Valparaiso (10-12, 3-8 MVC)
at Loyola (5-17, 3-8 MVC)

Game No. 23 – Sunday, Feb. 11 – 1 p.m. CT
Gentile Arena (4,486) – Chicago, Ill.

Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The Valparaiso University women’s basketball team will round out its longest stretch of road games this season by playing the third consecutive game away from the Athletics-Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon. The Crusaders will look to secure a season sweep of Loyola as they visit a Rambler team that is riding high after winning two of its last three, including a 10-point win at Bradley last week.

Last Time Out: The Crusaders dropped a back-and-forth affair at Illinois State 63-55 to the host Redbirds last Sunday. The Crusaders have played just two games in conference decided by fewer than 10 points, and both have come against Illinois State, with the two teams splitting those contests. Meredith Hamlet came off the bench with a team-high 17 points, while Dani Franklin secured her third double-double of the season and second in the last three games with 15 points and 13 boards.

Following the Crusaders: Sunday’s game and every game for the remainder of the season will air on The Valley on ESPN3. In addition, the hometown radio call of Sunday’s game can be heard on 95.1 FM Valparaiso with Ben Ariano (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (color commentary) on the call. Links to live video, audio and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow was named head coach of the Valparaiso women's basketball program in April of 2012. The 2017-18 season is her sixth in charge of Valpo's program. Dorow has led the Crusaders to a Horizon League tournament victory in four of her first five seasons at the helm. During the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, Valpo boasted three all-freshman team members, a Freshman of the Year, a Sixth Player of the Year, an all-league second-team honoree and an all-defensive team member. The Crusaders have enjoyed a significant uptick in all-league recognition under Dorow's watch, as they had three total league honors in the five seasons before that three-year span. Dorow arrived at Valpo after spending 14 seasons as the head coach at Ferris State University, guiding the Bulldogs to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division championships, and four 20-win seasons.

Series Notes: The Crusaders and Ramblers are conference foes once again after the two team’s shared Horizon League affiliation from 2007-2013. This will mark Valpo’s first visit to Loyola since winning 68-58 in February 2013. The two teams did battle on Jan. 12 at the ARC with Valpo coming away with a 76-60 victory. Dani Franklin surpassed 1,500 career points and moved into second in program history in career scoring in that contest. Grace Hales went 5-of-8 from the field and racked up 15 points, while Loyola freshman Abby O’Connor had 16 points to lead three Ramblers in double figures.

Sweep Opportunity: Sunday’s game against Loyola marks the second of three opportunities that the Crusaders will have to sweep a Missouri Valley Conference opponent in the two regular season meetings. The Crusaders have not swept a conference foe since Butler during the 2011-2012 season. Since that time, Butler has made two conference changes, going from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 to the Big East, while Valpo has made a conference climb of its own, going from the Horizon League to The Valley. A win on Sunday would give Tracey Dorow her first sweep of a conference foe as Valpo head coach.

Keeping Control: When Valpo made 20 turnovers in the 69-58 loss at Bradley last week, it was just the second time (and the first in Valley play) that Valpo has had a 20-turnover game this season. The only other game with 20+ turnovers was at Liberty on Dec. 2. Last year, Valpo made 20 or more turnovers in 11 games. Valpo’s second 20+ turnover game a year ago came in the second game of the season. Valpo’s second game with 20 or more turnovers did not come until the 21^st game this season, while it came sometime in the first eight games in each of the last 12 years.

Hamlet Among Career Leaders: The next Crusader to begin cracking the program’s career leaderboard in various statistical categories will be junior guard Meredith Hamlet. She has made 139 career 3-pointers, putting her one away from moving into the Top 10. With her next 3-pointer, Hamlet will move into a tie for 10^th with Heidi Diefenthaler (1992-1996). She has scored 848 career points and is in position to enter the Top 20 in that area by season’s end. Diefenthaler ranks 20^th with 896 career points.

Lineup Shake Up: After using the same starting lineup for eight straight games, the Crusaders made significant changes on Sunday afternoon at Illinois State. Dani Franklin’s streak of 52 consecutive starts came to an end, Meredith Hamlet came off the bench for just the second time in her 82-game Crusader career and freshman Bryce Blood’s streak of 21 straight starts to begin her Crusader career was halted. Marlee Profitt and Addison Stoller made their first career starts, with Maya Meredith and Georgi Donchetz also inserted as part of four lineup changes. Caitlin Morrison was the only player who had started the previous eight games to appear in the starting five against the Redbirds.

