The Lowdown: Central Christian College @ Mid-America Christian University
Time: Nov. 7 @ 6 p.m.
Location: Gaulke Activity Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
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Live Stats:
The Dish on the Lady Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels could not have scripted a better start under new head coach Hannah Moeller, starting the season 3-0 and winning by an average of 31 points.
MACU opened the season with a 106-47 win at Grace University and then defeated Graceland University 106-94, marking the first time since joining the NAIA that the Lady Evangels have scored at least 100 points in consecutive games.
"It's a long season, but we're excited to have started the year off the way we did!" Moeller said after the season-opening win at Grace.
"We have a long way to go to be a team that can compete at the top of the Sooner Athletic Conference, but it feels like a great first step in that direction."
The Lady Evangels then ran their record to 3-0 with an 80-58 victory at Bethel (Kan.) College.
Sarai Rodriguez has been the offensive catalyst for the Lady Evangels, leading the team in scoring with 26.3 points per game. Rodriguez was recently named the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and OklahomaSports.Net Player of the Week.
Jamie Lamb is second in scoring with 14.3 ppg, followed by Tamiyjah Smith at 12.7 ppg. Smith is also tied with D'Shala Powell for the team-lead in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per game.
Also scoring in double-figures for the Lady Evangels through three games is Nevada Denton, with 11.7 ppg.
The Dish on the Lady Tigers: The Central Christian College Tigers off to a 1-2 start this season, sandwiching a 73-70 win over York between losses to Bethel (Kan.) and Sterling College (Kan.).
The Tigers are led in scoring through three games by Abbie Banks' 14.3 points per game and 11 threes. Piper Kalthoff is scoring 13.0 ppg along with a team-high seven rebounds, while Kelsi Grimaldo has recorded a team-best nine assists.
The Series: The Lady Evangels have got the best of Central Christian since joining the NAIA, winning all four meetings, including a 3-0 mark at home.
Home Sweet Home Opener: The Lady Evangels have a record of 7-2 in their home opener dating back to the 2007-08 season. MACU had won seven of the last eight home openers before falling last year to No. 18-ranked Langston 82-75.
The Coaches:
Hannah Moeller has begun her first season 3-0 as head coach of the Mid-America Christian University women's basketball program.
Moeller is no stranger to MACU; she served as the assistant women's basketball coach during the 2010-2011 season for current Yale University assistant coach Roman Owen.
Moeller takes over the program after a four-year tenure at Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College, now Randall University. During her time at Hillsdale, Moeller was named the 2016 NCCAA National Coach of the Year, won two national championships, was twice named Southwest Regional Coach of the Year, coached nine All-American players and touted a 105-28 coaching record.
In her four seasons working with Hillsdale Free Will Baptist, Moeller accomplished the following:
2016 NCCAA National Coach of the Year
2016 NCCAA National Runner-Up
2013, 2014 ACCA National Champions
2015 ACCA National Runner-Up
2013 and 2016 NCCAA Southwest Region Coach of the Year
2016 season spent 14 weeks ranked #1 in the country
In addition, Moeller was responsible for the recruitment and development of the following student-athletes:
2016 NCCAA/ACCA National Player of the Year
Five NCCAA All-Americans, three for repeating years
Nine ACCA All-Americans, five for repeating years
Three NCCAA Southwest Region Most Valuable Players
Nine NCCAA All-Southwest Region players
14 NCCAA/ACCA Scholar Athletes
Moeller served as the associate head coach at Hillsdale Free Will Baptist during the 2011-2012 and helped lead the Lady Saints to the 2012 ACCA National Championship. Moeller is no stranger to MACU; she served as the assistant women's basketball coach during the 2010-2011 season for current Yale University assistant coach Roman Owen.
After signing to play basketball at the University of Louisiana-Monroe as a senior in high school, Moeller finished her playing career at Rogers State University where she was named the 2009 Rogers State University Female Student Athlete of the Year, a 2009 NAIA Academic All-American and the 2009 Distinguished Graduate of the Sports Management department.
Moeller holds an Associate of Arts from Southwestern Christian University and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from Rogers State University. Her graduate work is in physical education from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Hannah, her husband Marcus and their 10-month old son Owen reside in Oklahoma City and attend Frontline Church Downtown.
Chris Honeck is in his fourth season as head of the Central Christian College Tigers. Honeck earned a bachelor's degree in History from Iowa State University and also graduated with a master's of sport science degree with a double major in sport management and sports studies and an emphasis in compliance from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama in 2010.
Up Next: The Lady Evangels will host Kansas Wesleyan University Wednesday evening (Nov. 9) at 6 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
