DRAKE (14-8, 8-3 MVC)

VS.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (7-13, 3-8 MVC)

THURSDAY, FEB. 12 * 7:05 P.M.

KNAPP CENTER * DES MOINES, IOWA

 

THE GAME

Moving into sole possession of third place in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Drake women's basketball team, winners of two straight, looks to win its ninth conference game, hosting Southern Illinois Thursday (Feb. 12). The Bulldogs trail conference-leading Illinois State (9-1) by 1 1/2 games.

 

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Scott Pierce and former Drake standout Laura Leonard will call the game for KRNT (1350 AM) with the pre-game show beginning at 6:35 p.m. 

 

PROBABLE STARTERS
Drake Bulldogs (14-8, 8-3 MVC)
No. - Player - P - Ht. - Cl. - PPG - RPG - APG - FG% - FT%
21 - Jordann Plummer - G - 5-6 - RJr. - 12.9 - 4.3 - 2.1 - .417 - .759
24 - Kelsey Keizer - F - 6-2 - Sr. - 3.0 - 4.4 - 0.6 - .484 - .417
32 - Lauren Dybing - F - 6-3 - Sr. - 8.4 - 4.8 - 1.0* - .408 - .667
34 - Amber Wollschlager - G - 6-0 - Fr. - 2.9 - 1.4 - 0.5 - .301 - .786
45 - Monique' Jones - F - 5-10 - Jr. - 5.5 - 5.1 - 1.3 - .456 - .757

Top Reserves
4 - Ashleigh Brady - G - 5-10 - Sr. - 3.1 - 1.4 - 0.4 - .407 - .737
15 - Rachael Hackbarth - F - 6-2 - Fr. - 6.7 - 4.7 - 1.0* - .485 - .381
23 - Kristin Turk - G - 5-8 - So. - 11.8 - 2.6 - 1.2 - .379 - .780
30 - Alex Montgomery - F - 6-1 - Fr. - 2.4 - 2.0 - 0.0 - .800 - 1.000
35 - Kaniesha Agee - G - 5-8 - Jr. - 0.5 - 1.7 - 2.5 - .190 - .250

Southern Illinois Salukis (7-13, 3-8 MVC)
No. - Player - P - Ht. - Cl. - PPG - RPG - APG - FG% - FT%
5 - Kaci Bailey - G - 5-7 - Sr. - 4.7 - 0.9 - 1.2 - .325 - .708
20 - Katrina Swingler - F - 6-0 - So. - 8.6 - 3.2 - 0.6 - .440 - .864
22 - Erica Smith - G - 5-7 - Sr. - 12.7 - 5.9 - 2.9 - .475 - .716
32 - Olivia Lett - G - 6-0 - Fr. - 6.1 - 3.1 - 1.3 - .360 - .621
40 - Jasmine Gibson - F - 5-10 - Sr. - 12.7 - 6.6 - 1.2 - .495 - .717
* Blocks per game

 

DRAKE BASKETBALL

The Drake women's basketball team will plays its 1,028th contest Thursday (Feb. 12). The Bulldogs have a record of 658-369 (.641), including a 361-104 (.776) home mark, a 229-220 (.510) road record and 68-45 mark (.602) at neutral locations. The Bulldogs are 166-48 (.776) in the Knapp Center, including a 64-24 (.727) mark under head coach Amy Stephens.

 

FOLLOW THE DRAKE-SOUTHERN ILLINOIS GAME

• Log onto www.godrakebulldogs.com and follow the link to livestats.
• Listen to the Drake broadcast on KRNT (1350 AM).

THE COACHES

Dana Eikenburg is in her fifth season leading Southern Illinois, compiling a 51-85 (.375) record. Eikenburg is 89-159 (.359) in nine seasons as a head coach.

 

Amy Stephens is in her sixth season at Drake and owns a 98-80 (.551) ledger with a 295-123 (.706) overall mark in her 14th season as a head coach.

 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Southern Illinois is 7-13 overall (3-8 MVC) after a 58-40 home win against Northern Iowa Saturday. Senior forward Jasmine Gibson and freshman guard Alex Hart led the Salukis with 11 points apiece, followed by senior guard Erica Smith with 10 points. Sophomore forward Adrianne Griffith grabbed a game-high nine rebounds for Southern Illinois.