Crashing The Glass: The Crusaders have done a nice job on the offensive boards of late, pulling down 15 or more offensive rebounds in four of their last five games. They did not have 15 or more offensive rebounds in any of their previous 16 games before this five-game stretch.

10-Win Mark: Valpo has already picked up its 10^th victory of the year, matching the program’s win total from each of the last two seasons. With their next triumph, the Crusaders will secure the program’s highest win total since 2012-13.

Franklin Free Throw Watch: Senior forward Dani Franklin is currently shooting 87.0 percent at the foul line this season. Last year she finished at 85.8, which ranks second in program history for single-season free throw percentage. The Valpo record is 88.6 percent, set by Agnieszka Kulaga in 2008-2009.

Comeback Kids: Even when Valpo has allowed the opposition to secure a sizeable lead this season, the Crusaders have found ways to fight back into games on several occasions. Three of Valpo’s last four losses have seen the team take a significant divot out of a large lead. The Crusaders trailed by as many as 18 in the second half at Southern Illinois on Jan. 21 and pulled within two before losing by 11. Valpo trailed by as many as 23 in the second half on Feb. 2 at Bradley and whittled the deficit to six before eventually falling by 11. The Crusaders trailed by as many as 24 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 28 and only lost by 13 after finishing the game on an 11-0 run.

So You Want to Be a Coach: Dani Franklin has been named a participant in the 2018 “So You Want to be a Coach” program, hosted by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in partnership with the Alliance of Women Coaches. Franklin is an elementary education major and holds a 3.57 GPA while balancing basketball with her academic load. She is currently a student teacher in a second-grade classroom in Valparaiso. Franklin is second on Valpo’s all-time scoring list with over 1,500 career points and is averaging a team-high 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. 

Valpo in The Valley: Valparaiso University is competing in its first season as a member institution in the Missouri Valley Conference after a 10-year run in the Horizon League. The Valley is celebrating 25 years of women’s athletics in the conference over the course of the 2017-18 academic and athletic year. Valpo head coach Tracey Dorow played at Illinois State during the first season of women’s athletics in The Valley and is back for Year 25 and her first season as a head coach in the conference.

Dani Franklin Record Book Watch

• Dani Franklin enters this game with 1,578 career points, which ranks second in Valpo history. She has climbed over Sarrah Stricklett (1996-2000) to claim second in program history in career scoring and become the second member of Valpo’s 1,500 career point club. She joins the legendary Debbie Bolen (1989-1993), who is Valpo’s all-time scoring leader with 2,008 career points.
• Franklin holds a career scoring average of 14.1 points per game, which ranks second in program history. The program record is 18.4 points per game, set by Debbie Bolen (1989-93).
• Franklin ranks third in Valpo history with 583 career made field goals. She is 21 makes away from passing Jeanette Gray for second in program history.
• Franklin has amassed 170 3-pointers in her illustrious career, a total that ranks sixth in program history. She needs two more to leap into fourth.
• Franklin owns a career 3-point field goal percentage of .373, which currently sits tied for fourth all-time.
• Franklin has 643 career rebounds, which puts in her in 10^th in program history. Her 13 boards on Feb. 4 at Illinois State allowed her to crack the program’s Top 10 in that category. Debbie Bolen is ninth with 655 career boards, with Marlous Nieuwveen eighth at 657.
• Franklin’s career free-throw percentage of .871 is on pace for the program record, which currently is .838, set by Launa Hochstetler (2005-2009).
• Franklin has cracked the Top 10 in career free throws made. She has knocked down 242 career free throws, which ranks seventh in program history. Tabitha Gerardot is sixth with 248.

Inside the Ramblers

• Coming off a 71-61 win at Bradley last week that saw Kailyn Strawbridge lead the way with 17 points including four 3-pointers.
• Led in scoring and rebounding by freshman Abby O’Connor, who is averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
• Picked to finish 10^th in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll.
• Under the direction of second-year head coach Kate Achter, who previously served as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator at Xavier.
• Rank 10^th in the league in scoring offense at 52.9 points per game.

