COLUMBUS, Ohio – It's no secret that the 2021-22 season contained its ups and downs for the Capital University women's basketball team as the team battled through injuries, disruptions brought on by the pandemic, and a midseason coaching change.
In 2022-23, head coach
Camille McPherson will be entering her first full season in charge of the program and has recruited a plethora of young and experienced talent that will surely help play a part in getting Capital back on track.
Not only has McPherson utilized the recruiting trail as an opportunity to add to the program, she has also brought in an assistant coach in the form of
Schyler Fennimore who played a four-year career at Ohio Athletic Conference foe Muskingum.
A LOOK BACK AT 2021-22
Last year, Capital battled their way to a 5-20 record overall and just a 2-14 mark in the OAC. The challenging year was dealt a blow as senior guard
Emma Burns suffered a season-ending injury in just the third game of the season. She had opened the year by winning the conference's first player of the week award prior to her injury.
Despite the early lineup adjustment, Capital stayed the course and continued to compete all season long. Strong wins came against Wooster, Wittenberg, Wilmington, Heidelberg, and Maryville throughout the year.
Throughout the season, Capital was led by the guard tandem of
Laney Murphy and
Nicole Flock. Flock played more of a facilitator role and contributed a solid 4.4 rebound per game average as well, while Murphy carried the bulk of the scoring throughout the year. Murphy averaged 12.7 points per contest, thanks largely to 70 made three-pointers – a new program single-season record. She would go on to be named the OAC's Freshman of the Year at season's end.
Other strong contributors throughout the season included
Maddie Dougoud (6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg),
Kaylee Cyphers (3.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg),
Demi Brewer (5.4 ppg, 3.1 apg), and Mddi Weiland (4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg). The now-graduated
Brooke Ommert also heavily influenced the game with 8.6 points per game and a team-high 5.5 rebounds per contest.
FAMILIAR FACES
The aforementioned group of heavy contributors all return to the program and will be aiming to repeat their important contributions to the program. Murphy's high-flying scoring efforts will be a plus to have returning to the program as a season-ago, Murphy scored double figures in 19 games.
Demi Brewer will hope to continue her ability to set up shots as she averaged 3.1 assists per game a season ago. Her average was helped significantly by a 10-assist effort on the road at Heidelberg.
Maddi Weiland and
Maddie Dougoud will be hoping to continue their interior defense as both players a season-ago swatted away 25 blocks. Between the duo, they combined for 7.9 rebounds per contest as well.
Murphy,
Nicole Flock, and Weiland will also prove critical in the defensive play as they all recorded 20 or more steals a year ago.
WHAT'S NEW?
As mentioned, head coach
Camille McPherson takes charge of the program for the first season as the permanent head coach. She took over the head position on an interim basis in December of 2021.
Under her leadership, McPherson has added first year assistant coach
Schyler Fennimore to the coaching staff to assist the team moving forward. Fennimore played her college ball at Muskingum and has since coached at Bethany College and Susquehanna University. She joins McPherson and the longtime program assistant coach
Jason Wright on the sidelines this season.
This newly assembled coaching staff will welcome in several new faces to the roster as three transfers and five freshmen have joined the program. They will mesh with 11 returners this season.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Capital will look to kickstart their season this year with a home non-conference game against Kenyon College on Saturday, November 12th at 7 p.m.
The team will then remain home for their next game against Denison on November 15th before they hit the road for two away games at Illinois Wesleyan and Wooster. The remainder of the non-conference schedule will consist of games against Alma, Wittenberg, and Olivet – all of which come at home in The Capital Center.
OAC play will begin on Saturday, December 3rd at 5 p.m. on the road at Otterbein University in the first installment of the Battle for the Oar presented by Byers Airport Subaru.
Prior to the winter break, conference games will be against Muskingum, John Carroll and Ohio Northern. After the break, Capital opens up with a road trip to Wilmington and will finish out the OAC-heavy schedule from there. The second edition of the Battle for the Oar will take place on January 21st at 5 p.m. at The Capital Center to highlight the action.
