Women's baskeball adds seven new players to roster, optimistic about upcoming season
Chelsea Miller SPORTS REPORTER
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Sports
The Youngstown State University women's basketball team has been gearing up for the start of its season with several additions to the roster and a new staff member.
Last year, the Penguins ended their season with a defeat of 70-49 to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the opening round of the Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship. They finished with a record of 3-27 and hopes to make up for last year's losing season.
With seven new players added to the roster this year, head coach Cindy Martin is optimistic the team will improve from last year's losses.
"We're a totally different team," Martin said. "We have seven new ladies … and the returners all know what to expect. We're really excited for the start of our season."
Of the seven new players, Martin expects good things from Bojana (Boki) Dimitrov and Brandi Brown.
Dimitrov, who hails from Serbia, is a junior guard transferring from Carl Albert State College where, as a freshman, she was ranked second in Region 2 and 18th nationally in the NJCAA Division I. She is currently 68th out of 205 junior college prospects across the country according to the All Star Girls Basketball Report. Dimitrov averaged 10 points, 4.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds as a sophomore, and Martin hopes she'll be even stronger this year.
Brown, a freshman forward, retired as her high school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder averaging 24 points and 19.6 rebounds as a senior. She earned Second-Team All-CIF Southern Section honors at the Division IIA level as a senior and was named First-Team All-Baseline League as a senior and junior.
Martin said the Penguins' five returners also look to have a promising season ahead.
Although all coaches are returning for their second year, it will be the first year working for the team for Kristina Kluesner. Kluesner signed on to work as volunteer director of operations for the team, in which she will be assisting with travel and helping in the office. Kluesner brings to the team two seasons of operations experience working with the Women's National Basketball Association, and two years coaching at the high school level. Kluesner graduated from Louisville with a bachelor's degree in sports administration. It will be her first year working with a Division 1 college team.
Martin said the fact that Kluesner is volunteering with another job on the side really speaks volumes.
"[Kluesner] is doing a really great job," she said.
YSU's first game is an exhibition match at home against Lake Erie College Friday. Martin feels that the team is prepared for the matchup.
"I think we're looking really, really good in practice," Martin said.
Last year, the Penguins ended their season with a defeat of 70-49 to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the opening round of the Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship. They finished with a record of 3-27 and hopes to make up for last year's losing season.
With seven new players added to the roster this year, head coach Cindy Martin is optimistic the team will improve from last year's losses.
"We're a totally different team," Martin said. "We have seven new ladies … and the returners all know what to expect. We're really excited for the start of our season."
Of the seven new players, Martin expects good things from Bojana (Boki) Dimitrov and Brandi Brown.
Dimitrov, who hails from Serbia, is a junior guard transferring from Carl Albert State College where, as a freshman, she was ranked second in Region 2 and 18th nationally in the NJCAA Division I. She is currently 68th out of 205 junior college prospects across the country according to the All Star Girls Basketball Report. Dimitrov averaged 10 points, 4.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds as a sophomore, and Martin hopes she'll be even stronger this year.
Brown, a freshman forward, retired as her high school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder averaging 24 points and 19.6 rebounds as a senior. She earned Second-Team All-CIF Southern Section honors at the Division IIA level as a senior and was named First-Team All-Baseline League as a senior and junior.
Martin said the Penguins' five returners also look to have a promising season ahead.
Although all coaches are returning for their second year, it will be the first year working for the team for Kristina Kluesner. Kluesner signed on to work as volunteer director of operations for the team, in which she will be assisting with travel and helping in the office. Kluesner brings to the team two seasons of operations experience working with the Women's National Basketball Association, and two years coaching at the high school level. Kluesner graduated from Louisville with a bachelor's degree in sports administration. It will be her first year working with a Division 1 college team.
Martin said the fact that Kluesner is volunteering with another job on the side really speaks volumes.
"[Kluesner] is doing a really great job," she said.
YSU's first game is an exhibition match at home against Lake Erie College Friday. Martin feels that the team is prepared for the matchup.
"I think we're looking really, really good in practice," Martin said.
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