A Look Back at 2016-17

• Valpo had the biggest jump from the first half of league play to the second of any Horizon League squad. In first matchups against Horizon League opponents, Valpo went 0-9 before going 4-5 in second meetings. The plus-four win turnaround was the best in the Horizon League. No other team was better than plus-two.
• The Crusaders have now captured league tournament wins in five of the last six seasons.
• Valpo went 4-4 over its final eight games of the regular season, its best eight-game finish to a season of the Tracey Dorow era.
• Dani Franklin was named to the all-league second-team, becoming the first Valpo player to make the Horizon League first or second team since Tabitha Gerardot in 2012-13.
• The Crusaders had an all-league representative and an all-defensive team member in the same season for the first time since joining the Horizon League.
• Franklin finished the season with 559 points, which ranks second in program history for points in a single year. Debbie Bolen’s 1991-92 season (638) is the program record.
• Franklin finished the season at 18.0 points per game, ranking fifth in program history for single-season scoring average. She also shot 85.8 percent at the free-throw line, the second-best single-season free throw percentage in program history.
• Hannah Schaub completed the season with 134 assists, ranking seventh in program history for assists in a single season.
• The Crusaders had twice as many wins in February (four) than they had in December and January combined (two).

Inside the 2017-18 Roster

• Valpo has nine players on the roster listed at 6-foot or taller. This is the most players listed at 6-foot or taller on the roster in program history. Previously, the most was eight in 1990-91 and 1995-96.
• Valpo has had five freshmen on the roster each of the last two seasons. Prior to 2016-17, the Crusaders hadn’t featured five true freshmen since 2010-11. This year’s team has 10 freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores, the most since the 2003-04 season.
• In addition to five true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen and three sophomores, the Crusaders feature three juniors and two seniors.
• This year’s version of the Crusaders includes four Indiana natives. This marks the most Hoosiers on the team since the 2013-2014 season.
• Three others are from Illinois, three from Ohio, two from Minnesota, one from Michigan, one from Iowa and one from Wisconsin. Seven states are represented on the Valpo roster.
• Freshman Ella Ellenson (Rice Lake, Wis.) is the first Valpo player from Wisconsin since Sarah Ott (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) in 2007-08.

Meredith Hamlet

• Led Valpo in scoring for the third time in four games on Feb. 4 at Illinois State, turning in 17 points off the bench.
• Was the lone Crusader in double figures on Feb. 2 at Bradley, finishing with 13 points.
• Made her way into double figures for the fourth consecutive game with a team-high 18 on Jan. 26 against Evansville.
• In double figures for the third straight game with a team-high 19 points on Jan. 21 vs. Southern Illinois. That marked the first time Hamlet led the team in scoring since Dec. 15 and the fifth time this season she’s done so.
• Reached double figures for the first time since Dec. 15 on Jan. 7 against Bradley by scoring 16 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. Had four straight double-figures performances from Dec. 3-15, then five straight games out of double figures from Dec. 18 to Jan. 5.
• Named the Enterprise Bank MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Dec. 20 after matching a career high in scoring against IU Northwest. Became the first Valpo student-athlete in any sport to win the weekly honor, given to someone who excels both academically and athletically.
• Fouled out for the first time in her Valpo career on Dec. 21 against Fort Wayne.
• Handed out a career-high six assists on Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois.
• Reached 29 points in a game for the third straight season on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest, setting a season high and matching her career watermark.
• Only player on Valpo’s roster who has scored more than 25 points in a single game in each of the last three seasons.
• Since the start of the 2015-16 season, there have been 11 occasions where a Valpo player has hit 5 or more 3-pointers in a game. Hamlet has accounted for seven of those occasions, while Dani Franklin and Hannah Schaub have a pair of five 3-pointer games apiece.
• Has six career games scoring 20 points or more, and the first five came away from the ARC. Had her first home game with 20+ points on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest.
• Had five made 3s on Dec. 8 at Purdue, all in the first half. Scored 19 points in the game, all coming before halftime. Became the first Crusader with a 19-point half this season and the first Valpo player to hit five 3s in one half since she did so at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 3, 2016.
• Poured in 25 points on Dec. 3 at Longwood, making a career-high nine free throws.
• Posted a team-high 14 points, the 25^th double-figure scoring game of her Valpo career, on Nov. 21 at Miami (Ohio). Followed by scoring 14 more in Valpo’s win over Grand Canyon on Nov. 25.
• Started in Valpo’s season opener for the third consecutive year.
• Reached the 500-point plateau for her collegiate career as only a sophomore on Jan. 14, 2016 at Youngstown State.
• Posted her first career double-double on Jan. 14, 2016 at Youngstown State, matching a career high with 29 points while shattering personal bests in rebounds (10) and made field goals (12). That game marked the 23^rd time in program history a player has made 12 field goals or more in a single game.
• Dished out a career-best seven assists on Jan. 22, 2017 at Wright State.
• Began her collegiate career with a streak of 52 consecutive starts without missing a game, which was snapped on Feb. 2, 2017 against Youngstown State.
• Exploded for 29 points at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 30, 2015. Went 10-of-11 shooting, the third-highest single-game field goal percentage in program history.
• Made a game-winning layup at the buzzer to beat Chicago State on Nov. 16, 2016.
• Made 69 3-pointers as a freshman, tying for the fifth most in a single season in school history. In addition, she set the record for the most 3-pointers by a freshman.
• Was Valpo’s leading returning scorer in 2016-17 after scoring 10.6 points per game in 2015-16. During her sophomore campaign, averaged 9.0 ppg.
• Named to Horizon League all-freshman team in 2015-16.
• Reached double figures in scoring 16 times as a freshman and nine times during her sophomore season.
• Third Hamlet to play under Dorow as sisters Elizabeth (2013-14) and Annemarie (2014-15 & 2015-16) both concluded their careers with the Crusaders.

