SEASON OUTLOOK: Deep Tigers Hope To Break Through In 2013-14

With their top four scorers and a total of eight letterwinners back in the fold, the Wittenberg Tigers have high hopes for a breakthrough 2013-14 season.

Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz may have her deepest team since taking over the program in 2007, starting with a trio of returning starters and the squad’s top scorer, junior wing Enri Small (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls), who came off the bench much of the time last year. Small battled through injuries to average 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game from her guard position en route to second-team All-NCAC honors in 2013.

Senior wing Amber Rice (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) also claimed second-team all-league honors after averaging 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in 2012-13. She led the Tigers by a wide margin with 48 three-pointers and stellar 87 percent shooting from the free throw line.

Rice will be joined on the wing again in 2013-14 by junior Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings), who finished with 8.6 points and 2.5 rebounds, in addition to juniors Heather Schroeder (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) and Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham), who combined to average just over 20 minutes per game last season.

Rounding out the returning starters is junior point guard Amber Lara (Oak Park, Ill./River Forest), who led the team in minutes at 30.4 per contest in 2012-13. She led the Tigers with 52 assists while averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

In the post, junior Karen Daniel-Hamberg (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) started 15 games a year ago, averaging 5.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, and sophomore Taylore Bundy (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) appeared in 24 games, primarily off the bench, in her first collegiate season. They will be joined in the frontcourt rotation by sophomore Carli Swartz (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Lower Merion), who made 14 appearances after transferring to Wittenberg in December 2012.

The roster is bolstered by a strong recruiting class, led by two-sport standout Michelle Brunswick (Middletown, Ohio/Madison), a 5-10 guard who will hit the hardwood late after excelling in the midfield for the Tiger women’s soccer team, and point guard Riley McDonald (Dexter, Mich./Dexter).

Letterwinners Returning (8)

Amber Lara (Jr., 5-7, G, Oak Park, Ill./River Forest)
Enri Small (Jr., 5-8, G, Columbus, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls)
Katelyn Haralamos (Jr., 5-8, W, Maineville, Ohio/Kings)
Amber Rice (Sr., 5-7, W, South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern)
Heather Schroeder (Jr., 5-9, W, Aurora, Ohio/Aurora)
Darbie Zirkle (Jr., 5-6, W, St. Paris, Ohio/Graham)
Karen Daniel-Hamberg (Jr., 6-0, P, Columbus, Ohio/Grandview)
Taylore Bundy (So., 6-1, P, Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange)

Letterwinners Lost (2)

Kim Replogle, Sarah Skidmore

Starters Returning (3)

Amber Lara (Jr., 5-7, G, Oak Park, Ill./River Forest)
Amber Rice (Sr., 5-7, W, South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern)
Katelyn Haralamos (Jr., 5-8, W, Maineville, Ohio/Kings)

Starters Lost (2)

Kim Replogle, Sarah Skidmore