It is that time of year when the APSU basketball gets started. The men’s team looks to rebound from a disappointing 12-20 campaign that saw the team lose four starters who led the team in scoring in every game except two last season.
The women’s team has more experience returning from a team that made it to the second round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament despite a 9-22 record.
While the women’s team will return four starters from last year, the loss of leading scorer Whitney Hanley from last year will pose a big challenge for them.
Luckily for the squad, a strong leadership of upperclassmen along with a large freshman and sophomore classes will add nice balance to the team.
The team only sports three seniors and two juniors, but all are expected to see big playing time and starts, while coach Carrie Daniels will search for a strong guard to step up and replace Hanley.
Senior forwards Leslie Martinez and Meghan Bussabarger will look to give APSU an advantage down low while junior guard Nicole Olszewski and sophomore guard Shelby Olszewski will look break out this season with Hanley no longer around.
The men’s team is in a bit of a different boat, losing four senior starters from last year’s squad, but Dave Loos has an impressive team coming back along with a couple big recruits joining the mix.
Edwardsville, Ill. natives, junior Will Triggs and senior Anthony Campbell, will look to lead the team this year. Campbell, who is coming off two shortened seasons due to injury, is looking to finally take the reigns for his final season while Triggs, who spent most of last season as the go-to forward off the bench, will look to use his high-energy game to assist Campbell down low.
Senior guard Jerome Clyburn will miss a month with an injury, but luckily sophomore Herdie Lawrence is experienced from last season and will be able to contribute immediately.
Both teams will be adjusting to the new OVC format, with the conference being split into two divisions, east and west, now that the conference has twelve teams. The men’s team is predicted to finish third in the west, while the women’s team is picked to finish fifth.
The men’s team will open their season at home on Friday, Nov. 9, against Samford while the women will travel to play Alabama-Birmingham on the same night.