Dani Franklin

• Ranks third in The Valley in scoring at 15.5 ppg.
• Has scored in double figures 17 times and led the team in scoring on 11 occasions this season.
• Had her third double-double of the year and second in a three-game stretch on Feb. 4 at Illinois State, pulling down 13 rebounds to go along with 15 points.
• Had her second double-double of the season and the 11^th of her career on Jan. 28 with 16 points and 16 rebounds vs. Indiana State. The 16 boards marked a season high and equaled her career best that was reached on two prior occasions.
• Usurped Sarrah Stricklett (1,498) for second in program history in career scoring with her 14 points on Jan. 12 vs. Loyola. She also became the second player in program history to reach 1,500 career points, joining the legendary Debbie Bolen (2,008) as the only players in program history to reach 1,500 points.
• Moved into third place on Valpo’s all-time scoring list with her team-high 18 points on Dec. 31 at UNI, a game that took place in her home state of Iowa.
• Did not attempt a 3 in the Dec. 31 game at UNI, the first time Franklin has played in a game and not tried a 3 since March 10, 2016, a Horizon League Tournament game against Detroit her sophomore season.
• Had her second straight 10 field goal performance and a season-high 28 points on Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois, a game that also saw her pull down a team-high eight rebounds and reach career highs in assists (five) and steals (five).
• Had a season-high 10 made field goals on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest, scoring 23 points.
• Has now reached the following milestones – 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 500 career made field goals. She’s joined in that elite group by Debbie Bolen, Jeanette Gray and Sarrah Stricklett as the only players in Valpo history to achieve all three of those feats.
• Had her first double-double of the season and the 10^th of her career on Dec. 10 against Chicago State, pulling down a season-high 11 rebounds to go along with 24 points.
• After being held to four points at Liberty on Dec. 2 and six through three quarters on Dec. 3 at Longwood, had an 11-point fourth quarter to help the Crusaders fend off the Lancers.
• Started her senior season with a game-high 26 points against IU Kokomo. She knocked down nine field goals in the win, including four 3s.
• Moved into fourth in program history in career scoring with her 23-point output on Nov. 25 against Grand Canyon. This marked the 17^th time in Franklin’s Crusader career that she scored 20 points or more.
• As a junior, led the team in scoring (18.0 ppg), rebounding (7.8 ppg), 3-point percentage (.430), free-throw percentage (.858) and steals (35).
• Became the first Valpo player in the last 23 years to score 500 points in a single season in 2016-17. Finished the season with 559 total points, the second most in program history.
• Scored the 1,000^th point of her Valpo career on Jan. 17, 2017 at Green Bay, becoming the 14^th player in program history to join the 1,000-point club.
• Enters her senior season with 1,236 career points, which already ranks sixth in program history.
• Her 2016-17 free-throw percentage was the second-best single-season free throw percentage in program history.
• Had as many double-doubles in a five-game stretch from Jan. 12-20, 2017 as she did in the first 73 games of her collegiate career.
• Got to the free-throw line more as a junior than she did in her first two collegiate seasons combined. Went 10-for-10 at the free-throw line on Jan. 28 at UIC, becoming the 10^th player in program history to go perfect at the foul stripe with at least 10 attempts in a game.
• Set a career high and notched Valpo’s best individual scoring performance since 1992 and fifth-best in program history with 34 points at Stetson on Nov. 12, 2016.
• Only two players in program history had reached the 34-point mark before Franklin. Debbie Bolen did so three times, while Stephanie Greer owns the all-time single-game scoring record with 39 in 1990.
• Scored 33 points on Dec. 3, 2016 against Eastern Illinois, finishing one shy of a career high. She became just the third player in program history who has scored 33 points or more in at least two games. Matched a career best with 12 made field goals.
• 2014-15 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, 2014-15 Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year, 2016-17 All-Horizon League Second Team, team’s Sixth Player of the Year in 2014-15 and 2015-16, team’s MVP and co- Most Improved Player in 2016-17.
• Shot 43.3 percent from 3-point range as a freshman in 2014-2015, the fourth best single-season mark in program history. Now owns two of the Top 5 single-season 3-point field goal percentage marks.
• As a junior, increased her scoring average from the previous year by nearly eight points, boosted her 3-point percentage by nearly 12 percent and over doubled her number of total rebounds and made free throws from the previous season.
• Made 199 field goals as a junior, tied for third in program history.
• Finished in double-figure scoring in 28 of the team’s 31 games last season, leading the squad in scoring on 23 occasions.