 

The Salukis, winners of three of their last four, are led by Gibson and Smith who average 12.7 points apiece and 6.6 and 5.9 rebounds, respectively.

 

THE SERIES

This is the 68th meeting between Drake and Southern Illinois in a series that began during the 1979-80 season. The Bulldogs hold a 44-23 series advantage with a 24-6 home record and a 16-16 record in Carbondale. Drake has won the last four meetings, including an 79-69 overtime win at Southern Illinois Jan. 17.

 

LAST TIME THEY MET

Drake 79, Southern Illinois 69; Jan. 17, 2009; Carbondale, Ill.- Freshman guard Brittnye McSparron (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) scored eight points in overtime to power the Drake to a 79-69 MVC victory past Southern Illinois.

 

It marked the first time Drake swept the Evansville-Southern Illinois road swing since the 2001-02 season.

 

McSparron's jumper with 4:06 left ignited a 7-0 run by Drake to start the overtime, giving the Bulldogs a 70-63 lead it never relinquished.

 

Drake sealed the victory by scoring its last seven points at the free throw line.

 

Junior guard Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) paced Drake with a season-high 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

 

Sophomore guard Kristin Turk (Des Moines, Iowa/Lincoln) added 15 points, while McSparron finished with 14 points.

 

With the score at 61-61, Turk missed a 10-foot jumper from the left baseline with one second left in regulation.

 

Freshman forward Rachael Hackbarth (Colgate, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) came off the bench to collect 11 points and six rebounds for Drake.

 

Drake enjoyed a 38-31 halftime lead.

 

Drake's largest lead in the second half was 10 points at 46-36 with 15:19 remaining.

 

Southern Illinois went on a 19-9 run to tie the game at 55-55 with 7:35 left.

 

Drake shot a season-high 51.8 percent from the floor, making 29 of 56 shots.

 

SAME GAME, NEW LOCATION

The Bulldogs' game at Creighton on Feb. 27 will be played at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. The match-up will be the first-ever regular-season women's game to be played at the Qwest Center.

 

The game has been chosen as one of the Missouri Valley Conference Wildcard Weekend games, to be broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox College Sports and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

 

NEXT UP: HOOPS FOR HOPE

The next Drake women's basketball home game against Evansville Saturday (Feb. 14) has been designated as the Hoops 4 Hope event dedicated to raising cancer awareness in the greater Des Moines community as part of the National Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Pink Zone initiative. Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates, The Iowa Clinic and the Mercy Cancer Center are sponsoring the event this year in the Drake Knapp Center.

 

Each Drake women's basketball player will wear a pink jersey to show support in the fight against cancer.

 

Fans can help the Drake women's basketball program fight cancer by attending the game and wearing pink. The first 2,000 fans to enter the door will receive a Hoops 4 Hope pink t-shirt, while 1,000 pink and white pom-poms and 1,000 souvenir programs will be available free on a first-come, first-serve basis.

 

Nearly 3,200 tickets have been sold for the game that will tip off at 2:05 p.m. before a national television audience on ESPNU at the Drake Knapp Center.

 

A silent auction will be held during the game for each of the game-worn pink jerseys the players will be wearing with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

 

All cancer survivors in attendance will be honored at halftime of the event. Any additional cancer survivors looking to take part in this event should contact the American Cancer Society of Des Moines.

 

Tickets are still available for the event and can be ordered by calling the Drake Ticket Office at (515) 271-DOGS (3647).

 

Questions regarding the event can be directed towards the Drake Athletics Marketing Office at (515) 271-1946.

 

DOUBLE THE EFFORT

Junior guard Jordann Plummer has scored in double figures 16 times this season, tying her effort for all of last season. She has a team-high 38 career double-digit games.

 

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON

Drake head coach Amy Stephens is approaching several coaching milestones. Stephens has an overall record of 295-123 in 16 seasons, five shy of her 300th victory.

 

During her tenure at Drake, Stephens has collected 98 wins, needing two to reach the century mark. She will be the third coach in Bulldog history to record 100 wins, joining Carole Baumgarten (257-99; 1974-86) and Lisa Bluder (188-105; 1990-2000).

 

Stephens also has 58 conference wins, two shy of reaching the 60-win mark.

