Valparaiso (0-0, 0-0 Horizon)
at Butler (0-0, 0-0 Big East)
Game #1 - Friday, November 13 - 6:00 p.m. CT
Hinkle Fieldhouse (9,100) - Indianapolis, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The curtain rises on the 2015-16 women’s basketball season Friday night in Indianapolis. Historic Hinkle Fieldhouse is the site of the Crusaders’ season opener. Five players are expected to make their Valpo debut versus a Butler team that is led by second-year head coach Kurt Godlevske.
Last Time Out: Freshmen Meredith Hamlet and Hannah Schaub combined for 33 points and 13 assists opposite one turnover while sophomore Jasmyn Walker posted 19 points and eight rebounds in Valpo’s 94-78 win versus Purdue Calumet in the Brown and Gold’s lone exhibition contest. The Crusaders recorded 28 assists on 38 field goals and shot 49.4 percent (38-77) from the floor as four players saw their first taste of action in a Valpo uniform.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Sports Juice - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Brad Collignon (Color). Video - ButlerSports.com. Links for the audio, video, and live stats are available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, ValpoGameday.com is a one-stop shop for live video, stats and social media interaction, all on the same page.
Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (23-69) is in her fourth season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2015-16. She collected her 250th career victory on November 14th, 2014 after a 91-57 defeat of Butler. In her first season, Dorow led the Crusaders to eleven victories overall, including five in Horizon League play. Dorow arrived in Valparaiso after 14 seasons at Ferris State. She compiled a 232-163 record while with the Bulldogs. Furthermore, Ferris State posted the #1 grade point average in all of Division II for the 1999-2000 women’s basketball season as well as the #2 ranking in 2002-03.
Series Notes: This will be the 31st meeting between Valpo and Butler, with the Bulldogs owning a 22-8 advantage. Butler won 14 of the first 15 contests of the series, but it’s been tight since the turn of the century. Beginning with a Dec. 6th, 2003 game at the ARC, Valpo has won seven out of the last 15 tilts versus its in-state rivals.
Storylines
- 15 of the 23 players eligible for Friday’s game are underclassmen.
- Valpo and Butler have faced each other every year since 2008.
- The stars of last year’s matchup at the ARC were high school teammates: Valpo’s Abby Dean and Butler’s Blaire Langlois.
- Dean set career watermarks in points (21), rebounds (6), field goals (9), and three-pointers (3) in last year’s 91-57 season-opening victory.
- Langlois paced the Bulldogs with 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including three treys, six rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal.
- Valpo opened the 1998-99 season on Nov. 13th, the only other time the Brown and Gold have played on that date.
@ValpoWBB
- @ValpoWBB closed out the 2014-15 season slate with a 6-24 overall record, 2-14 in the Horizon League.
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish 10th in the Horizon League in the 2015-16 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB’s Dani Franklin was a Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection.
- @ValpoWBB returns its three leading scorers (Franklin, Jasmyn Walker, Lexi Miller) in addition to its two top rebounders (Walker, Franklin).
- @ValpoWBB brings back 1,469 points, 767 rebounds, and 4,304 minutes played from the 2014-15 squad.
@ButlerWBB
- @ButlerWBB rounded out the 2014-15 season 14-16 overall, but 10-8 in Big East play.
- @ButlerWBB was 7-6 at Hinkle Fieldhouse last season.
- @ButlerWBB’s roster is comprised of six freshmen, two sophomores, and two seniors.
- @ButlerWBB returns just five players - and 771 points - from 2014-15.
- Langlois, a three-point specialist, is @ButlerWBB’s most productive returner (11.2 PPG in 2014-15).
- Last season, Langlois finished sixth all-time for three-point field goals made (66) and attempted (193) in a season for @ButlerWBB.
- Kurt Godlevske is in his second season as head coach of @ButlerWBB.
Meredith Hamlet
- Making her collegiate debut Friday.
- Scored 18 points, secured five rebounds, notched two steals, and dished out four assists in Valpo’s exhibition game vs. Purdue Calumet.
Hannah Schaub
- Making her collegiate debut Friday.
- Was 5-of-9 from three-point range as part of a 15-point, nine-assist exhibition contest vs. Purdue Calumet.
Abby Dean
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
- Owns a 42.0% career field-goal percentage in 85 career tilts
Annemarie Hamlet
- Dropped in a season-high 11 points versus Butler last year.
Georgi Donchetz
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
- Scored a season-high nine points at Green Bay on Jan. 29th.
Lexi Miller
- Only returner with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (76:69).
- Finished in double figures eight times last season, including a career-high 21 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 21st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Making her Valpo debut Friday.
Amber Lindfors
- Making her collegiate debut Friday.
Dani Franklin
- Voted Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year in 2014-15.
- Valpo’s top scorer (13.0 PPG) and field-goal shooter (47.3%) last season.
- Finished in double figures 21 times last season including five tilts of 20 points or more.
- Shot a team-high 85.7% (42-49) from the foul line as a freshman.
Allison Schofield
- Making her collegiate debut Friday.
Jasmyn Walker
- Recorded most rebounds ever by a freshman (250) and the sixth-most ever in a single season in program history.
- Amassed nine double-doubles in Horizon League play.
- Elected to 2014-15 Horizon League All-Freshmen Team.
- Named HL Freshman of the Week three times last season.
Haylee Thompson
- Notched back-to-back double-doubles on Dec. 30th and Jan. 3rd last season.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Missed 23 games last season due to a back injury.
