on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. It is part of a doubleheader with the men's team. CMU opens the 1999-2000 campaign on Friday, Nov. 19, with a home game against Detroit at 7 p.m.ON THE AIR: Most CMU women's basketball games can be heard on CMU's student radio station, WMHW-FM (91.5).
