Lady Jackets Rank Fourth in the HCAC Preseason Poll

GREENWOOD, Ind. – After posting a 17-10 record and advancing to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals during the 2009-10 season, the Lady Jackets were ranked fourth in the 2010-11 HCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, released by the league office on Tuesday. [HCAC Release]

Franklin received top honors in the poll with 97 points and seven of the ten first-place votes, while Hanover garnered 91 points and the three remaining first-place votes. Transylvania, which shared the 2009-10 women's basketball title with Franklin last winter, was picked third in the poll with 73 points, just edging out the Lady Jackets, who earned 71 points and a fourth-place ranking.

Anderson (57), Manchester (54), Rose-Hulman (36), Bluffton (29), Mount St. Joseph (23), and Earlham (19) rounded out the 5-10 spots in the poll.

The HCAC release also included the 2010-11 Women's Basketball Players-to-Watch list, with DC's Tasha Stucke and Courtney Schmersal both receiving the honor. Schmersal made an appearance on the list for the first time, while Stucke made it for the second-consecutive season after being honored on last season's preseason poll.  

Schmersal is an explosive scorer with exceptional long-range shooting accuracy, and enters the season as the Jackets' top returning scorer after averaging 10.1 points per game last season. The senior guard knocked down a conference-high 67 three-pointers last season, and ranked 12th in the nation with a 41.9 shooting percentage from long distance. Schmersal hit at least one three-pointer in 23 of DC's 27 games last season, and got it going down the stretch, leading the team with 14.3 points per contest over the last six games. The Ottawa, Ohio native has improved her scoring average in each of her first three seasons with the program, and will be looked upon to shoulder an even bigger load this season with the departures of the Jackets' two leading scorers from last season.    

Stucke is the unquestioned floor general for the Yellow Jackets, having started at point guard in each of the Yellow Jackets' 76 games since her arrival in 2007. The Coldwater, Ohio native led the conference last season with 108 assists, and placed 13th in the nation among all NCAA Div. III players with a 2.0 assist to turnover ratio. Stucke took on much more of a scoring role than in previous years last season, averaging a career-high 9.3 points per game, thanks in part to an improved three-point stroke. The point guard knocked down a career-high 38 three-pointers at a 34.9 percent clip to place second on the team in both categories. Stucke was a defensive difference maker last season as well, placing second in the conference with 58 steals.

The Yellow Jackets have a very young but talented team, and with 10 newcomers being added to the squad's proven core of veterans, optimism and excitement surround the team as they enter their fourth season under the guidance of head coach, Dic Doumanian.

The Jackets will begin the season on Nov.16, when they travel to Olivet, Mich., for a 7:30 p.m. matchup with the Comets. After playing their next two games at the Wilmington Tournament on Nov. 19-20, the Lady Jackets will host their home-opener on Tuesday, Nov. 23, against Hope College.