OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off a 2019 NCCAA Championship victory, the Mid-America Christian women's basketball team is prepared to tip-off the 2019-20 season with a 6 p.m. game Friday night against Manhattan Christian College inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS
The Evangels have their sights set high after a record-setting 2018-19 campaign. Mid-America Christian finished the season with a program record 25 wins after rallying to beat Brewton-Parker in the NCCAA Championship game 87-84 on March 16.
Mid-America Christian was picked to finish fourth in the Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason Poll with 69 votes, placing just two votes back of Science & Arts for third with 71 votes and five votes ahead of John Brown.
The Evangels are also getting some national recognition by receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Poll. With 26 votes, the Evangels are just 28 votes out from breaking into the 25-team list.
If MACU doesn't qualify for the NAIA Tournament, the Evangels will be aiming for a third straight NCCAA Championship after defeating Concordia (Mich.) 71-60 in the 2018 championship game prior to beating Brewton-Parker last season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mid-America Christian brings back a talented roster from last year's championship squad, headlined by senior forward Alexis Shannon. A 5-11 forward from Noblesville, Ind., Shannon was an NCCAA First Team All-American, the NCCAA Central Region Co-Player of the Year and a member of the NCCAA All-Tournament Team last season along with being named an All-SAC First Team honoree. Shannon averaged 18 points per game while leading the team with 262 rebounds and finished second on the squad with 57 steals.
Senior guard Nevada Denton will also look to make a big impact in her final season with the Evangels. A 5-9 guard from Blanchard, Okla., Denton was an All-NCCAA Central Region Third Team selection after averaging 9.1 ppg and finishing with a team-best 21 blocked shots.
In just her second season with the Evangels, sophomore guard Syndey Wycoff will be looking to take over the primary point guard role. The 5-6 guard from Ankeny, Iowa last season finished second on the squad with 85 assists, averaging 2.5 assists per game.
Rachel Tapps will headline a strong group of newcomers. A transfer from Texas A&M-Kingsville, the 5-7 senior guard averaged 7.3 ppg and three rebounds per game in one of the toughest conferences at the NCAA Division II level last year.
A junior guard that comes to the Evangels from Seward County Community College, Lexi Hernandez is a sniper from anywhere on the floor. The 5-6 Canyon, Texas product averaged 12.8 ppg on a 42-percent shooting percentage from the floor and a 35.4-percent clip from the three-point arc while converting 75 triples.
IF YOU LIKE IT, PUT A RING ON IT
The Mid-America Christian will be honoring its 2019 NCCAA Championship team with a ring ceremony at halftime of the men's game against Ecclesia following the completion of the women's game Friday night. Championship rings will be presented to each member of last season's squad.
THE MANHATTAN CHRISTIAN PROFILE
The Evangels will be playing Manhattan Christian for the seventh time in program history, winning the previous six meetings. The two teams faced each other in last year's season opener at the Gaulke Activity Center as the Evangels came away with a 98-21 victory. Shannon led four players in double-figures with 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting and came a board shy of a double-double with nine rebounds.
The Thunder are coming off a 10-11 season and went 2-3 against Midwest Christian College Conference opponents. MCC bring back three of its top four scorers from a season ago, led by Kennedy Wilson who scored at an 11.9 ppg clip and finished second on the team with an 8.3 rpg average while also leading the team with 27 blocked shots.
