News & Notes January 17, 2000
Note: The following press release also appeared in the Pioneer Press (Lake Forester) on Jan. 20, 2000. LAKE FOREST MEN, WOMEN BASKETBALL TEAMS A COMBINED 12-0 IN MWC The Lake Forest men are in the midst of one the season's most remarkable turnarounds. Last year, the Foresters struggled to a 4-18 overall record and finished in the cellar of the ten-team MWC. Thus far, Lake Forest, picked tied for eighth place in the pre-season poll by the league's coaches, has knocked off teams picked to finish second, third, fourth, and fifth in the conference. The team's success can be attributed to a more athletic line-up, helped by the play of four freshmen (Lee Taylor, Fred Bell, Eric Tolar, and Evan Powers), and a balanced scoring attack. Seven different players have led the team in scoring and eight players are averaging between 6.8 and 12.1 points per game. Conversely, the Forester women have grown accustom to their position atop the MWC. Lake Forest won last year's MWC regular season with a 15-1 mark before being upset by Illinois College in the semifinals of the conference tournament, a loss they have already avenged on two occasions this season (by 28 and 16 points). The Foresters have compiled a 40-7 record over the past two seasons and are off to an 11-1 start to this year with their only loss coming at the hands of University of Scranton, ranked eighth in the nation according to Division III Basketball Online. The Foresters are currently ranked 5th in the region and 23rd in the nation according to Columbus Multimedia. Junior Alison Grubbs, an All-American and First Team All-Conference selection each of her first two seasons, leads the team in scoring (18.1 ppg), assists (4.2), and steals (3.5). Grubbs needs 36 points to become just the fourth Lake Forest women's basketball players to reach 1,000 for her career. |