The Summit League Weekly Notes

The following is from The Summit Leagus weekly press release.  To read the complete document please click here. CENTENARY The Ladies return 90 percent of their points and rebounds from last season in Cierra Bush, Anne Farrell and Ashley Jackson ... With Bush back from a season ending knee injury, Centenary welcomes back all five starters ... NCAA Final Four participant LSU makes an appearance at the Gold Dome on Dec. 20, while the Ladies also travel to Alabama and Oklahoma State in non-league action. IUPUI The Jaguars return two-time Defensive Player of the Year Jernisha Cann ... Cann is only the second player to win the award in consecutive years and needs just 18 rebounds to become IUPUI's all-time leader ... Julia Whitted also returns after being one of the nation's most improved players, jumping from 3.4 to 14.4 ppg ... Cann is closing in on becoming the first player in school history to record 1,000 point and 1,000 rebounds in a career. IPFW The Mastodons graduated three players, including the league's leading scorer Johnna Lewis-Carlisle (19.5 ppg) ... IPFW plays four teams that made postseason play last year in Miami (Ohio), Oral Roberts, Iowa State and Illinois ... Returnee Jordan Zuppe tied for ninth place overall in three-point field goal percentage (43.3%) in the NCAA and was the top freshman on the list. UMKC The Kangaroos lost five seniors due to graduation but return all-league selection Chazny Morris ... Morris led the team with 17.6 ppg last season and earned Newcomer of the Year honors during her freshman campaign ... UMKC faces a challenging non-league road schedule with trips to Iowa State, Colorado, Air Force and the Cal Poly Thanksgiving Tournament. NORTH DAKOTA STATE The Bison look to replace their top three scorers from last season, including Player of the Year Lisa Bue ... Jerri Penley is the top returnee for NDSU after averaging 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game last season ... Carolyn DeHoff takes over the reigns of the Bison program following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Amy Ruley, who guided NDSU for 29 years and compiled a 671-198 (.772) career record. OAKLAND The Golden Grizzlies return all fi ve primary starters from last season, including Summit League Preseason Player of the Year Jessica Pike ... Pike averaged 16.3 ppg and 2.9 apg last season, while Melissa Jeltema (13.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and Hanna Reising (11.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg) are two other top returnees ... OU faces a challenging non-league schedule traveling to Purdue and hosting Georgia and Marquette at the O'Rena. ORAL ROBERTS The Golden Eagles advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament last season and third in four years after winning The Summit League Championship as the No. 4 seed last season ... Three starters return for ORU, including second team all-league selection Mariana Carmargo (13.3 ppg, 5.0 apg) and honorable mention member Janae Voelker (11.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg). SOUTH DAKOTA STATE The Jackrabbits return four starters from their regular season championship team, including leading scorer Jennifer Warkenthien (13.9 ppg) ... Also returning for SDSU is Maria Boever (12.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and Sixth Woman of the Year Kristin Rotert (10.0 ppg) ... The Jacks have posted 22 consecutive winning season, including a dozen 20-win seasons ... SDSU has won 20 or more games in seven of the last eight years. SOUTHERN UTAH The Thunderbirds return leading scorer Anne Westwood-Higbee (10.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg) as the only senior on the squad ... Three other starters returning are Caitlyn Sears (7.5 ppg), Challis Pascucci (6.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Kaila Goff (3.6 ppg) ... The T-Birds are one of the youngest teams in the league as 11 of the 14 members are either freshmen or sophomores. WESTERN ILLINOIS The Westerwinds return six letterwinners from last season, including starters Amanda Walker (8.4 ppg) and Jordon O'Brien (6.8 ppg) ... WIU has five players on the roster that are at least 6-2 ... Head coach Leslie Crane returns for her 11th season at the helm of the program her 105 league wins is tops among the current Summit League coaches.