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Women's Basketball Chris Myers

Cardinals Women’s Basketball Set to Continue Successful Trend

WHEELING, W.Va. – Following the two most successful back-to-back seasons in program history, the Cardinals are set to continue the winning trend. The two-time Mountain East Conference Tournament champion Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball has the pieces in place to make a focused run on a third postseason run.
 
The seventh-ranked Atlantic Region team in the preseason, WJU comes off its second trip to the NCAA playoffs and second year in a row with at least 25 wins at 25-7. Last year's strong season followed the prior 27-6 season for a combined two-year mark of 52-13. Directing her seventh edition, Cardinals head coach Debbie Buff has a solid core to lead the 2017-18 ship through the MEC waters.
 
Buff, who is one-win shy of both her 100th win directing the Cardinals and 200th as a collegiate head coach, sees her team predicted as the No. 2 squad in the MEC Preseason Coaches Poll. It is the same position Buff's last two teams have finished the league's regular season docket. The Cardinals then strolled into Charleston for the MEC Tournament and left with the crown.
 
This Cardinals edition has the veteran trio of All-MEC performers, senior Mariah Callen and redshirt junior Monica Burns, to go with junior forward Chenelle Moore as the foundation. The three WJU leaders will have to be a force right away with another opening weekend challenge on the upcoming horizon.
 
WJU travels to south central Pennsylvania this weekend and will take part of the Wolf's Bus Lines Classic on the campus of Shippensburg University. The Cardinals face the host Raiders Friday evening, Nov. 10, in a 6 p.m. matchup. WJU returns to the Heiges Fieldhouse Court only 13 hours later to play another Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference member, Kutztown University, at 1 p.m.
 
"Our non-conference schedule is the hardest it has been since I have been here with all PSAC schools," said Buff. "We are getting better as a team every day and keeping our players motivated."
 
As Buff alluded, the WJU schedule includes four other PSAC West Division members – at Edinboro and Pitt-Johnstown and at home against Gannon and Mercyhurst outside of the MEC slate of 22 contests.
 
In front of WJU, Glenville State is predicted as the clear MEC favorite and a close-rated group of teams from third through eighth.
 
"Anyone can beat anybody in our league. There are so many new coaches with new systems for us to be adaptable to. We will need to continue to win on the road and need to have the ability for key kids to step up for us," stressed Buff. "Other than the top four (including senior Cassi Stein), our team is 75-percent freshmen and sophomores. The learning curve is high and we have had more teaching going on, but this group is focused and the freshmen are picking things up."
 
For this mixture of experience and youth, WJU will need to continue its success formula from the past two seasons of being the MEC-leading defensive unit. The Cardinals led the conference at 61.8 points allowed per game and held their opponents to the conference-best defensive field percentage of .388, while they were second in rebound margin (+2.4).
 
"We will need to be strong defensively again. Our defensive principles have to be taught to and learned by the new players," stressed Buff. "Our rebounding will be a challenge for us and we need our entire team to concentrate on it, especially our guards, who have to rebound more this season."
 
Leading the guards area will be the top one-two guard duos in the Atlantic Region and the best combo in the MEC of Callen and Burns. The two All-MEC players will not only run the Cardinals offense, but in a large part, determine its production as well. The duos production combined to average 28.6 points per game, down 143 3-pointers, dropped 257 of 287 free throws (.895) and handed out 220 assists.
 
Individually, Burns was the biggest new player difference maker in the league last season. The unlimited range shooting guard led WJU and ranked sixth in the MEC with a 15.4-point average. She pumped in 76 treys with a .365 percentage, but her most impressive number was her NCAA Division II-leading 94.6-free throw percent. Burns hit 20 or more points 12 times, including a season-best 31 points with 14 of 14 free throws at Glenville State. The All-MEC First Team player also downed three-plus 3-pointers in 14 Cardinals games.
 
"Mo is developing into a complete player. She is our best shooter, drives the ball, has experience in big games and has improved defensively," pointed out Buff.
 
The quick floor general, Callen, returns to be the steady point presence. One of the MEC's best at taking care of the rock, the two-time All-MEC player hit for 13.2 points and handed out 4.6 assists per night, while she had the second-best assist to turnover ratio at 2.03. The senior downed 67 triples at a team-best rate of .376. The Morgantown, W.Va., native produced a career-high 28 points to go with five assists against Shepherd last year and dished nine assists at West Virginia State. She netted at least 15 points in 13 contests and handed out five-plus assists in 18 games.
 
