2011-12 Olivet Women's Basketball Preview

The 2011-12 Olivet College women's basketball roster features only three returning letterwinners from last season's team. Nicole Burford, who is in her second season as head coach, will rely on a roster that is bolstered by five transfers who will look to make an immediate impact and two additional new players to the program who have the potential to help the team this season and in the future.

Junior Mellissa Bageris (Milford) returns with the most experience, as she has played in 45 career games and scored 128 points. Her single-game scoring high is 14 points against Saint Mary's (Ind.) College. The sophomore duo of Heather Lauwers (Ortonville/Brandon) and Rachael Wagner (Clinton Twp./Fraser) are the other returning letterwinners.

Lauwers will bring experience on the perimeter, as she saw action in 22 games during her rookie season. Her best game was eight points and five rebounds against Adrian College. Wagner saw action in all 25 games, helping out on the perimeter and giving the Comets time at point guard. She scored a career-high seven points in the season finale against Albion College.

Transfers Brittany Brown (Inkster/John Glenn), Kelsey Campbell (Olivet), SoQuitta DeShazor (Flint/Hamady), Kaleigh Hill (Niles) and Sydney Radde (Stevensville/Lakeshore) will bring solid playing experience to the program. Brown was a member of the basketball team at Jackson Community College for two seasons and will join Campbell in the backcourt. Campbell played in 23 games at Northern Michigan University in 2010-11 and returns home to lead the Comets.

DeShazor played two years at Lansing Community College where she averaged 13.8 points per game (ppg) and 8.9 rebounds per game (rpg) last season. Radde and Hill both played the last two years at Lake Michigan College. Last season, Radde scored 14 ppg and grabbed 10 rpg for the Indians. Hill averaged seven ppg and will add even more depth inside this season.

Sophomore Elizabeth Bailey (Wyoming/Rogers) transferred from Hawaii Pacific University and will begin her college career with Olivet. Freshman Deja Penn (Flint/Southwestern) will also look to gain some experience this season.

The Comets open their 2011-12 season Tuesday, Nov. 15, with a 7:30 p.m. game at Defiance (Ohio) College. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19, Olivet will participate in the Anderson (Ind.) University Tournament. The Comets will play at Cornerstone University Nov. 22 and then host Aquinas College Nov. 28 in their home-opener.

Olivet begins Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play Dec. 3, when it hosts Trine (Ind.) University at 3 p.m. Other games of note are Dec. 28-29, the Comets will participate in the RDV Tournament in Orlando, Fla., playing against Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) College and Concordia University-Chicago.