 

She recorded her first victory Nov. 29, 2003, with a 54-46 triumph at Dayton. Her first home win was Dec. 5, 2003, with a 70-55 mark over Michigan. Stephens collected win number 50, a 58-43 triumph over Cal State-Fullerton, Nov. 19, 2006.

 

WITH A WIN AGAINST SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, DRAKE

• Extends winning streak against the Salukis to five games (dating back to March 9, 2007).
• Wins third straight at home against the Salukis, dating back to March 9, 2007.
• Earns 59th conference victory and 99th Drake victory for head coach Amy Stephens.
• Wins third straight game for the third time this season.

DOULBE YOUR PLEASURE

Junior forward Monique' Jones had back-to-back double-doubles in the weekend-series wins over Wichita State and Missouri State. Jones collected 12 points and 15 rebounds in the 65-50 win over Wichita State and followed that with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the 66-60 win over Missouri State.

 

The double-doubles were the third and fourth of Jones' career. Her first two career double-doubles came during her freshman season, with a 12 point, 10 rebound effort at Indiana State and a 13 point, 10 rebound performance at Wichita State.

 

BALANCE

In 22 games this season, seven players have led Drake in scoring and six have led the team in rebounding. Leading scorers have been Kristin Turk (10 games), Jordann Plummer (8), Rachael Hackbarth (2), Ashleigh Brady, Amber Wollschlager, Monique' Jones and Kelsey Keizer. Top rebounders include Keizer (6), Jones (6), Lauren Dybing (5), Hackbarth (3), Plummer (2) and Turk.

 

LAST TIME OUT

Drake 66, Missouri State 60 (Feb. 8; Springfield, Mo.) - Drake opened the second half with a 9-1 run en route to securing its fourth straight road victory with a 66-60 Missouri Valley Conference decision past Missouri State.

 

Drake held Missouri State to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor, while the Bulldogs shot 47.9 percent, including 51.9 in the second half.

 

Drake earned its sixth straight victory against Missouri State, while improving its overall record in the series to 32-31 to become the only MVC school to have a winning edge against the Lady Bears who have been a perennial power in the league.

 

Junior guard Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) paced a balanced Drake attack with 20 points, including a career-high three three-point baskets, along with four assists.

 

Junior Monique' Jones (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit North) recorded her second straight double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Lauren Dybing (Bloomington, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) added 11 points and three blocked shots.

 

There were six ties in the first half. After a basket by Jasmine Malone gave the Lady Bears a 23-15 lead, Drake scored eight straight points to tie the game, capped by a free throw by Plummer.

 

With the score tied at 27-27 at halftime, Plummer ignited the 9-1 run by Drake with five points.

 

Drake also took advantage of a 6-minute 10 second drought without a basket by the Lady Bears midway through the second half.

 

After a basket by Casey Garrison pulled Missouri State within 36-35 with 14:10, the Bulldogs responded with a 13-2 run to enjoy a 49-37 advantage following a jumper by Kristin Turk (Des Moines, Iowa/Lincoln) with 8:08 left.  Garrison ended the Lady Bears' drought with a jumper at 7:59 and then added two free throws to make it 49-43.

 

But a rebound basket by Jones and a basket by Dybing extended the Bulldogs advantage to 53-43.

 

Turk finished with 10 points.

 

The Bulldogs held advantages in rebounding (49-42), second-chance points (14-8) and bench points (14-8). Missouri State capitalized on 15 Bulldog turnovers, converting them to 21 points.

 

RECORDS ARE MEANT...

Second-ranked Oklahoma University senior center Courtney Paris broke the NCAA career rebounding record set by Drake's Wanda Ford. Ford, a first-team All-American, collected 1,815 career rebounds between 1982 and 1986 for the Bulldogs. Paris grabbed eight rebounds in a 93-75 win over Oklahoma State, Sunday, to bring her career mark to 1,823 boards.

 

LINE IMPROVEMENT

After finishing the 2007-08 campaign 47-of-78 (.603) from the free throw line, junior forward Monique' Jones spent the off season focusing on improving her numbers at the charity stripe. This season Jones has improved to .757 from the line, connecting on 28-of-37 free throws.

 

Jones opened this season hitting 6-of-6 from the line against Texas State. She has had two other games (at Illinois State and vs. Wichita State) where she was perfect from the line.

 

DID  YOU KNOW...

