2014-15 Wayne State Preview (by Brian Lester, GLIAC contributor)

Coach: Carrie Lohr enters her fourth season as the head coach of the Warriors

Overview: The Warriors played for the regional championship last season, falling 99-63 to Drury in Missouri, and they will look to go even further this year. The potential is there to do it with senior center Shareta Brown back for another season. Brown, who played her first two seasons at Detroit-Mercy, has scored in double figures 90 times in 98 career games. Brown also has 47 double-doubles in her career and her 20.2 scoring average last year was the third-best in program history. Also back for the Warriors are junior guard Destiny Lavita-Stephens and senior guard Ondrea Hughes. Lavita-Stephens averaged 10.0 ppg and nailed 46 treys last year while Hughes averaged 7.4 ppg and came up with 44 steals. The Warriors averaged 77.1 ppg and shot 46.2 percent from the field. Two newcomers who could play key roles are Shannon Wilson and Gabby Machado. Wilson, a guard, scored more than 2,000 points in her high school career. Machado, a forward,  played at Iowa in 2009-10 and averaged 3.7 ppg for the Hawkeyes.

Wayne State Sports Information Preview

Last season, the Wayne State University women’s basketball program advanced to its second consecutive Sweet Sixteen and won its first outright conference title since 1980-81. The Warriors topped #29 Indianapolis and #11 Lewis before falling to #6 Drury in the Regional Final contest.

Carrie Lohr begins her fourth season and may have her best roster to date in 2014-15. The Warriors return the core of their roster including the programs first-ever First Team All-American, senior center Shareta Brown. Brown became the first player in program history to record a 600 point season (20.2 PPG) and set WSU single-season records for field goal percentage (62.9), free throws made (165), free throws attempted (220), and rebounds (342). Also returning after solid campaigns last season are Jackie Jones, Ondrea Hughes, Destiny Lavita-Stephens, Kristen Long and Brittany Streetman. The versatile and experienced group combined to play 151 games and make 90 starts last season.

After three exhibition contests including a game at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10, the Warriors will host longtime power Indianapolis on Nov. 14 at 6 PM. Coach Lohr’s alma mater Michigan-Dearborn visits the Matthaei the following week for a 7 PM clash before the GLIAC schedule begins. Home conference opponents include Lake Superior State, Northwood, Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, Findlay, Tiffin, Lake Erie, Ashland and Malone. In addition to its conference schedule, the program will host a Holiday Classic on Dec. 19th and 20th. Four teams will participate in the event as Northwood, Bellarmine and Salem International visit Motown. The Warriors will meet Salem International on Dec. 19 at 7 PM and Bellarmine on Dec. 20 at 4 PM. WSU returns to the GLIAC South Division after a very successful two-year stint in the North.