2008-09 Kalamazoo College Women's Basketball Preview
by Jessica Maas '10

With a new coaching staff and three returning starters, change is in store for the 2008-09 Kalamazoo College women’s basketball team.

Coach Sharri Brumfield begins her first season with the Hornets, having worked as the assistant coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y. last season. Prior to that, she served as the head coach at Thomas More College (Ky.) for 17 years and won 216 games to become the winningest coach in school history. Throughout that time, she coached teams to four NCAA III Tournaments, with two “Sweet 16” appearances.

Back to make a significant contribution on the floor are returning junior starters Nyemade Cooper and Andrea Bedway. Cooper averaged 12.6 points per game last season, the second-highest on the team, and led the team in rebounds with 7.9 per game. Bedway averaged 6.6 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Also returning with the potential to be a significant contributor is sophomore Courtney Kaplan. Kaplan started 14 games last season, averaged 5.1 points per game, and had 43 steals, the most on the team.

Juniors Sarah Thomasma, Kelsey Bailey, and Briana Hendrix could also step-up considerably for Kalamazoo this year.

The team has four new freshmen on the roster as well.

The Hornets play their first game when they face off against Aurora at 7 p.m. in the first of two days of the Hornet Tip-Off Classic on November 21. They play their first league game at home against Calvin on November 25. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.