2009-10 Westminster Blue Jay Photo Gallery

Blue Jays Grab Road Win At Greenville, Snap Streak

The Westminster College women snapped a two-game losing streak in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 61-48 conference win over Greenville College Saturday in Greenville, Illinois. With the win, Westminster (9-10, 7-5 SLIAC) sweeps the season series with Greenville (4-15, 2-10 SLIAC).

Sophomore Heather Letourneau scored a game-high 16 points to pace the Blue Jay attack and sophomore Rachel Backes played 40 minutes and finished with 14 points. Katelyn Wise scored 14 points for a Greenville squad which has lost nine games in a row.

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Westminster Women Come Up Short At Fontbonne, 74-72

Westminster College fell into a tie for fifth in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball standings with a 74-72 loss to Fontbonne University Wednesday evening in St. Louis.

Despite playing without senior Whitney Meurer, who is lost for the season to injury, the Blue Jays (8-10, 6-5 SLIAC) led by double digits in the first half and took a 40-37 lead into halftime. But, Fontbonne (11-2, 9-2 SLIAC) rallied down the stretch to secure the win and retain a share of the league lead.

Sophomore Heather Letourneau scored a career-high 20 points and added seven rebounds for Westminster. Sophomore Rachel Backes finished with 17 points and eight assists, while freshman Kenna Cornelson scored 12 points off the bench. Mallory Ludwig led Fontbonne with 19 points.

Fontbonne/Greenville Games Broadcast On The Web

Both the Westminster College men and women will have this week's St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball games at Fontbonne University and Greenville College broadcast on the World Wide Web. The broadcasts, which begin at 5:50 p.m. Wednesday and 12:50 p.m. Saturday, are a part of a package with the Prepcasts Broadcasting Network.

To access the broadcast site:
Go to www.prepcasts.com
Click This Week on Prepcasts
Click on the game of choice

Blue Jay Women Drop Home Contest, Now In Fourth

Westminster College fell to fourth in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings with a 70-63 home loss to Blackburn College Saturday. The Blue Jays (8-9, 6-4 SLIAC) split the season series with Blackburn (9-10, 7-3 SLIAC).

Sophomore Rachel Backes led the Westminster attack with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Senior Markie England tallied 13 points and four rebounds for a Blue Jay squad that led 36-24 at intermission.

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Westminster Women Win, Even Season Series With Spalding

The Westminster College women's basketball squad evened its overall record at 8-8 and improved to 6-3 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 65-56 win over Spalding University Thursday in Fulton. The victory evens the season series at one game apiece and avenges a 49-36 loss to Spalding three weeks ago in Louisville, Kentucky.

Senior Whitney Meurer and sophomore Liz Klaffenbach each finished with 15 points for Westminster, and senior Markie England recorded a double-double, finishing with 10 points and ten rebounds. Lauren Reed scored 15 points to pace Spalding (10-9, 6-4 SLIAC).

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Blue Jays Come Up Short In Battle For First In League

The Westminster College women came up short in their quest to earn a share of first place in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Saturday in St. Louis, falling to Webster University 73-65.

The Blue Jays (7-8, 5-3 SLIAC) got 12 points each from senior Markie England and freshman Kenna Cornelson, and 11 points from sophomore Liz Klaffenbach, but it was not enough as host Webster broke the game open in the second half to hold on to the league lead. Katy Meyer led Webster (11-5, 7-1 SLIAC) and all scorers with 15 points.

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Westminster Games At Webster Broadcast On The Web

Both the Westminster College men and women will have their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball games at Webster University this Saturday, January 23, broadcast on the World Wide Web. The broadcasts, which begin at 12:50 p.m., are a part of a package with the Prepcasts Broadcasting Network.

To access the broadcast site:
Go to www.prepcasts.com
Click This Week on Prepcasts
Click on the game of choice

Blue Jay Women Let Lead Slip Away And Fall In Overtime

The Westminster College women let a 36-21 halftime lead slip away in the second half and dropped a 77-73 overtime decision to Fontbonne University in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Wednesday in Fulton.

