Defiance College 2019-20 Women’s Basketball Preview

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College women's basketball team heads into the upcoming 2019-20 season with nine returning letterwinners from last year who are joined by 11 freshmen. Entering his second campaign as head coach at Defiance, Allan King Jr. is looking for his Yellow Jackets to improve on their records from last season, which were 10-17 overall and 8-10 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

In looking for leaders on this year's DC squad, King is relying on his two seniors, Liz Martin (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) and Danielle Carruthers (New London, Ohio/New London).

"Liz Martin and Dani Carruthers have assumed leadership roles as seniors," King said. "They're good kids and are willing to help. They help me with all kinds of stuff and they're willing to help the other players as well."

Three other returnees who King expects to provide leadership are junior Kalyn Pickens (Fort Wayne, Ind./R. Nelson Snider), sophomore Taylor Day (West Mansfield, Ohio/North Union) and sophomore Briawna Francis (Indianapolis, Ind./Avon).

"Taylor Day got a lot of playing time last year, and Kalyn Pickens did as well," King said. "I think those two are looked to, on the court, a lot as leaders. And then Bri Francis is another kid that's very vocal and leads every day with her work ethic. Her effort is fantastic all the time."

Outside of the veterans, King is also looking for contributions from many of his newcomers this season.

"From what I've seen in practice, we're going to have a handful of freshmen get a lot of opportunities," King said. "Nicole Sims, at the point guard position, is going to be a kid that gets a lot of opportunities. In the post, we're going to have four freshmen that I think will see a lot of time; that would be Bri Townley, then Josi Wolf, Lauren Criblez and Tia Crape. Emily Blanton also will probably see some time in the post as well.

"Out on the wing, we're going to have some kids looking at a lot of time as well. Taylor Steinbrunner, Lexie Sparks and Olivia Baptista will be in the mix for seeing some playing time early on."

At point guard, Pickens returns after making 18 starts in 2018-19 and averaging 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Francis, who started nine contests as a freshman, is back with Sims (Camden, Ohio/Preble Shawnee) also in the picture for playing time at the point.

Day, an honorable mention all-conference performer and member of the HCAC All-Freshman Team last year, started all 27 games a season ago. She is Defiance's top wing and returning player after tallying 8.2 points and 5.7 boards an outing while leading the Yellow Jackets with 30 steals during her freshman year. Martin and Nysha Speed (Sterling Heights, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North), who both saw action in every contest in 2018-19, also play on the wings with newcomers Sparks (Trenton, Ohio/Kings), Steinbrunner (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek), Baptista (Fremont, Ohio/Ross) and Marissa Roberts (Warren, Ohio/LaBrae) also competing for playing time on the perimeter.

"I think we're going to be strong in that wing position," King said. "Our depth in the wing position is going to be a strength."

Carruthers leads the list of post players after starting 12 times last season and averaging 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. Townley (Paulding, Ohio/Paulding), Wolf (LaRue, Ohio/Elgin), Criblez (Harrod, Ohio/Allen East), Crape (Maumee, Ohio/Springfield) and Blanton (Plymouth, Ohio/Plymouth) will also play down low.

"I think down the road, in the post, we'll be strong as well," King said. "It's just going to take a little bit of time as those freshmen get used to the physical side of the game."

Other players looking to contribute and add depth for DC include junior guard A'Mia Brewer (Saginaw, Mich./Bridgeport), sophomore forward Kora Loer (Kokomo, Ind./Northwestern), freshman guard Sarah Harris (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora), and sophomore posts Michaela Gilliam (Indianapolis, Ind./Broad Ripple Magnet) and Katie Bundy (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn).

Defiance tips off its upcoming campaign at Olivet College on Nov. 13. The Yellow Jackets remain on the road to take on the University of Findlay in an exhibition game and Saint Mary's College in Indiana before their home opener against Ohio Northern University on Nov. 26. Conference play starts on Dec. 3 when DC hosts Anderson University (Ind.).

"In the non-conference, we have a lot of tough games," King said. "We play a lot of the MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association), which is a solid conference with good teams. All of the teams that we're playing had good seasons last year or are on the rise, starting with Olivet."

In the HCAC, defending regular-season and tournament champion Transylvania University was selected to repeat as the conference's best team, but was just ahead of Hanover College in the coaches' preseason poll. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology was picked third.

"The teams to beat, you've got to start off with the teams that have been at the top the last three years, which are Transy, Hanover and Rose," King said. "They have consistently been that top three.

"I think the biggest thing, no matter what conference you're in, is that conference games are so different than every other game because you know each other so well. There are no secrets by the time conference games start."

King is really looking forward to his second year of leading Defiance and especially appreciates playing at home in the Karl H. Weaner Community Center.

"I'm excited for the season and excited to have our local followers out," King said. "One of the things I enjoyed last year about being here at Defiance is all the local folks that come and watch the games. I just want them to know how much I appreciate that and look forward to having them back out."