The Bluffton University women's basketball team bounced back with 14 wins in 2019-20, earning a seventh consecutive berth in the HCAC tournament and advancing to the semi-finals before falling to conference-champion Transylvania.
Although TJ Mills is gone following a record-setting career for the Beavers, Bluffton returns starters at four positions heading into the 2020-21 season.
A senior class that has combined to start nearly 100 games gives the women a wealth of experience to draw upon when the Beavers hit the hardwood.
Nora Hemminger (McComb) put up 7.1 PPG and 4.6 RPG as a junior while picking up 44 steals, the most by any returner this season. Senior Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, Ky./Dixie Heights) bucketed 5.4 PPG and her 43 assists were second to Mills last season.
Abbie Parkins (Bluffton) has 41 starts on her resume. She ripped down 4.8 RPG while handing out 38 assists in 2019-20. Also looking to give the Beavers depth out front is senior Claire Myree (Cincinnati/Lakota West).
Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) took the bull by the horns as a sophomore, dropping in 16.9 PPG to go along with 8.1 RPG which were both ranked 3rd in the HCAC. Gillig set a new women's single-season mark with 455 points, giving her 729 (25th all-time) after only two seasons as a Beaver. She came up just shy of Kaycee Rowe's school-record 232 rebounds in a season, pulling down 220 boards as a sophomore.
Her 131 makes at the foul line tied her for 3rd all-time. Fellow junior Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) is a force on the blocks and she can also step out and knock down the baseline jumper. Saltzman hit for 3.9 PPG and pulled down 4.2 RPG a season ago.
Sophomore Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) was in the lineup from day one, starting 13 games as a freshman. She averaged 5.9 PPG while hitting a team-best 45 triples last season, including a school-record seven in the first half of Bluffton's win over Cairn in the McDonald's Holiday Classic opener. Peyton Henry (Leipsic) saw her playing time grow throughout the season, playing in 24 games as a freshman.
With the Heartland Conference portion of the season scheduled to tip on Saturday, Jan. 16, the Beavers will play a limited slate of non-league games prior to Christmas.
Bluffton heads to Adrian on Saturday, Nov. 14 before welcoming Trine for the home opener on Thursday, Nov. 19. Also on tap is a trip to Calvin on November 21 and another matchup with Adrian on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
A 13-game Heartland Conference schedule is on the books for January and February with the conference tournament to follow the completion of the regular season.
