By: David McFeely, Director of Media Relations
Bolivar, Mo. – The SBU women's basketball team is set to begin their 2023-24 campaign this Friday as they travel to Nashville. The Bearcats will open against Trevecca Nazarene at 6:00pm CST and will continue on Saturday against Kentucky Wesleyan.
After nine seasons, the Bearcats welcome a new head coach in Wyketha Harrell. She takes over her first program as a head coach after spending 18 seasons at the Division I level as an assistant coach. The last eight years she was an associate head coach at University of New Orleans where she headed up preparation and organization of recruiting.
"Having the opportunity to run my first program as head coach is an amazing opportunity. And to be at such a special place like SBU is completely ordained by God." - Harrell said.
It is a team of all experienced players, as SBU does not have a single freshman on the team. They returned 12 players from last season with the addition of three transfers. The Bearcats have four seniors on the squad this season in Milena Fromming, Karlee Holland, Kallyn Stumbo, and Alyssa Williams. Fromming returns to the team after averaging 2.4 points per game and dishing out 28 assists. Holland was a top-5 scorer with 5.7 points per game, also contributing 31 assists and nine steals. Stumbo has been a two-year player for the Bearcats after transferring from Division I Indiana State. Last season she was consistent across numerous categories with 117 points, 99 rebounds, 70 assists, 21 steals, and 15 blocks. Williams has been plagued with injury in her first three seasons seeing minimal time on the court.
One of their top returners is the second highest scorer in center Tori Hamilton who averaged just over 10 points per game. That came off an impressive 62.8% field goal percentage and she led the team in rebounds with 6.4 per game. Hamilton's best stat of the year was her total blocks, where she broke an SBU single season record. She had 47 total blocks on the season, 7 more than the previous record, averaging 1.7 per game.
Another top returner is junior forward Claudia Vanzant as she was the fourth leading scorer on the team. She averaged 6.8 points per contest and 5.8 rebounds per contest shooting 41% from the field. She led the entire team in double-doubles last season with five total, recording one every time she had over 10 rebounds.
"While there are a large number of returners everything is new for everyone. It is my goal to take everything that was good and build on. There is a strong core of production in these players on both ends of the floor. Having a new vision to their potential could be everything they need to go to the next level."
- Harrell said.
Last season, it was the Bearcats defense that stood out as they were 2nd in the conference in points allowed per game, only behind Drury. Despite the strong defense and many returners, SBU women's basketball was picked to finish 12th in the GLVC preseason poll with 43 points, just 2 points behind newcomer Upper Iowa. This poll is voted on by the coaches in the conference.
"It's not the preseason poll that matters so much as the end of season placement. We will take every opportunity to learn and grow for those who believe in this program." -Harrell said.