Caitlin Morrison

• Equaled a career high with four steals on Feb. 2 at Bradley.
• Had a career-high four steals and knocked down a career-best five field goals while scoring a season-high 10 points on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville.
• Had her fifth multiple-block game of the season on Jan. 7, swatting a pair of shots in the game against Bradley.
• Did not play on Dec. 29 at Drake or Dec. 31 at UNI due to an injury. Returned to the court and to the starting lineup on Jan. 5 vs. Illinois State.
• Knocked down a pair of 3s on Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois, her first game this season with multiple makes from beyond the arc.
• Swatted a career-high five shots on Nov. 25 against Grand Canyon, including a block of a 3-point try that would have tied the game with less than 10 seconds left. Previously hadn’t had more than two blocks in any game in her career.
• Squeezed a career-high 10 rebounds on Nov. 21 at Miami, five of which came in the first quarter.
• Established career watermarks in assists (four) and steals (three) in Valpo’s season opener against IU Kokomo.
• Reached double figures for the first time in her Valpo career with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting against Grace College on Dec. 10, 2016.
• Matched her season high in rebounds and established her season high in scoring in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament, posting 11 points and eight boards to help the Crusaders to a victory over Youngstown State.
• Named the team’s Rookie of the Year in 2016-17.
• Father Scott Morrison is a former Valparaiso men’s basketball player.

Nicole Konieczny

• Had a stretch of three straight games in double figures that ended with her fifth career double-figure output on Jan. 19 at Missouri State.
• Had her fourth career double-figure scoring output on Jan. 12 vs. Loyola, scoring 12 points as one of five Crusaders in double figures against the Ramblers. That was her second straight game in double figures, the first time in her young collegiate career she’s had double figures in back-to-back contests. Also pulled down a career-high five rebounds against the Ramblers.
• Set new career highs in points (18), made field goals (6) and made 3-pointers (3) on Jan. 7 vs. Bradley.
• Reached double figures for the second time in her Crusader career on Dec. 21 against Fort Wayne, scoring 12 points.
• Ranks second in The Valley in assists at 4.2 per game, behind only Evansville’s Kerri Gasper (4.4).
• Was two assists shy of a double-double on Nov. 28 at Bowling Green, finishing with personal bests in both points (13) and assists (eight).
• Became the first Crusader to have eight or more assists and score double figures in the same game since Jessica Carr posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 assists on Jan. 21, 2015 in a 90-79 loss at Milwaukee.
• Made her first career start on Nov. 25 against Grand Canyon and dished out seven assists while scoring eight points to lift Valpo to an 80-75 win.
• Handed out six assists in the first road game of her career on Nov. 21 at Miami.
• Had six points in her collegiate debut on Nov. 16 against IU Kokomo.
• Named a 2016-17 Indiana All-Star, earning a place on the 13-player roster.
• Led South Bend St. Joseph to the 2016-17 Indiana Class 3A state title, averaging 14.4 points per game and 3.1 assists per game during her senior season.
• Helped the Indians finish her senior campaign with a 26-2 record.
• Started her prep career at LaPorte, approximately 20 miles from Valpo, before transferring to South Bend St. Joseph before her junior season.