• Drake is 12-3 this season when leading at half.
• The Bulldogs' win over Evansville (Jan. 15) is the only victory this season when the team trailed at halftime.
• Drake's 62-61 win over Evansville (Jan. 15), 68-65 loss to Creighton (Jan. 31) and 66-60 win over Missouri State (Feb. 8) are the only games this season decided by less than 10 points.
• The Bulldogs attempted 39 free throws in the season opener against Texas State. The next closest total is 25 against Missouri State (Jan. 10).
• Drake attempted a season-low four free throws against Indiana State (Jan. 1). The four attempts was the lowest since the March 24, 2008, NIT game at Illinois where the Bulldogs attempted two free throws.
• The Bulldogs are 8-4 when shooting 40 percent or better. The Bulldogs won four games (vs. Coppin State, Evansville, at Wichita State and at Missouri State) shooting under 40 percent.
• Drake is 8-2 when scoring 60 plus points, 4-0 when scoring 70 plus points and 1-0 when scoring 80 plus points.
• The Bulldog junior class has scored the most points this season with 403 (18.1 ppg). The freshmen are second with 374 (17.0 ppg), followed by the seniors with 308 (14.0 ppg) and the sophomores with 285 (13.0 ppg).
• Drake's 43 first-half points against Wichita State were the most points scored in a half this season.
• Drake is 9-2 when the opponents score the first point(s) of the game.

 

FREE IS GOOD

The Bulldogs have made 282 free throws this season with 149 of those coming in the last nine games. Drake has made almost as many free throws (149) that opponents have attempted (151) over the past nine contests, compiling a 8-1 record.

 

Leading the sudden rush to the free-throw line is junior guard Jordann Plummer (39-of-55), sophomore guard Kristin Turk (22-of-28), senior forward Lauren Dybing (19-of-30) and junior forward Monique' Jones (18-of-27).

 

HALF AND HALF

• In the Bulldogs' game at Indiana State, the Sycamores' 14 first-half points ranked second all-time in fewest points by a Drake opponent in a half.
• In that same game Drake was held to 17 first-half points, ranking fourth all-time in the Bulldog record book.
• Drake's 14 first-half points at Wisconsin ranked second all-time for fewest points by the Bulldogs in a half.
• Against Missouri State, Drake scored the most points in a half this season with 43, topping the previous mark of 40 set in the first half of the 69-59 win over Columbia (Nov. 29).
• In the Feb. 6 match-up at Wichita State the Bulldogs kept a team under 20 points in the first-half for the fourth time this season, allowing only 17.

ON THIS DATE IN BULLDOG HISTORY

February 12 has been a good day in history for the Drake with the Bulldogs compiling 5-1 record. The first game on Feb. 12 in 1976 was a 60-55 loss to Graceland. Since that game, Drake has won five straight on Feb. 12, defeating Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, Illinois State and Creighton twice.

 

The Bulldogs are 2-0 at home, 2-0 on the road and 0-1 at neutral sites on Feb. 12.

 

WELCOME TO OUR HOME, DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE

The Bulldogs are 166-48 in 15 years of playing in the Drake Knapp Center. Notable wins for Drake in the Knapp Center have come against Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Southern California, Utah and Wisconsin.

 

The Bulldogs are 8-2 in the Knapp Center this season with wins over Texas State (Nov. 14), Columbia (Nov. 29), Coppin State (Dec. 2), Western Michigan (Dec. 14), Wichita State (Jan. 8), Missouri State (Jan. 10), Bradley (Jan. 23) and  Northern Iowa (Jan. 25). The Bulldogs fell to Iowa, 71-53 (Dec. 14) and Creighton (Jan. 31).

 

HOME IS WHERE THE POINTS (AND SOME REBOUNDS) ARE

Drake is outscoring opponents by 9.8 points per game at home this season, 66.7 to 56.9 per game. The Bulldogs have scored a total of 667 points to opponents 569, with a 323 to 268 first half and 344 to 301 second half breakdown.

 

On the boards, the Bulldogs are pulling down 39.0 rebounds compared to 34.1 for opponents, an advantage of 4.9 rebounds per game.

 

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

With the 65-50 win at Wichita State Friday and a 66-60 win at Missouri State Sunday, the Bulldogs' have won their last four games on the road and pulled even in road games at 6-6.

 

Drake has closed the scoring gap in road games to 1.3 points (58.6 to 59.9). After the weekend sweep, the Bulldogs' hold a rebounding margin of +1.1  (35.7 to 34.6) on the road.