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Westminster Women Withstand Game-Winning Shot In Victory

The Westminster College women withstood a game-winning shot in the closing seconds and escaped with a 54-53 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over Eureka College Saturday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (7-6, 5-1 SLIAC) led 30-28 at halftime and came back from a deficit to lead by four points in the final minute before withstanding Eureka’s last charge. Senior Markie England tallied 14 points and eight rebounds, and sophomore Liz Klaffenbach finished with 11 points and nine rebounds for a Westminster squad which shot just 37 percent from the floor. Lauren Snopek scored 15 points, and Chantavia Knight recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Eureka (4-10, 1-5 SLIAC).

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Meurer Sets School Record And Wins SLIAC Award

Senior guard Whitney Meurer made a school record eight 3-pointers in an 80-37 victory over Greenville College and was named SLIAC Player of the Week for her effort.

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Blue Jay Women Move To 6-6 Overall, 4-1 In League Play

The Westminster College women improved to 6-6 overall and 4-1 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 59-53 road win over Principia College Tuesday in Elsah, Illinois.

Senior Whitney Meurer finished with 14 points and five rebounds, senior Markie England added 10 points, and sophomores Rachel Backes and Heather Letourneau each added five rebounds for Westminster. Lyndsay Sydness finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds for Principia (3-8, 0-5 SLIAC).

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Blue Jays Sweep SLIAC Doubleheader From Greenville

The Westminster College basketball squads came up big, sweeping a pair of St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contests from Greenville College Saturday in Fulton.

Senior Whitney Meurer made a school record eight 3-ponters and finished with a game-high 28 points in leading the Westminster women to an 80-37 victory over Greenville. Meurer went 8-of-14 from long range to break the previous record of six 3-pointers which had been done four times.

The Blue Jay women (5-6, 3-1 SLIAC) jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never trailed in building a 45-21 lead by intermission. Although Meurer was the lone double digit scorer for Westminster, sophomore Heather Letourneau finished with nine points and 10 other players scored. Katelyn Wise tallied 11 points for Greenville (4-7, 2-2 SLIAC).

Not to be outdone, the Westminster men overcame a slow start to top Greenville 94-74. The Blue Jays (9-4, 4-0 SLIAC) were down in the opening minutes, but grabbed a 12-11 lead and never trailed, although Greenville cut an 18-point second-half deficit to six points at 65-59 before Westminster put the game away.

Four players scored in double figures for Westminster, led by seniors Ky Millard and Stanley Crawford, who each finished with 18 points. Junior Jake Vislay tallied 16 points and junior Justin Gilmore added 14 points off the bench. LaPhonso Ellis led all scorers with 24 points for Greenville (4-8, 1-3 SLIAC).

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Westminster Splits SLIAC Doubleheader In Kentucky

The Westminster College women lost and the Blue Jay men won in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball action Wednesday at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Westminster women (4-6, 2-1 SLIAC) shot just 25 percent from the floor and dropped a 49-36 decision to Spalding (5-7, 2-2 SLIAC). Senior Whitney Meurer scored nine points and added six rebounds to lead the Blue Jays, while sophomore Rachel Backes finished with nine points for a Westminster squad which trailed 24-17 at halftime.

Senior Ky Millard recorded a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds as the Westminster men (8-4, 3-0 SLIAC) recorded a 64-60 win over Spalding (4-8, 2-2 SLIAC).  The Blue Jays, who led 28-27 at intermission, got 12 points from senior Stanley Crawford, 11 points each from juniors Jake Vislay and Kurt Kovach, and 10 points from junior Justin Gilmore.

Westminster returns home to host Greenville College in a SLIAC doubleheader Saturday with the women’s game tipping off at 1:00 p.m., followed by the men’s game.

Westminster Basketball Teams Both Open Year With Wins

Both the Westminster College men and women opened 2010 with St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball wins over MacMurray College Saturday in Fulton.

