Central Michigan University Athletics
Women's Basketball Season Wrap-Up
3/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 6, 2000
MOUNT PLEASANT--The Central Michigan University women's basketball team saw its season come to an end with a 95-81 loss at Ball State in the first round of the Mid-American Conference tournament on Feb. 28.
The Chippewas finished the season 9-19 overall and 6-10 in conference play.
"With the injuries and youth we had on the team, we knew this would be a tough and difficult season," fourth-year coach Fran Voll said. "I said at the beginning of the year that if we got double digit wins that would be marvelous. We ended up with nine so that isn't too bad.
"I've got to give a lot of credit to the assistant coaches. They brought in a great deal of basketball knowledge this season and are helping move our program along. We had some outstanding individual performances from players this year and it's sad that players like Jodi Culbertson (Ft. Wayne, IN) and Shelly Woods (Midland) will be graduating."
Woods and Culbertson were the lone two seniors on the team. Those two started along with three sophomores this year.
Woods, a three-year starter at CMU, was named honorable mention All-Mid-American Conference (MAC). She finished her career by becoming the 13th player in CMU history to record 1,000 career points. She ranks 10th in CMU history with 1,128 points. Her 485 career field goals rank eighth in CMU history and 69 blocks fifth. She averaged 10.5 points per game over her career and led CMU in scoring as a senior and a sophomore.
Culbertson made her mark in her final season, averaging 12.0 points and hitting a school record 77 three-pointers on the year. The guard scored 32 points in her final regular-season game and hit a school record nine three-pointers.
The Chippewas will return three starters next year in forwards Alicia Rozak (Sterling Heights/So.) and Vershaun Jones (Detroit/So.) and guard Molli Munz (Bellefontaine, OH/So.). Rozak led CMU in MAC action with 13.4 points per game. She averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds on the year. Jones posted eight double-doubles on the season and averaged a near double-double with 9.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Munz averaged 8.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists from the point guard position while connecting on 64 three-pointers.
"My challenge to the team is to see how much we can take it over the hump," Voll said. "We have flirted with getting over the final hurdle but we're not there yet. Now we know who we are and what we are about and that will help us become a successful program.
"We start now for next year. The program has been through a lot the last couple seasons but we are alive and well. We'll continue to strive for excellence and that's all I can ask for."
Central's bench was shortened this season with injuries. Rochelle Germany (Columbus, OH/So.) was the first guard off the bench and freshman Desiree Eidson (Bowling Green, OH) established herself as the top post reserve. Germany averaged 3.3 points and Eidson 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. Also contributing were freshmen Laurie Henderson (Newark, OH), Abby Lawinger (Menomonee Falls, WI) and Jackie Wiederholt (Fennimore, WI).
"We're pretty young and are hurting for a post game. We just have to shore up the areas we are lacking," Voll said. "We have to learn to win on the road and that's a maturity thing. It comes down to confidence and a lot of that comes from experience."
Post players Rory Wendt (Okemos/So.) and Beth Kindel (Clare/Fr.) missed the season because of injuries and will apply for redshirt years. Kindel played in five games before suffering a foot injury. Wendt missed the entire season.
Transfer Tara Petrie (Pickerington, OH/Oregon State) will likely take over point guard duties next season with Munz moving to the shooting guard position.
CMU will also gain the services of signees 6-1 Mandy Elwer (Delphos, OH/St. John's) and 6-0 Kasey Kraft (Pickerington, OH).
Other 1999-2000 Season Notes:
* The Chippewas set a season record by hitting 168 three-point field goals as a team. The old record was 106 set in 1998-99. The Chippewas three-point percentage of .342 ranked second best in CMU history. Guard Jodi Culbertson set an individual season record with 77 three-pointers and Molli Munz hit 64 to rank second. The old school record was 55 set by Jenny Ritz in 1993-94. Culbertson set the game record with nine three-pointers against Ball State in the regular season finale. Munz' .405 three-point percentage is fourth-best in CMU history and Culbertson's .387 ranks fifth. CMU hit a school record 13 three-pointers against Ball State and attempted a record 31 threes against Bowling Green. The Chippewas (13) and Ball State (15) set an NCAA record by combining to hit 28 three-pointers in the regular season finale. The old record was 26 set by Oklahoma and Iowa State in 1996.
* Guard Molli Munz tied the school record for assists in a game with 11 against George Washington in the SMU Hoops for the Cure tournament. Munz now ranks fourth in CMU history with 93 career three-pointers.
* Forward Vershaun Jones notched nine steals against Wisconsin-Milwaukee to tie the school record (Sylvia Odum, 1984) for steals in a game. She also grabbed 19 rebounds in the first of three meetings with Ball State this season. That total ties for fourth-best in CMU history behind three individuals that tie for top honors with 24 in a game. Jones' rebounding average of 9.2 was the highest by a Chippewa player since Nikki Thompkins hauled down 9.8 per game in 1993-94.
* Senior Jodi Culbertson scored 32 points in her final regular season game at Ball State. That total ranks seventh-best in CMU history. Culbertson now ranks second in CMU history with 112 career three-pointers.
