Goshen, IN — The Goshen College athletic department released the 2007-2008 women’s basketball schedule on Monday, detailing the Leafs’ four-month odyssey beginning in early November.
Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski returns for his sixth season at the helm of the program, looking to take a youthful team above and beyond its total six wins in each of the previous two years.
For the first time since 2004-2005, however, Goshen returns the majority of its personnel from the year before, as five of the Leafs’ nine total players suited up last year in a Goshen uniform, while another — sophomore Lindsay Gangloff — spent the better part of last season on the practice squad after transferring from Manchester College (click here for related article).
The result is a team comprised of experienced, but young, players. Goshen again boasts just one senior on the 2007-2008 squad, while another vastly challenging schedule looms ahead.
“I have always believed in playing a challenging schedule and this year is no exception,” Wiktorowski said. “However, as opposed to last year, we will have more players returning who have experienced that level of competition, especially during the conference season. I am also excited about the potential that some newcomers bring to our roster, especially their ability to make our inside game stronger. So, even while we will still be very young with only one senior on the squad, I hope that we can field a more consistently competitive team over the duration of this new schedule.”
Goshen opens its season at Trinity Christian College on Nov. 6, a beginning run that will have the Leafs playing seven games in the first 15 calendrical days of the year. Wiktorowski’s squad will travel to Aquinas College on Nov. 10 and host Cornerstone University on Nov. 20, two teams that appeared in the NAIA National Tournament in 2006-2007.
Wiktorowski’s team will travel to Orlando, Florida over the weekend of Dec. 15-16 to compete in the Warner Southern Classic, an event the team participated in two seasons ago. A home contest against Trinity International University on Dec. 29 is the final non-conference piece of the puzzle, as Goshen will open the bulk of its ultra-tough Mid-Central Conference portion of its slate at Spring Arbor University on Jan. 2.
The MCC will feature an abundance of nationally renowned teams — Indiana Wesleyan University (first), the University of St. Francis (third), Bethel College (fouth) and Taylor University (22nd) all finished last year ranked in the NAIA Top 25 Poll. Wesleyan went down as one of the best teams in the history of the NAIA, winning the 2006-2007 National Championship with a flawless 38-0 record.
“Last year our conference had three of the top four ranked teams in the country, and Indiana Wesleyan set new records at the nationals with an undefeated season,” Wiktorowski said. “While Wesleyan lost several of their top players, Bethel and St. Francis are ready to replace them as conference teams with a legitimate chance to win a national championship. Taylor also has outstanding talent and should compete with anyone in the country as well.”
The Leafs will get a shot at Indiana Wesleyan in their first MCC match-up of the season on Dec. 4, and will host the Wildcats in the second game of the series on Jan. 26. Other significant league match-ups at home include St. Francis on Jan. 5, Taylor University on Jan. 16 and Bethel College on Feb. 9.
“The players have worked hard in the off-season and are very excited about the opportunity to challenge themselves against the quality level of teams we'll consistently face this year,” Wiktorowski said.
To view the complete 2007-2008 Goshen women’s basketball season schedule, click on the ‘schedule’ icon to the above left of simply click here.
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Steve Wiktorowski