The Blue Jay women (4-5, 2-0 SLIAC) led from start to finish in recording a 74-60 victory over MacMurray (1-7, 1-2 SLIAC). Sophomore Rachel Backes paced the Westminster attack with 15 points and senior Markie England added 14 points. Freshman Mary Barber added 11 points for a Blue Jay team which shot 52 percent from the floor and won the battle of the boards 38-35.

Westminster captured the men’s game 73-64 after a see-saw first half which saw six ties and six lead changes. The Blue Jays (7-4, 2-0 SLIAC), who were playing their first home game of the season, led 34-30 at intermission and made free throws down the stretch to secure the win over MacMurray (1-9, 1-2 SLIAC). Junior Jake Vislay scored a game-high 18 points and junior Justin Gilmore added 15 points. Senior Stanley Crawford finished with 14 points and six rebounds while junior Kurt Kovach tossed in 10 points. Westminster shot 48 percent from the floor in the game and made 16-of-19 free throws.

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Westminster Closes Out Year With Loss At Missouri S&T

The Westminster College women dropped a 64-49 decision to Missouri S&T Saturday in Rolla to close out 2009.

The Blue Jays (3-5) won the battle of the boards 32-26, but committed 29 turnovers against the NCAA Division II Lady Miners. Sophomore Rachel Backes scored a game-high 15 points and grabbed five rebounds to pace Westminster. Blue Jay senior Markie England added 12 points, and freshman Kenna Cornelson scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds off the Westminster bench. Katelyn Heil finished with 13 points for Missouri S&T (4-3), which now leads the all-time series 2-0.

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Blue Jays Improve To 3-4 With Non-Conference Road Win

Four players scored in double figures as the Westminster College women improved to 3-4 with a 79-70 non-conference win over Ozark Christian College (4-4) Thursday in Joplin, Missouri.

Freshman Mary Barber scored 15 points to lead the Blue Jays, while sophomore Heather Letourneau and senior Whitney Meurer each finished with 13 points. Freshman Kirsten Carney added 10 points and sophomore Liz Klaffenbach finished with six rebounds in Westminster's second win over Ozark Christian this season.

Three Players Named Captain For The 2009-10 Season

Sophomore Rachel Backes, and seniors Markie England and Whitney Meurer, have been named captains of the 2009-10 Westminster College women's basketball squad.

2009-10 Women's Basketball Captains
 5-Rachel Backes, G, 5-6, So., Tipton, Mo./Tipton
32-Whitney Meurer, G, 5-8, Sr., St. James, Mo./St. James
34-Markie England, F, 6-0, Sr., Centralia, Mo./Centralia

Backes Keys Second Half Rally In 66-59 SLIAC Win

Sophomore Rachel Backes scored 18 points as the Westminster College women rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to top Blackburn College 66-59 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday in Carlinville, Illinois.

The Blue Jays (2-4, 1-0 SLIAC), who snapped a four-game losing streak with the win, trailed 34-28 at halftime and 44-33 midway through the second half before rallying. Backes led the way, scoring 14 of her game-high 18 points in the second half, while sophomore Heather Letourneau, junior Sarah Kirchoff and senior Whitney Meurer each finished with nine points. Shana Shepard scored 16 points to lead Blackburn (1-6, 0-2 SLIAC).

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Westminster SLIAC Basketball Openers On The Web

Both the Westminster College men and women will have their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball openers broadcast on the World Wide Web this Saturday from Carlinville, Illinois. The broadcasts are a part of a package with the Prepcasts Broadcasting Network.