 

WHO'S HOT

Junior guard Monique' Jones recorded two double-doubles in the weekend sweep of Wichita State and Missouri State. Over the last seven games she is 26-of-43 (.605) from the field. averaging 9.7 points and a team-leading 9.0 rebounds over that span. Jones is shooting an MVC-leading 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field in conference games this season.

 

Junior guard Jordann Plummer has led the Bulldogs in scoring in six of the last seven games, averaging 18.4 points, along with 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals. She is 44-of-93 (.473) from the floor and 31-of-42 (.738) from the charity stripe in that span. Plummer has moved into fourth-place in the MVC, with 14.4 points per game against conference opponents.

 

Rachael Hackbarth is 25-of-47 (.558) over the last six games, averaging 9.5 points along with 5.7 rebounds per game. The freshman forward is shooting 47.1 percent (40-of-85) in conference games, ranking ninth in the MVC.

 

MULTIPLE THREAT

Drake senior Lauren Dybing, a 6-3 forward, is expanding her game this season. Dybing, who was 3-of-21 (.143) from three-point range all last season, has doubled her three-point production from a year ago, going 6-of-12 (.500) this season.

 

DRAKE'S OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT

In Drake's 22 games this season, this is how the Bulldogs fared from the field:

• 50 percent: Northern Iowa (.523), at Southern Illinois (.518);
• 40 percent: Creighton (.481), at Missouri State (.479), at Green Bay (.458), Texas State (.457), Western Michigan (.452), Columbia (.448), at Tennessee Tech (.441), Wichita State (.435), at Chicago State (.433), Weber State (.423), Illinois State (.404), Bradley (.400);
• 30 percent: at Wichita State (.397), at Iowa State (.392), at Evansville (.387), Coppin State (.361), at Wisconsin (.357), Missouri State (.367), at Indiana State (.340),
• 20 percent: Iowa (.299).

BULLDOGS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT

This is how the Bulldogs' opponents have fared from the field this season:

• 50 percent: at Chicago State (.521);
• 40 percent: at Green Bay (.488), Iowa (.475), at Iowa State (.451), Columbia (.448), at Bradley (.429), Wichita State (.424), Northern Iowa (.415);
• 30 percent: at Wichita State (.321), Texas State (.323), Weber State (.328), Indiana State (.333), Evansville (.346), Creighton (.353), Western Michigan (.358), at Missouri State (.375), at Wisconsin (.377), at Tennessee Tech (.380), at Southern Illinois (393), at Illinois State (.397);
• 20 percent: Missouri State (.288), Coppin State (.281).

BULLDOG D

Under head coach Amy Stephens, defense has been the signature of the Drake women's basketball team and this season is no different. The Bulldogs are holding opponents to 58.5 points per game. In Drake's 14 wins the average drops to 55.4 points allowed per game.

 

NCAA RANKINGS

The NCAA ranks 328 Division I women's basketball programs in various statistical categories. In the Feb. 8 rankings, the Bulldogs are in the top third nationally in scoring defense (74th, 58.5 ppg), field-goal percentage (79th, .419), rebounding margin (91st, +3.0), won-lost percentage (87th .636) and turnovers per game (101st, 17.0).

 

IS THAT SEAT TAKEN?

The Drake bench is outscoring opponents bench, 532-362, averaging 31.3 points per game to opponents' 21.3. The Bulldog bench has outscored or equaled opponents in 17 games this season, compiling an 13-4 record.

 

The wins over Wichita State (Jan. 8) and Missouri State (Jan. 10) were the largest margins this season, with Drake holding a 28 point bench advantage in each game.

 

MOVIN' ON UP

With 22 blocks this season, senior forward Lauren Dybing moved into fourth place on the Drake career blocks list with 106. In the 70-60 win over Northern Iowa (Jan. 25), Dybing collected a season-high four blocks.

 

KEIZER EARNS ACADEMIC HONOR

Drake senior Kelsey Keizer (Arnolds Park, Iowa/Okoboji) was tabbed as an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII women's basketball team honoree, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Feb. 5.

 

A first-team selection, Keizer is making her first appearance on the list. 

 

Keizer now advances to the national ballot where she will be eligible for Academic All-America honors, which will be released on Feb. 24.

