The Agnes Scott basketball team will look to a combination of veterans and newcomers for the upcoming 2011-12 season, as they hope to go one step further and capture the Great South Athletic Conference championship for the first time in school history.
The Scotties finished second in the Great South Athletic Conference Championships last year posting a record of 15-13. Joining the Scotties is new head Coach Trish Roberts. Coach Roberts joins Agnes Scott with years of experience at the division I level as well as professional playing experience. Roberts was a member of the 1976 U.S. Women's Olympic team that won a silver medal. She set several records as a player at the University of Tennessee and she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Assistant coaches Jamenda Whitehead and Joy Griggs enter their fourth year on the Scottie bench and all five starters return from last year's team.
Senior Kimberly Reeves returns for a fourth year to anchor the paint for the Scotties. Last season, Reeves led the team in blocked shots and minutes played, while ranking third and second in scoring and rebounding respectively. Her average of 1.8 blocks per game ranked third in conference, while her 8.4 rebounds per game average was good for fifth.
Senior Rachael Hornbostel will team with junior Arielle Register for a third season in the Scottie back court. Hornbostel ranked second on the team in assists behind Register, while having a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (41-to-34).
Register led the Scotties in both assists and steals and tied for team lead in free-throw shooting. Her 79% average from the foul line was good for third-place in the conference. Register also ranked second for the Scotties in both three-point shooting percentage and makes.
Juniors Tiffany Jones and Genefine Sapateh round out the returning starters. Jones enters as the Scotties' top threat from long range, as she led the Scotties last season in three-point shots made.
Sapateh, a two-time All-GSAC performer returns as the Scotties' leading scorer and rebounder. Her averages of 13.8 points and 8.9 rebounds a game ranked her fifth and fourth respectively in conference.
Agnes Scott also returns a solid core of reserves, some with previous experience as starters. Junior Courtney Creer and sophomore Morgan Cooper will attempt to give the Scotties a strong presence inside.
Guards Cristina Gutierrez, Janell McKinney, Caroline Recio and GSAC All-Freshman performer, Lexi Pulice-Farrow will look to provide the Scotties solid play in the back court
And joining the Scottie basketball team this year is first-year Shavonne Orr from Union Grove High School in McDonough, Ga and senior Courtney Brown from West High School in Madison, Wis.