"Mariah's leadership at the point is key for our team along with how familiar she is running our system the last few years," said the WJU coach. "She is an excellent quarterback, who has a big time game, pushes the tempo and can score on drives and outside by the 3-pointer."
 
Versatile swing player Stein is healthy and back in the regular lineup after more than a year of struggling with injuries. The Newark, Ohio native will provide quality time at both the three and four spots. The 5-10 senior saw action in four February contests last season where she contributed eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds over 52 minutes of play. Two years ago, Stein averaged 3.8 points and 2.3 rebounds over 28 contests.
 
"Cassi is one of our best defensive players. She can run, is a good passer and will enable us to play multiple defenses. We are extremely  happy to have her back healthy," noted Buff.
 
Sophomores Khira Burton and Talia Cashwell are both ready for more backcourt time this year. The quick point player Burton saw five minutes per game where she had a season-high six points and three rebounds against West Virginia Wesleyan.
 
"Khira has really grown and has taken a big jump from being a freshman to now as a sophomore," explained Buff. "She will push tempo and breaks down defenses as she competes at the point."
 
The athletic Cashwell, like Burton, saw limited time her first season, but she did drop four 3-pointers and finished with 29 points on the year.
 
"Talia is a skilled player who came back harder in our preseason. She plays off the bounce and has also made a jump from being a freshman," added Buff.
 
Five new freshmen guards – Tori Harrison, Sadera Johnson, Rya Nelson, Kelsi Chapman and Lauryn Clarke-Cornette – dot the Cardinals roster. Harrison from Centerville, Ohio was an Ohio All-Star and Johnson of Columbus, Ohio was an All-City performer for Independence High's team.
 
A very quick point guard, Nelson was an All-County player for Waldorf, Md.'s Thomas Stone High, where she averaged 12 points and six assists per night. Chapman heads up to Wheeling from Magnolia High as she was an All-West Virginia Second Team honoree and 1,000-career point scorer. Clarke-Cornette (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gives WJU another quick, good defender to the guard spot.
 
Stepping up at three/four position behind Stein, undersized Lauren Lipscomb brings her strength and improvement in a more prominent role for her second year. The Columbus, Ohio product scored 25 points and pulled down 22 boards in 22 contests last season.
 
"Lauren is stepping up as a sophomore. Heightwise she is small (5-8), but very strong. Lipscomb will be one of our best rebounders as she plays with a real sense of urgency and is consistent day in-and-day out for us," added Buff.
 
On the inside, 2015-16 MEC Freshman of the Year Moore aims for a true breakout star-type season. The 6-0 junior increased her scoring to 10.5 points per night to go with 5.3 rebounds despite only playing in 24 games due to injury. Chenelle hit for double figures 14 times, including a 23-point and 11-rebound effort against Findlay. Over her first two seasons, Moore has made over 52-percent from the floor (230 of 435) for 554 points, while she grabbed 335 rebounds.
 
"Chenelle came back the most fit she has been. She will be the key player down low for us," explained the Cardinals coach. "She runs the floor as well as any in the conference and has worked on her outside game. Chenelle is developing her game as a whole and she will be the key post player in the MEC."
 
The tallest Cardinal comes in 6-3 Kiara Wade of Farrell, Pa. The tall Wade will add an inside presence and she was a consistent double-double performer where she averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Coming back off a medical redshirt, freshman Aislynn Hartman will add another player to the inside rotation. Hartman looks to return to the Cardinals active roster after the semester break.
 
Even with a relatively young team, Buff has a good blend of inside-and-outside players and has her team with its sights set for another touch of postseason gold and hand out to grab another national playoff ticket.
 
 
 
 
-GoCards-
 

                                                                    
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Players Mentioned

Mariah Callen

#1 Mariah Callen

G
5' 4"
Sophomore
Cassi Stein

#4 Cassi Stein

G
5' 10"
Sophomore
Monica Burns

#13 Monica Burns

G
5' 6"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Mariah Callen

#1 Mariah Callen

5' 4"
Sophomore
G
Cassi Stein

#4 Cassi Stein

5' 10"
Sophomore
G
Monica Burns

#13 Monica Burns

5' 6"
Sophomore
G