Bryce Blood

• Had her second double-double of the season on Jan. 12 vs. Loyola with 12 points and 10 boards. That marked the team’s third double-double of the year. It was her fourth career double-figure scoring output, first since Dec. 15 (vs. IU Northwest) and second against a Division-I opponent.
• Made all four field-goal attempts while finishing as one of four Crusaders in double figures (10 points) on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest.
• Matched a season high with five made field goals – an efficient 5-of-6 shooting – on Dec. 3 at Longwood on her way to 11 points, one of three Crusaders in double figures.
• Contributed nine points including 5-of-5 at the free-throw line on Nov. 28 at Bowling Green, a game played close to her hometown of Toledo.
• Chipped in nine points and five rebounds in a win over Grand Canyon on Nov. 25.
• Became the first Crusader since 2008 with a double-double in a season opener by scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 boards in her collegiate debut on Nov. 16 against IU Kokomo.
• Won over 20 regional and national titles over a five-year span while playing for the SMAC Ballers AAU program.
• Finished fourth on her school’s all-time scoring list with 931 points, while finishing as the program’s all-time leader in both rebounds (767) and blocks (181).

Grace Hales

• Leads The Valley in 3-point field goal percentage at 49.3.
• Enjoyed her fourth straight double-figure game with 10 points on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville.
• Matched a career-high by burying four triples on Jan. 21 at Southern Illinois, finishing the game with 16 points.
• Had a banner-day on Jan. 12 vs. Loyola, leading the team in scoring for the second time this season with a career-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Reached double figures for the sixth time this year and the first since Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois after five straight games out of double figures.
• Made her first start of the season and the second of her career on Dec. 29 at Drake.
• Returned to double figures with 13 points on Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois, her fifth double-figure game this season. After starting the season with four double-figure performances in her first five games, she had been held out of double figures in four straight.
• Hit seven straight 3-point attempts on Dec. 2 at Liberty and Dec. 3 at Longwood, going 4-for-4 against the Flames before knocking down her first three triples against the Lancers. Scored a career-high 14 points at Liberty, the only Crusader in double figures in that game.
• Only Crusader who scored double figures in each of Valpo’s first three games. That marked the first time in the sophomore’s Valpo career that she has reached double figures in scoring in three straight.
• Drained a career-high four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points on Nov. 21 at Miami (Ohio).
• Made a career-high five field goals while scoring 12 points – one shy of a career best – in the season-opening win over IU Kokomo. Hales reached double figures for the sixth time in her career.
• Knocked down three 3s in her Crusader debut, becoming the first player to do so since Annemarie Hamlet in 2014. Hales became the first freshman to pour in three 3s in a season opener in the last decade.
• Had a streak of 21 straight made free throws that spanned three different months during her freshman year. Finished the season second on the team in free-throw percentage at 81.4.
• Scored nine points at Stetson on Nov. 12, 2016, marking the third straight year a Valpo freshman has scored nine points or more on opening night.
• Opened conference play in style with a career-high 13 points on Dec. 29, 2016 at Detroit Mercy, her second consecutive game in double figures.
• Led her team in scoring for the first time in her Valpo career on Feb. 16, 2017 against Oakland. Was the only Crusader in double figures, posting 11 points in the defeat. Scored seven of the team’s 13 second-quarter points.
• Father Ross played football and basketball at Indiana University.

