The 2011-2012 season is shaping up like most for the NAIA Hall of Famer and Women's Basketball Head Coach Robin Hagen-Smith, successful. Under Hagen-Smith, the Bears' program has grown into a national powerhouse with a tradition of making it to the NAIA National Tournament including 11 Sweet Sixteen's, two Elite Eight's, two Fab Fours, one National Runner-up, and a National Championship in 1999. The Bears have also won 10 conference championship during her tenure and the MSC Preseason favorite and preseason No. 4 ranked Shawnee State Women's Basketball Team hopes to capture another one under Hagen-Smith's leadership.
Hagen-Smith is the most active coach in Division I, with 590 wins and 146 losses and the Bears' hope to capture win number 600 as early as possible. The Bears return four starters from last year's 27-10 team who are looking for their first MSC Title in their second year in the conference. Leading the Bears, is senior and 3rd Team All-American Abby Ballman. Ballman led Shawnee in scoring last season averaging over 13 points per game. She also averaged over four rebounds, four assists and three steals per game, but her best quality is her leadership on the floor. Also returning from the Bears' starting lineup last year is junior Catrice Mitchell and sophomores Alannah Sheets and Tabby McKinney. Mitchell's long body is a force to be reckoned with in the middle. The 6-3 center tallied 46 blocks last season while averaging over eight points per game. With a year under their belts, Sheets and McKinney both add scoring threats for the Bears. Sheets, who got hot in the NAIA Tournament last season averaged eight points per game while McKinney averaged just over six points.
Junior Alex Pohl returns and will give the Bears' intensity and depth in the paint. Last season, she averaged over eight points and six rebounds per game. Also returning from last years team is senior Tristan Rumfield, juniors Allison Nagle and Kayla Wiley and sophomore Karissa Adkins.
Shawnee State's roster includes five freshmen that will also be counted on for quality minutes. Kassidy Hardgrove, 5-5 guard from Minerva, Ohio will give the Bears a spark in the guard position, while Rachael Young (Franklin, Ohio) and Devan Scarberry (Franklin Furnace, Ohio) will fill in off guard positions. Young averaged over 17 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks per game as a senior. Erin Dailey (Chillicothe, Ohio) and Kimmie Bennett (South Point, Ohio) add depth in the forward position.
Shawnee State kicks off the 2011-2012 season at the Purdue Calumet Tournament on November 4 and 5. The Bears open conference action at UVa-Wise on November 19. The Mid-South Conference boasts three teams that landed on the NAIA Preseason Poll, including last season's MSC Champions No. 8 Campbellsville and No. 14 Lindsey Wilson.
