Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's basketball team is coming off a record-breaking season in which they claimed their first North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament title.
 
The question heading into this year is can they do it again? Their peers across the conference certainly think they have a shot after getting selected second in the NCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with one first-place vote. Last year's title featured a commanding 71-39 win over the Wittenberg Tigers in the championship game.
 
DePauw, who was upset by Wittenberg in last year's NCAC Semifinals and ranked 13^th in the preseason D3hoops.com Top 25, was selected to win the conference in the preseason poll but that doesn't matter to 11^th-year Head Coach Kerry Jenkins or his players.
 
"We know DePauw, like a lot of other teams in this league are very good, so we are going to have to bring our best effort every game in order to get back to where we want to go," Jenkins said.
 
The Yeowomen return three starters from a squad that went 21-8 and 13-3 in the NCAC a year ago. Senior center Olivia Canning headlines the group as the reigning NCAC Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4 Sudbury, Massachusetts, native averaged 11.6 points and 2.85 blocks per game while connection on 53.5 percent of her shots from the field.
 
"We are going to rely on Liv to be the leader we know she can be," Jenkins added. "She is a special talent that is still getting better each day and I feel like the time is now for her to play her best basketball."
 
The backcourt duo of senior Alex Stipano and junior Ally Driscoll is one of the most dynamic and experienced pairings in the league. A first-team All-NCAC selection in 2018, Stipano led the Yeowomen with 13.7 points per game while dialing in on 66 3-pointers. Driscoll kept the offense in rhythm, averaging 8.0 points and 3.4 assists per game. Junior Cheyenne Arthur played in all 29 games last year and brings added experience to the backcourt as she will likely be one of the first options off the bench. Juniors Nichole Geist and Mackenzie Michaels sophomore Leo Ross, and newcomers Mia Woo and Sammy Spanier will also push for time.

"Ally and Alex bring so much to the table and are key to our success as a team. When Alex gets cooking, look out, and Ally brings it on both ends of the floor with her length against opposing guards."
 
In the starting rotation, Oberlin is looking to fill forward positions that are open due to the graduation of Abby Andrews and Tyler Parlor. The options are plentiful for Coach Jenkins as returners Jasmine Sorrells, Maggie Gross, and Tyler Collins each have the size and ability to fill the voids. Sorrells, who was one of Jenkins' top aids off the bench last year, averaged 4.5 points and posted 50 blocks in just over 10 minutes a game. Gross and Collins also flashed their diverse skill sets at times as their roles should be expanded this year. Sophomore Kayla Small and 5-foot-11 first-year Jai Cunningham could also factor into the front court mix.
 
"Losing Abby and Ty definitely hurts a bit as they are not easy to replace. It may take us some time to figure out which combinations work best but I am confident in everyone who is here and know they will step up to whatever role it may be."
 
The Yeowomen have four of their first seven games of the year at home, including the season-opener against Alma on November 10 at 3 p.m. Conference play will begin on December 5 as the Yeowomen host league rival Kenyon at 6 p.m.
 
Fans who cannot attend the games in person can watch all of the home games live online at goyeo.com/stream. Home games can also be accessed on a TV through the official Oberlin College athletics app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.