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2007-08 Season Preview

A new era in Olivet College women’s basketball begins in 2007-08, as Heather Bateman takes over as the Comets’ head coach. She was an assistant coach for six years under Deanna Richard, who left Olivet in July 2007 to become the head women’s basketball coach at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.

In addition to the new leadership, the Comet varsity roster will also feature many new faces. While three players from last year’s varsity team are on the roster, five players who have significant playing time at the junior varsity level will join the varsity team this season. Returning varsity players include seniors Amy Brackenwagen (Grand Ledge) and Jaime Kowalczyk (Wyandotte/Roosevelt).

Over the last three years, Brackenwagen has been one of the finest point guards to play at Olivet as well as the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In each of her first three years, she has led the Comets and ranked among the league leaders in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio. In her career, Brackenwagen has 262 assists and 140 steals. She only needs 28 assists to become Olivet’s all-time leader. In addition, Brackenwagen has scored 521 points in her career.

Kowalczyk has made an impact in the three-second area. In 62 career games, she has scored 380 points and grabbed 276 rebounds.

The third returning player is sophomore Nykole Pfaff (Goodrich/Powers Catholic). She saw action in 18 games during her rookie season at Olivet and scored 33 points.

Juniors Cassie Bowerman (Quincy), Lauren Fishwick (Trenton), Sarah Mangold (Sterling Heights/Bishop Foley) and Shannon Tennant (Saginaw/Arthur Hill) along with sophomore Gabrielle Federau (Okemos) are former junior varsity players on this year’s varsity team.

The rest of the varsity roster includes two junior college transfers, Emily Brown (Muskegon/Mona Shores) from Muskegon Community College and Vallen VanZyll (Lowell) from Kellogg Community College, along with freshman Caitlin Thilo (Onondaga/Eaton Rapids). First-year players Ameina Ross (Lansing/Everett) and Cassie Sump (Holt/Lansing Catholic) are expected to split time between the varsity and junior varsity teams.

The Comets will begin the 2007-08 season Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16-17 when they travel to Greencastle, Ind. to participate in the DePauw University Tip-Off Tournament. Olivet opens play against the host Tigers Friday night at 7 p.m. The other two participating schools are Illinois Wesleyan and Washington (Mo.) Universities.