BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team and head coach Cheri Harrer return to a full 2021-22 schedule, looking to challenge for the top of the OAC and return to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Yellow Jackets, who went 10-5 overall, 8-4 in the OAC, and finished second in the regular season and in the OAC tournament, return 15 letterwinners to this year's roster.
BW welcomes back four starters from last year, including leading scorer senior First Team All-OAC performer and Academic All-OAC forward Lilly Edwards (Dublin/Coffman). Edwards averaged 18.1 points per game (ppg) and 10.3 rebounds per game (rpg) for the Yellow Jackets. Edwards also dished out 19 assists and posted 17 steals in BW's 15 contests. She was also recognized as a d3hoops.com Preseason All-American.
Another key contributor for the Yellow Jackets is senior Academic All-OAC forward Megan Scheibelhut (Avon Lake/Elyria Catholic) who recorded career-best averages of 6.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Scheibelhut also posted 16 blocks and 15 assists. BW also returns senior Academic All-OAC starting guard Sydney Snyder (Kirtland) who averaged 7.1 ppg and totaled 22 assists and 14 steals on the year.
The fourth and final returning starter is junior Academic All-OAC guard Izzy Andrews (Ann Arbor, Mich./Rudolf Steiner School) who averaged 4.4 ppg and led the team in assists with 38. Coming off the bench last year and will be a big component of the team this year is sophomore forward Kira Philpot (Cuyahoga Falls/Stow) who posted 5.3 ppg and 3.9 rpg during the 2021 spring season.
Other returning letterwinners are sophomore forward Sylvie Sonneman (Jamestown/Greenview), senior guard Emily Lyon (Wadsworth/Highland), senior Academic All-OAC forward Maighread Laliberte (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills), junior Academic All-OAC guard Kelsey George (Dayton/Centerville), junior Academic All-OAC guard Regan Schill (Sheffeild Village/Elyria Catholic), sophomore forward Megan Jurosic (New Knoxville), sophomore forward Kayla Paul (Bellbrook), sophomore guard Lauren Snyder (Kirtland), sophomore guard Carolyn Wochele (Mentor), and sophomore guard Brenna Varga (Avon/Magnificat).
Being welcomed back after a year of not competing due to injury is senior Academic All-OAC guard Megan Hensel (Upper Sandusky). During the 2019-20 season, Hensel appeared in all 30 games for the Yellow Jackets. She recorded career-best averages of 6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and added 25 steals and 23 assists. Also returning off injury are junior guard Mackenzie Hance (Mogadore/Lake) and sophomore guard Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Watkins Memorial).
Joining the Yellow Jackets this season is a talented group of freshmen. Being added to this year's squad are guards Alek Johnson (Gibsonia, Pa./Mars Area), Emma Knick (Avon Lake), and Suzie Nemec (Weedsport, N.Y.) and forwards Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg), Sadie Arend (Carey), and Caely Ressler (Napolean).
During the 2019-20 season, the Yellow Jackets were 28-2 overall, 17-1 OAC record, and garnered the regular season and tournament championship. BW surged in the NCAA Division III Tournament, marching to the Elite Eight with a chance at #1 Hope College (Mich.) before being cancelled due to the pandemic. Returning with that fire, heart, and a full schedule, the Yellow Jackets aim for top of the OAC and hope to return to the NCAA Division III Tournament this year.
BW begins the 2021-22 season next Tuesday, November 9 as the Yellow Jackets travel to non-conference crosstown rival Case Western Reserve University. The game is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. in Horsburgh Gymnasium inside the Veale Center.