Lake Forest College Women's Basketball
News & Notes
March 8, 2000 
Contact:  Scott Rucker, SID

FORESTERS SWEEP MWC'S GLAMOUR AWARDS

For the second time in the past three years, Lake Forest College Head Coach Jackie Slaats and guard Alison Grubbs (Cullom, IL/Tri-Point H.S.) have been named the Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, by the Midwest Conference. The pair also accomplished the same feat in 1998. This season, the Foresters won their third MWC Championship, advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history, and tied a school record with 21 wins. The team finished 21-4 overall.

In the six-year history of the MWC Coach of the Year award, Slaats has been bestowed the honor two times. She has also made her presence known on the national level, as she ranks 22nd among active NCAA Division III women's basketball coaches for winning percentage at 73%. Also the all-time winningest coach in Lake Forest history, Slaats has compiled an overall record of 237-84 during her 14 seasons at the helm of the Forester program.  

Grubbs, a junior, was also named to the league's All-Conference unit. She was joined on the First Team by Addi Murphy (Chillicothe, IL/Illinois Valley Central H.S.). It was Grubbs's third straight selection to the All-Conference First Team and Murphy's second consecutive selection.

Two other Foresters - senior Melissa Schneider (Arlington Heights, IL/John Hersey H.S.) and junior Karla Gribble (Mineral Point, WI/Mineral Point H.S.) - were named to the Second Team. 

Grubbs led the league in scoring (18.3 ppg) and free throw percentage (86.8%). She also finished second for three-point field goal percentage (50.7%), fourth for assists per game (3.9), and 16th for field goal percentage (45.9%). Grubbs was twice named the Conference's Player of the Week this season. 

Murphy, a senior co-captain for Lake Forest, led the team in rebounding and finished 12th in the league with 6.5 boards per game. She also added 9.0 points per game for the season, the third-highest total on the team.

Schneider, one of the best defenders in the conference, averaged 2.7 assists per conference game, the 10th highest total in the league. She also averaged 9.4 points per game, second on the team, and 2.7 rebounds per game on the season. Schneider was a First Team selection last year. 

Gribble, one of the finest all-around performers in the league, ranked among the league's leaders for both field goal percentage (49.5%; 10th) and assists per game (2.5; 11th). For the season, Gribble also averaged 7.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per contest.

Lake Forest's four members on the All-Conference Teams were more selections than any other conference school. The league's coaches select the All-Conference Teams and Coach and Player of the Year.