MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College women's basketball team travels to the Allegheny (Pa.) Tip-Off Tournament this weekend to open the regular season. The Pioneers face Fredonia State University (N.Y.) on Friday (Nov. 15) and D'Youville College (N.Y.) on Saturday. Both games are slated for 4:00 p.m.
Pioneer head coach Stacia Shrider, in her second season at the helm, returns a wealth of experience from a year ago including eight letter winners and four starters. Marietta posted a 10-16 record and qualified for the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament for the second straight season last winter.
Three-year letter winners and returning starters
Tori Dixon (Londonderry/Vinton County) and
Paige Lamb (Marietta/Marietta) are back for their final season in the Navy Blue and White. Dixon, an honorable mention All-OAC selection last season, lead the Pioneers in scoring averaging 11.1 points per game. Lamb averaged 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year.
With just two seniors on the team, Shrider will rely heavily on the seven juniors on the roster, five of which have earned varsity letters in each of their first two seasons. At the head of the junior class is returning starters
Candice Alexander (Fairborn/Fairborn) and
Heather Booth (Newport/Frontier).
Alexander was second on the team a year ago averaging 10.5 points. She led the Pioneers in field goals with 112 and rebounding averaging 7.0 per night. Booth finished her sophomore season averaging 9.7 points and 5.7 boards.
The Pioneers open at home on Tuesday (Nov. 19) against Bethany College (W.Va.). Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. Marietta, picked seventh in the OAC preseason poll, hosts Otterbein University at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 4) to open league play.
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter.
