HUTCH WOMEN HAVE MANY NEW FACES AS 2017-18 PRACTICE BEGINS

HutchCC Sports Information

When Hutchinson Community College women's basketball coach John Ontjes walked onto the floor for the Blue Dragons first practice of 2017, he didn't see many faces who were part of a Jayhawk Conference co-championship and Region VI title team last season.

Only three players return from last year's team that achieved a 33-2 record and played in the NJCAA National Tournament.

The 2017-18 Blue Dragons will depend on many new players to reach their always-lofty goals.

Guard Alicia Brown is the only player back who played in all 35 games last season and started in three. Brown averaged 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds with 46 assists and 39 steals. Brown shot 42.6 percent from the floor.

Also back are guard Brianna Bradshaw and forward Kayla Barber. Bradshaw averaged 9 minutes per game in 27 games last season and averaged 1.7 points per game. Barber averaged 7 minutes per game in 28 games played last year. She averaged 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds.

That leaves a lot of slack to be picked up by redshirt sophomore Tijuana Kimbro and nine freshmen from last year's team that averaged 80.3 points per game and allowed 49.9

Ontjes begins his 11th season with the Blue Dragons. The program leader in coaching victories, Ontjes has compiled a record of 287-62, a winning percentage of .822. The Blue Dragons have won six Region VI titles and captured six conference championships

The Blue Dragons open the season on Wednesday, November 1 against the Bethany College JV and Tuesday, November 7 before opening Jayhawk Conference play at Seward County on February 11.