BW Junior Amanda Schroeder is the Yellow Jackets Go to Player

Posted: Jan 08, 2010

BEREA, OHIO -- When the shot clock is running down and the Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team needs a basket, its clear who BW Head Coach Cheri Harrer wants with the ball: It's junior guard Amanda Schroeder, who at 14.8 points per game, is leading the Yellow Jackets in scoring for the second season in a row.

"Amanda gives our whole team confidence," said Harrer. "No matter what the situation is, when Schroeder has the ball in her hands, we're confident something good will happen."

Schroeder, a native of Columbus Grove, Ohio in Northwest Ohio and graduate of Columbus Grove High School, has given opposing defenses fits during her career in Berea. "Amanda is a tremendous athlete and does so many things well on the court," noted Harrer. "She can get to the rim anytime with either hand and finish and also stretch the defense with her three point shooting. Plus she's a good passer and an excellent free throw shooter."

Schroeder's combination of skill, size and athleticism is something special at the Division III level and has allowed her to become one the Ohio Athletic Conference's top players.

At 5'11" and playing a guard or the three position in BW's motion offense, Schroeder presents a matchup problem for virtually every opponent she faces. "Being a taller guard, I can see the court well," said Schroeder. "If I have a smaller guard on me, I can take them down low and post them up, but if I'm being guarded by a bigger post, I can drive past them."

But the humble Schroeder isn't the type of player who needs to hoist up 20 shots a game. "I like being considered the go to player, but I'm not selfish and I don't want our offense to be all about me because we have so many other good players," said Schroeder, who is majoring in pre-physical therapy and exercise science. "I'm all about the team getting a win."

She's quick to give credit to her teammates for her success on the court. "I'm surrounded by good players and our type of offense suits my strengths. There's a lot of screening and I have ability to drive at anytime if it's open."

In fact, Harrer said sometimes she wishes that Schroeder demanded the ball more. "This year Amanda has been more aggressive and isn't waiting to make plays," commented Harrer. "She's taking the game into her hands rather than waiting to see if anyone else will."

A three-sport star in basketball, volleyball and track at Columbus Grove High School, Schroeder says it was a tough decision for her to decide between playing basketball and volleyball in college. She earned a total of 12 varsity letters in high school and was a two-time All-Ohio selection in basketball at CGHS, where she graduated with a class of just 76 students.

As a freshman, Schroeder played in all 30 games and was a key reserve for a Yellow Jacket squad that went 27-3, won the OAC regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. "As a freshman, Amanda sat back a little and didn't make things happen until she needed to," said Harrer.

Schroeder says that her freshman year was really tough being away from home and she credits the relationships that she built with her teammates and friends outside of basketball for getting her through that first year. But on the court, Schroeder showcased her talent and scoring capability by averaging 6.5 ppg. and making 17 three pointers.

Schroeder's role greatly increased as a sophomore as she started every game for the 22-8 Jackets, who again made an NCAA Tournament appearance. She earned first-team All-OAC honors and was named to the OAC Postseason All-Tournament team. For the season, Schroeder averaged a team-high 13.1 ppg. while shooting 40.6 percent (39-of-92) from three point range. Schroeder was named OAC Player of the Week for her performance in a 68-61 home win over OAC rival Capital University on January 26, 2009 as she scored a then career-high 23 points, including BW's final 13.

"Our offense isn't based around any one player," said Harrer. "But we like to get Amanda at least one touch on every possession. A lot of our special sets and quick hitters are designed to let her create, get to the basket and find open players too."

This year with a young Yellow Jacket squad that includes only one other junior and one senior, Schroeder was named a team captain, undertaking an increased leadership role. "I'm more of quiet person by nature, but now I'm expected to talk more and be more of leader, said Schroeder. "The coaches have told me a lot of the younger players look up to me, so I made it one of my personal goals to be more of a vocal leader this year."

"Amanda has started to speak up more this year," said Harrer (405-141), who recently moved into second place on the all-time career wins list in the OAC. "By virtue of being our best player, the team looks up to her whether she wants to lead or not."

"I'm getting there as a vocal leader," said Schroeder. "There's been an improvement since last year and especially from my freshman year."

Entering BW's (9-4 overall, 5-1 OAC) January 9 game against OAC foe Muskingum University in Berea, which will be televised via tape delay on SportsTime Ohio, Schroeder is averaging a career-best 14.8 ppg. and 4.8 rpg. She also is shooting an impressive 85.3 percent from the free throw line (58-of-68), which is second in the OAC. She has already totaled 780 career points in 73 games, an average of 10.7 ppg.

Earlier in the season, Schroeder scored a career-high 27 points against Case Western Reserve University and was named to the All-Tournament team at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Chuck Resler Tournament. In late December, she was named the Most Valuable Player at the BW Holiday Invitational Tournament, where the Yellow Jackets won the championship. On Wednesday, Schroeder led BW to a 63-53 win over previously unbeaten and 16th-ranked Mount Union College with game-highs of 22 points and seven rebounds.

"We need Amanda to continue to play assertively and aggressively and bring the intensity on both ends of the court," said Harrer. "When Schroeder's at her best, we're at our best."

So does Schroeder want the ball in her hands with the game on the line? Without hesitation she answered, "Yeah, definitely." The answer any go to player will give.