BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team will look to re-load after its third trip to the Heartland Conference semi-finals in the past four seasons. Bluffton had a four-game winning streak and followed that with five consecutive wins before the season came to an end at the hands of a Transylvania squad that went 33-0 while winning the NCAA Division III national title.
The Beavers have a big hole to fill with two-time First Team All-Heartland Conference honoree Morgan Smith gone following graduation, but six of the top eight scorers from 2022-23 are back after a 16-10 season a year ago. Smith led the Heartland Conference in rebounds with 9.1 boards per game after pulling down 8.1 RPG as a junior. She was a three-time HCAC Player of the Week who led the Beavers in scoring at 13.4 PPG.
Junior Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) bucketed 8.3 PPG while starting 25 games as a sophomore. She knocked down 31 triples and handed out 49 assists. Her 17 blocks were second to Smith, while her 27 steals were second to 2022-23 senior Sammy Shardo.
Returners Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) and Olivia Zender (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) give the Beavers outstanding depth at point guard. Fitzpatrick doled out a team-high 52 assists while draining 24-of-58 (34.2 percent) from outside the arc. She netted 6.9 PPG, starting all 26 games as a junior. Zender handed out 37 dimes and was a blistering 45-of-52 (86.5 percent) at the stripe. Junior Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) gives the Beavers experience on the inside, having played in all 26 games last year while averaging 3.7 RPG.
A trio of 2022-23 freshmen also made significant contributions in their first year at Bluffton. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) averaged 4.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG while starting 21 times during her inaugural season. Katie Neuhart (Delaware/Delaware/Christian) hit 35-of-42 at the line (83.3 percent) en route to 5.6 PPG. Kyla Columber (Marion/Pleasant) was a long-range marksman, hitting 29-of-80 (36.3 percent) from distance, including a school-record eight triples in Bluffton's 81-48 shellacking of rival Defiance!
Bluffton tips off its 2023-24 season when Adrian comes to town for a 7 p.m. matchup in the Sommer Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The McDonald's of Bluffton Holiday Classic is slated for December 29-30 with Ohio Athletic Conference foes Muskingum and Mount Union on the docket for the Friday and Saturday between Christmas and New Year's. The regular season will wrap up on Friday, Feb. 16, when Defiance makes the short trip to Bluffton for a women's and men's doubleheader.
-BEAVERS-