BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Campbell will open the 2009-10 women's basketball
season this Friday inside the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center,
taking on Wofford in a 5:45 p.m. nonconference contest.
"We're very excited about opening up our season and getting started
with Wofford at home," said head coach Wanda Watkins, entering her
29th year at the helm of the program. "We're blending
our newcomers with a great group of returners from last season, so
we'll have a little different look this year, and we're excited
about kicking off. I hope to see everyone out tomorrow night
cheering us on."
The Lady Camels return three starters from last year's squad, as
well as four of their top five scorers and their top pair of
rebounders. Highlighting the group is the frontcourt trio of Geami
Britt, Lauren Yesh and Ashley
Williamson. Those three upperclassmen combined for 35 double
figure scoring performances and nearly half of the Lady Camels'
points from a year ago.
Britt, a
senior forward, returns as the team's leading three-point threat
after shooting just under 40 percent from distance in 2008-09 with
28 makes. Britt registered a Lady Camel season-high 24 points in a
home win over Lipscomb, one of her 13 double figure scoring games
from a year ago. The 6-foot-1 forward is one of five team members
to play in all 30 games in 2008-09, averaging 8.9 points and 3.2
rebounds per game.
Yesh, the Lady Camels' leading scorer and second-leading rebounder
last season, returns as the team captain. Yesh is a contributor on
both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, notching at
least 10 points and five rebounds nine times. The 5-foot-11 junior
also blocked a team-high 14 shots on the year, and collected a
career-high 18 points with four boards in the Lady Camels' win at
Winthrop last December, a team that made a WNIT appearance in
2009.
Williamson comes back as Campbell's leading rebounder, averaging
6.5 per contest last season, adding 7.9 points as the unit's
third-leading scorer. The 6-foot-1 Colonial Heights, Va. native
collected 21 starts in 30 games last season, collecting a team-high
four double-doubles, including career-highs of 22 points and 18
rebounds to open the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center last
November.
Last season, the Lady Camels faired particularly well against
nonconference competition, posting a 7-3 record outside of Atlantic
Sun play, with a 4-1 mark against Big South opponents. Campbell was
also 4-1 at home in non-league games. Campbell did not meet a
Southern Conference opponent last year, as Wofford will be the
first for the Lady Camels in two seasons, and the first to visit
Buies Creek since UNC Greensboro in 2006. The Lady Camels are 61-49
all-time against current SoCon teams, with a perfect 4-0 mark
against Wofford. The two have not met since 1997.
Wofford listed a 5-24 record a year ago, going 3-17 in SoCon play,
but return four starters and eight letterwinners from 2008-09.
Senior guard Natalie Gramblin led the Terriers in scoring last
season at 9.9 point per outing, also snagging 49 steals (1.69 per
game). Mahagony Williams, a junior forward, will also bring back
9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest for Wofford.
After the opener, the Lady Camels will welcome Coastal Carolina to
Buies Creek on Monday, Nov. 16 for a 7 p.m. tip.