To access the broadcast site:
Go to www.prepcasts.com
Click This Week on Prepcasts
Click on the game of choice

Westminster Women Drop 72-59 Decision Across Town

Westminster College dropped a 72-59 non-conference decision at William Woods University Wednesday evening in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (1-4), who have lost four in a row since winning their season opener, were outrebounded 46-38 and made just 13-of-22 free throws, while William Woods (8-0) made 25-of-36 free throws. Freshman Alex Kennedy came off the bench to lead Westminster with 13 points and senior Whitney Meurer finished with nine points. Jestine Gerber led William Woods with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Early Lead Slips Away For Westminster College Women

The Westminster College women let a 29-22 halftime lead slip away and dropped a 72-53 decision to Stephens College Tuesday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (1-3) shot just 38 percent from the field and were outrebounded 34-23. Freshman Kenna Cornelson was the lone Westminster player to reach double figures, finishing with 12 points. Seniors Whitney Meurer and Markie England each finished with eight points for the Blue Jays, who have lost three games in a row. Tia LaFavor scored a game-high 21 points and Cara Leis tallied 16 points for Stephens (5-3), which shot 50 percent from the floor.

Westminster Blue Jay Women Come Up Short In Memphis

The Westminster College women were outscored 16-12 over the final seven minutes of play and dropped a 76-72 decision to host Rhodes College on the second day of the Rhodes Tip-Off Classic Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Blue Jays (1-2) and Rhodes were tied 60-60 with seven minutes to go, but Westminster fell behind and could only come within two points down the stretch. Sophomore Rachel Backes paced Westminster with 11 points, and senior Markie England finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

The loss was the second in two days for Westminster. Senior Whitney Meurer, who was named to the all-tournament team, scored 13 points and freshman Kenna Cornelson added 12 points and seven rebounds in Friday’s 71-63 loss to Hendrix College.

Women's Weekend Schedule/Results:

Fri.-Sat., Nov. 20-21, at Rhodes Tip-Off Classic
 Nov. 20, vs. Hendrix, Memphis, Tenn., L 71-63 (1-1)
 Nov. 21, at Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn., L 76-72 (1-2)

Westminster Women Open Season With 93-40 Victory

Six players scored in double figures as the Westminster College women opened the 2009-10 basketball season with a 93-40 victory over Ozark Christian College in the first-ever meeting of the two teams Tuesday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (1-0) jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back in winning their season opener for the first time in four seasons. Sophomore Rachel Backes led the Westminster attack with 15 points. Sophomore Heather Letourneau, junior Sarah Kirchoff, senior Whitney Meurer and freshman Kenna Cornelson finished with 11 points each, and freshman Alex Kennedy added 10 points.

Blue Jay Basketball Seasons Around The Corner

The Westminster College men and women open their 2009-10 basketball seasons in the next week.

The Blue Jay men open their season at Illinois College Sunday, and the women host Ozark Christian College Tuesday. Both Westminster varsity teams are picked first in their respective St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pre-season polls.

Upcoming Events:

Men's Basketball:
Sun., Nov. 15, at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Ill., 3:00
Tues., Nov. 17, at Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Mo., 7:00

Men's JV Basketball:
Sun., Nov. 15, at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Ill., 1:00
Wed., Nov. 18, at Fontbonne, St. Louis, Mo., TBA

Women's Basketball:
Tues., Nov. 17, Ozark Christian, Home, 5:00

Westminster Blue Jay Basketball Squads Picked #1

Both the Westminster College men and women are picked first in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Men's & Women's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches' Polls.

Click here for more information

2009-10 Blue Jay Women's Basketball Bits:

* Tracey Braden is entering her third season as Westminster head coach. Braden guided the Blue Jays to a second-place finish in last year's conference standings.

* Preseason practice is underway for the Westminster Blue Jay women's basketball squad.

Youth Basketball Camp To Be Held At Westminster College

The Historic Gymnasium on the campus of Westminster College will be the site of the 2009 Westminster College Basketball Camp from Monday, June 1, through Friday, June 5. The camp runs each day from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and provides individual instruction, station work and competitive games for boys and girls in the third grade through incoming freshman.

For additional information contact: Tracey Braden, Westminster College Women’s Basketball Coach, at 573-592-5345, or access an entry form on the Westminster web site (click for form).