Maya Meredith

• Had nine points on Feb. 2 at Bradley before fouling out for the first time in her career.
• Matched a career high with two blocks on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville.
• Set a career-high with five rebounds on Dec. 31 at UNI while reaching double figures in scoring for the fourth time this season with 10 points and matching career highs for made field goals (4) and made 3-pointers (2).
• Scored in double figures for the third time this season after not doing so at all a year ago by posting 11 points on Dec. 18 at Eastern Illinois.
• Shattered a program-record that had stood since 1992 in her first career start by dishing out 16 assists on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest. She became the 10^th player in Missouri Valley Conference history to reach 16 assists, a mark that ranks tied for sixth in the conference’s prestigious history. She also became the second player in the nation with a 16+ assist game this season.
• Had 10 of her career-high 12 points in the fourth quarter of a 71-60 win over Chicago State on Dec. 10.
• Made a pair of impressive blocks on Dec. 8 at Purdue.
• Knocked down a pair of 3s in a game for the first time in her Crusader career and finished with 11 points on Nov. 28 at Bowling Green.
• Played 13 minutes in Valpo’s season opener against IU Kokomo, scoring four points.
• Notched her first-career made basket against a Division-I opponent on Jan. 14, 2017 at Youngstown State. Did so in style, finishing an important layup despite being fouled.
• Scored seven points on Feb. 16, 2017 against Oakland, a season high. Shattered her previous best of four. Also dished out a career-high four assists in 26 minutes, the most playing time she received in a game during her freshman season.

Allison Schofield

• Scored a season-high four points on Jan. 28 vs. Indiana State.
• One of three Crusaders who did not play due to illness on Dec. 29 at Drake. Also sat out the Dec. 31 game at UNI due to illness.
• Made a key steal that led to a fast-break 3-pointer by Dani Franklin in a five-point win over Grand Canyon on Nov. 25.
• Knocked down the only shot she attempted at Miami on Nov. 21.
• Set what was at the time a career high with eight points including two made 3s on Dec. 4, 2016 against Notre Dame.
• Notched a career-high 15 points and led the team in scoring in the final game of the 2016-17 season, a Horizon League Tournament matchup with Green Bay. She went 4-for-4 from 3-point range in that contest.

Addison Stoller

• Made her first career start on Feb. 4 at Illinois State.
• Had a strong second quarter on Jan. 19 at Missouri State, scoring six points off the bench in that quarter alone on 2-of-2 shooting and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line.
• Did not play on Jan. 5 vs. Illinois State, Jan. 7 vs. Bradley due to illness or Jan. 12 vs. Loyola due to illness.
• Pulled down a season-high four rebounds on Dec. 31 at UNI.
• Poured in a season-high eight points on Dec. 29 at Drake, making four field goals in a single game for the first time in her collegiate career.
• Played in her first game in over a calendar year on Dec. 2 at Liberty, scoring her first basket of the season by converting a layup despite being fouled.
• Played in the first five games of the 2016-17 season before suffering a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 25 vs. Liberty.
• Had her best performance of the year in her return to her hometown area on Nov. 19 at Illinois State, turning in nine points and seven rebounds.
• Received the team’s Hardest Worker Award.

Marlee Profitt

• Made her first career start on Feb. 4 at Illinois State.
• Scored 10 points, her highest career total against a Division-I team, while also gobbling up eight rebounds on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville.
• Shattered her previous rebounding career high before halftime and had nine boards (eight in the first half) to lead the team on Jan. 21 at Southern Illinois.
• Had three made field goals on Jan. 7 vs. Bradley, equaling her most against a Division-I team this season.
• Led the team in rebounds for the first time in her collegiate career on Dec. 29 with six, which marked a career high.
• Reached double figures for the first time in her Valpo career on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest, racking up 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
• Set then career highs in points (nine) and rebounds (six) on Nov. 21 at Miami (Ohio), knocking down all three of her attempts from the floor while going 3-of-4 at the line.
• Scored the first field goal of her collegiate career in Valpo’s season opener against IU Kokomo, a memorable coast-to-coast layup. Also hauled in a career-high five rebounds in that contest.
• Played in two games during her first season on campus before missing the bulk of the season due to an injury.
• Rattled off 17.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in her final prep campaign with the Highland (Ohio) Hornets.

Ella Ellenson

• Scored a career-high 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville.
• Squeezed a career-high seven rebounds on Jan. 7 vs. Bradley, leading the team for the first time in her collegiate career. Played 18 minutes in that game, eclipsing her previous season high of 13.
• Reached double figures for the first time in her collegiate career on Dec. 21 against Fort Wayne, scoring 10 points.
• Knocked down her first career 3-pointer on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest.
• Contributed six points and six rebounds in the first game of her collegiate career, the season opener against IU Kokomo.
• Was a four-year starter and two-year captain at Rice Lake High School, where she was named to the WBCA All-State Game and Border Battle All-Star Game.
• Brother Wally played basketball in the NBL of Canada in 2016-17 and made the all-rookie team.
• Brother Ellwood is finishing up student teaching at Valley City State University, N.D., where he was the captain of the basketball team and a track athlete.
• Brother Henry is a Detroit Pistons forward and former Marquette standout.

