Women's Basketball | 10/25/2022 10:54:00 AM
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Golden Eagles are excited to open the 2022-23 campaign this week with two games against Crossroads League foes, starting the season at Bethel and following that with the home opener vs. Spring Arbor on Saturday. CU comes into 2022-23 with high hopes and a lot of healthy talent as they begin the non-conference season. For more information on this week's action, visit the links below.
Opponent: Bethel (Ind.)
Location: Mishawaka, Ind. (Weikamp Athletic Center)
Date: Thursday, October 27
Time: 5 p.m.
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Live Stats
Opponent: Spring Arbor
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Mol Arena)
Date: Saturday, October 29
Time: 3 p.m. EST
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Live Stats
Tickets
Guatemala Recap
Cornerstone had a unique opportunity to bond as a team over the summer on a Guatemala vision trip where all three freshmen on the varsity roster, and all the returning players except two went to Antigua, Guatemala for eight days. The team had the opportunity to work with Friendship Sports International and serve a community of women and children in a village called El Sitio. The trip helped the team come back to the states with a different outlook on life, community, and the upcoming 2022-23 season that they are excited to now put into action this week as games begin.
Fresh Faces
Cornerstone has three freshmen on the varsity roster in
Abi Bandstra,
Kaitlyn Cain, and
Jaxi Long. Long comes in as a standout from Newaygo to join her sister
Jaylee Long on the roster.
Abi Bandstra is a forward from Ludington, Michigan and
Kaitlyn Cain is a fellow forward from Marysville who also plays softball for the Golden Eagles.
Health
Cornerstone comes back for 2022-23 looking to stay healthy after injuries have plagued them the last few years. CU is excited to start the year with standout
Mackenzie Stien healthy as well as
Jaylee Long returning from her knee injury. The Golden Eagles are excited about the depth of this team when healthy and the opportunity to plug multiple players in multiple positions as they get set to build off the 2021-22 season.
2021-22 in Review
The Golden Eagles finished 2021-22 with a 7-21, 5-15 WHAC record to just barely miss the WHAC Tournament and finish ninth in the conference. Despite only winning seven games, they finished the year strong winning the last two against Madonna and Lourdes. In the 2022-23 preseason poll, Cornerstone has once again been tabbed to finish ninth with 42 total votes. However they are just one point behind Madonna at eighth and seven points behind Lourdes at sixth.
Scouting Bethel
Bethel comes into 2022-23 with a new coach in Scott Polsgrove who was the Assistant Coach with the Bethel men's team a season ago. New coach means new system as well, as the Pilots formerly ran a full court press with full line change substitutions under their former coach. That style led to BU ranking fifth in the NAIA in PPG and first in steals per game at 17. Cornerstone and Bethel have met in every season other than 2019 over the last nine years and CU has gone 5-3 in those contests including an 82-80 victory a year ago.
Scouting Spring Arbor
The Cougars come into 2022-23 with a new Head Coach as well in John Williams. Williams is a graduate of Spring Arbor, coaching at the collegiate level for the first time in his career this year. He takes over an SAU team that struggled a season ago at 4-23, 1-14 in the Crossroads League. Spring Arbor has a familiar face on the roster in 2022-23 as Alize Tripp transferred from WHAC school Concordia to be the new standout at Spring Arbor.
Women's Basketball Contact: Jesse Campbell
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