 

A finance and secondary education double major, Keizer boasts a 3.97 grade point average.

 

Keizer, a native of Okoboji, Iowa, has played in all 22 games, starting 20 for Drake and is averaging 3.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

 

To be eligible for nominations to the CoSIDA Academic All-American team, nominees must own a cumulative GPA of 3.30 based on a 4.0 scale.

 

TURK NAMED STATE FARM MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Drake sophomore guard Kristin Turk (Des Moines, Iowa/Lincoln) was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Player of the Week Jan. 12 after coming off the bench to lead the Bulldogs to a pair of league victories.

 

Turk scored a career-high 24 points to spur the Bulldogs to a 80-60 victory past Wichita State (Jan. 8) at the Drake Knapp Center. She was 8-of-11 (.727) from the field, 3-of-5 (.600) from three point and 5-of-6 (.833) from the free-throw line. She also added four rebounds, one assist and one block.

 

She followed that with a game-high 18 points in a 56-44 win over Missouri State (Jan. 10). Turk was 7-of-14 (.500) from the field and 4-of-8 (.500) from three point. On the week she averaged 21 points and shot 15-of-25 (.600) from the field and 7-of-13 (.538) from three point.

 

DRAKE TABBED THIRD

The Bulldogs were tabbed to finish third in the 2008-09 Missouri Valley Conference pre-season poll.

 

In the Valley's annual poll of coaches, sports information directors and media members, the Bulldogs garnered 297 points. Illinois State topped the rankings, receiving all 40 first-place votes and 400 total points. Creighton landed in second with 310 points.

 

The defending MVC regular-season champion Bulldogs return eight letter winners, including three regular starters and six players with starting experience, to a team that finished 23-11 last season and advanced to the second round of the NIT.

 

Rounding out the rankings were Evansville in fourth with 342 points followed by Northern Iowa (245), Missouri State (215 points), Indiana State (166 points), Bradley (161 points), Southern Illinois (108 points) and Wichita State (47 points).

 

FORMER DRAKE STANDOUT NAMED RHODES SCHOLAR

Former Drake University women's basketball standout Lindsay Whorton (Independence, Mo./Truman) was selected as one of 32 Americans chosen as a Rhodes Scholar for 2009. She is Drake's first Rhodes Scholar recipient in 82 years.

 

Whorton, who graduated in December with a double major in English and secondary education, maintains a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

 

She received a two-year scholarship to study at Oxford University in Oxford, England. She plans to study social policy and evidence-based social intervention at Oxford.

 

This year's 32 Rhodes Scholars were picked from 769 applicants endorsed by 207 colleges and universities nationwide. About 80 scholars were chosen throughout the world for inclusion in the 2009 class.

 

Prior Rhodes Scholars include former President Bill Clinton, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former senator and former NBA star Bill Bradley.

 

The internationally renowned scholarships were created in 1902 by the will of Cecil Rhodes, a British philanthropist and African colonial pioneer.

 

Rhodes Scholars are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor.

 

Whorton was student teaching at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa last semester. This past summer, she took a youth group from a West Des Moines church to an impoverished county in South Dakota, where they performed service work on an Indian reservation.

 

A year ago on the basketball court, she helped lead the Bulldogs to a 23-11 mark and their first regular season Missouri Valley Conference title since the 2000-01 campaign, averaging 13.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists en route to earning first team All-MVC accolades.  Drake also won its first postseason tournament game since 2001-02 with its 65-56 home victory over Green Bay in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

 

She finished her career as Drake's all-time leader in three pointers with 266 and played in 125 career contests, the second-best mark in school history.  Her 797 career three-point attempts are an MVC record, while ranking third in career triples in league history.  She scored 1,564 career points, the 13th-highest total in Bulldog history.

 

Off the court, she became just the third women's basketball player in school history to be named a first team Academic All-America selection when she was tabbed to the five-player ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America squad.

 

Whorton joined Jan Jensen (1990 & 1991) and Tricia Wakely (1996) on this prestigious list. Jan Jensen was named national Academic All-America Player of the Year in 1991, while Wakely shared the same honor in 1996.

 

Whorton also became the first Bulldog to earn first team Academic All-MVC laurels three times as she garnered top billing in the conference in 2007-08 with her selection as the Prairie Farms MVC Scholar Athlete of the Year.