Taylor Richards

• Had the first multiple-rebound game of her career on Jan. 28 vs. Indiana State.
• Made her first career basket and finished the game 3-of-3 shooting for seven points on Dec. 15 against IU Northwest.
• Scored the first point of her collegiate career on Dec. 2 at Liberty with a made free throw.
• Made her collegiate debut on Nov. 16 against IU Kokomo, playing eight minutes.
• Averaged 14 points, 4.5 assists, 3 steals and 3.5 rebounds per game during her senior year at Chippewa.
• Helped her team compile a 104-13 record during her four years of high school basketball, including a 55-1 mark in league play.
• Helped her team win league titles in all four seasons.

Georgi Donchetz

• Had season highs in points (8) and rebounds (5) on Jan. 26 vs. Evansville. Made the basket that put Valpo over the 100-point mark against a Division I team for the first time since 1997.
• Made two field goals on Jan. 7 vs. Bradley, a season high as she was playing in just her fifth game of the year after missing the first 10 games with a knee injury.
• Made her first start of the season on Dec. 31 at UNI.
• Scored her first points of the season on Dec. 29 at Drake, accumulating four points against the Bulldogs.
• Made her season debut on Dec. 21 against Fort Wayne and led the team in rebounds with four.
• Played in the exhibition game against St. Francis (Ill.), but then suffered an injury that cost her the first 10 games of the season.
• Had a breakout junior season in 2016-17, playing in 28 games and making eight starts for the Crusaders. Finished the season with over 50 assists after having four total assists in her first two collegiate seasons.
• Garnered the team’s Fountain Award in both 2015-16 and 2016-17. That honor is given annually to the player who most raises the team’s energy level.
• Shared the team’s Most Improved Player with Dani Franklin in 2016-17.
• Had a career-high seven assists in the 2016-17 season opener on Nov. 12, 2016 at Stetson.
• Reached double-figure scoring for the first time in her collegiate career with 10 at Notre Dame on Dec. 4, 2016, her first of four double-figure games.
• Made the first start of her collegiate career on Dec. 19, 2016 against Bradley and scored seven points in 20 minutes.
• Led the team in rebounding for the first time in her Valpo career with a career-high eight on Dec. 29, 2016 at Detroit Mercy. Also surpassed the 100-point mark for her career in that game.
• After making four 3-pointers in her first 18 games of the season, knocked down five triples in a three-game span from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2.
• Enjoyed the most productive game of her Valpo career with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting on Feb. 2, 2017 against Youngstown State. Also grabbed four rebounds and handed out four assists. Had a career-high three 3-pointers in the victory.

Hannah Schaub

• Will miss the remainder of the season with an injury.
• Started in Valpo’s season opener for the third consecutive year.
• Led the team in assists in 18 games during her sophomore season. Her 134 assists in 2016-17 ranked seventh in program history and were the most by any Crusader in the last 17 years.
• Entered her junior season already 17^th in program history in career assists with 235. Needs four assists to pass Jeanette Gray (1999-2003) for 16^th on the career list and 12 to surpass her former teammate Lexi Miller (2012-2016) for 15^th.
• Finished the 2016-17 season ranked eighth in the Horizon League in assists/turnover ratio (1.5) and 11^th in assists per game (3.3).
• Scored a season-high 12 points on Jan. 31, 2017 at UIC, her only time in double figures during her sophomore season. Matched a career-high by knocking down five shots in that game.
• Went 5-for-7 from beyond the arc on Nov. 28, 2015 against Northern Colorado, tying for the 10^th best 3-point field goal percentage in a single game in program history. Also knocked down five triples against Detroit in the Horizon League quarterfinals later that season.

Nicole Johanson

• Has not seen game action this season.
• Helped Herscher High School finish with a 25-2 record in her senior season.
• Played for Example Sports AAU under the direction of coach Barry Bradford, the father of Valpo men’s basketball player Micah Bradford.
• Named MVP of an Example Sports AAU alumni game against college players who had gone through the program.
• Participated in her conference’s all-star game as a senior in high school.