Women's Basketball News Releases
Cornell opens season Nov. 15 at home against Bethany Lutheran
MOUNT VERNON - It will take some time for the Cornell College women's basketball team to get to full strength this season. But fourth-year head coach Brent Brase believes the Rams are already ahead of schedule in other areas, particularly in creating a team atmosphere with his players.
"My number one goal since taking over the program is starting to be realized... to create a true team on and off the court," said Brase. "We have created a team which has a family atmosphere on and off the court. The players are not only believing in the expectations we have established as a program, but more importantly, they honor these expectations."
Cornell opens the 2008-09 campaign at home Saturday, Nov. 15 with a 6 p.m. tip-off against Bethany Lutheran at the Small Multi-Sport Center. The Rams then head to the Lakeland Tip-off Tournament Nov. 21-22 in Sheboygan, Wis.
The Rams return three active letterwinners from last year's 8-17 overall finish and 3-13 mark in the Iowa Conference.
The Rams will rely on leadership from team co-captains Tiffany Cowan (Atchison, Kan./Truman) and Charlotte Milas (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows). They head a young 11-woman roster that features seven first-year players.
Cowan, an honorable mention all-Iowa Conference selection in 2007-08, has started 59 games over the last three seasons and ranks among Cornell's career leaders in several categories. The senior forward ranks second in 3-point field goals made (90), third in steals (145) and rebounds (541) and seventh in points (800). Cowan needs 332 points to break the school's all-time scoring mark. She set Cornell's single-season record for free throw percentage (90.2) a year ago while averaging 12.1 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Milas, a two-year letterwinner, started all 25 games in the backcourt during her sophomore season in 2007-08. She averaged 8.6 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 83.6 percent from the foul line.
"Tiffany and Charlotte have helped establish and enhance this team togetherness atmosphere," Brase said. "They are upperclass leaders who value and believe in the importance of these shared team experiences and expectations.
"Tiffany has recovered from a broken nose (in the preseason) and is showing why she should be one of the most dangerous scorers in the conference. Our goal for Tiff is to have her now become an equally great defender and so far she has done a great job," Brase continued. "Charlotte made huge strides from her freshman to sophomore year and we are looking for the same growth in her junior year. She always plays with a lot of enthusiasm, intensity and toughness."
The Rams also bring back junior forward Kristin Paczosa (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove). Paczosa recently joined the team after completing her volleyball season last week. She averaged 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last season.
Sophomore forward Alicia West (Plymouth, Wis./Plymouth), the team's top 3-point shooter a year ago, will miss the entire 2008-09 campaign with an ACL injury. She started 13 games and averaged 10.6 points.
Cornell has already dealt with its share of injuries, including the key blow to West.
"On the court it will be very important for us, first, to get healthy. And once we get healthy, we need to stay healthy," Brase said. "We've already had an ACL, gall bladder surgery, surgery on a broken nose and we are now looking at surgery to repair a muscle hernia in a leg."
Cornell's newcomers include junior Katie Walusiak (Lake Forest, Ill.) and freshmen Caitlyn Book (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata), Rose Waskosky (Falcon, Colo./Falcon), Taylor Thompson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek), Teresa Cecchetti (Dixon, Ill./Dixon), Morgan Woods (Milwaukee, Wis./University School of Milwaukee) and Marissa Johnston (Torrance, Calif./North).
"We should have a balanced mix of interior scoring and perimeter shooting that we have not had the past two years," Brase said. "We need to be great in transition defense, eliminate turnovers and be a great rebounding team. With so many newcomers playing key roles within our program, I would expect our man-to-man defense to continue to get better as the season continues."
