Game Preview: Golden Eagles Hit the Road to Begin N4C Play
Joliet, IL - N4C play kicks off tonight for the Golden Eagles. RVC will travel to Joliet Junior College for a 5 PM tip.
Probable Starters
#2 NJCAA DIII Rock Valley College (11-3)Â
PG-Â
Chrisseesha Clark, 5'5, So., Rockford, IL; 8.2 ppg, 3.9 apg
SG-Â
Jaycee Cleaver, 5'8, So., Davis, IL; 14.9 ppg, 3.9 apg
G-Â
Emily Cox, 5'9, Fr., Erie, IL; 7.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg
PF-Â Madision Vencincio, 6'0, Fr., Loves Park, IL; 1.4 ppg, 3.4 Â rpg
C-Â
Tierra McGowan, 6'4, So., Chicago, IL; 18.4 ppg, 13.1 rpg
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Joliet Junior College (10-5)
G- Kianna Campell, 5'6, Fr., Lockport, IL; 12.5 ppg, 3.1 apg
G- Destiny Villalejo, 5'7, Fr., Chicago, IL; 7.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg
F-Â Â Deesha Brefford, 5'9, Fr., New Manchester, Ga; 19.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg
F- Treanna Perry, 5'6., So, Joliet, IL; 4.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg
F- Nia Harris, 6'2, Fr., Romeoville, IL; 2.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg
Game Notes
Rock Valley is an NJCAA Division III member of the North Central Community College Conference (N4C)… In the most recent NJCAA DIII Poll released on December 21st, the Golden Eagles checked in at #2 nationally, moving up one spot from the week before… The Golden Eagles are 11-3 to begin 2017... The last RVC victory was Saturday, December 31st, 2016 against NJCAA DIII Elgin Community College, 63-37... The Golden Eagles were led
Tierra McGowan who contributed yet another double-double, scoring 20 points and ripping down 14 rebounds.
Joliet Junior College Notes
Joliet Junior College is coming into the game 10-5... The Wolves are led by Shaun Sanderson who is in his ninth season... Last year, he led Joliet to an overall record of 16-13 and a 6-6 N4C conference record... Sanderson has helped a number of young ladies extend their playing career at four year institutions... He has coached eight all-tournament players, thirteen all-conference players, eight all-region players, two All-Americans and three academic All-Americans... Sanderson was voted N4C Conference Coach of the Year twice, while also being named NJCAA Region IV and District B Coach of the Year.
Misty Opat is in her 8th year as the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Rock Valley College. Opat has established her program as one of the best in the history of the NJCAA. Her program has won three NJCAA DIII National Championships (2012, 2013, 2015) in the past four seasons and finished in National Runner-Up in 2014. Entering this season, Opat has compiled an overall record of 185-57 (.763). She was named Spalding NJCAA DIII National Coach of the Year in 2015, has been named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year four times, the Region IV Coach of the Year four times, the District 2 Coach of the Year four times, and the Coach of the NJCAA DIII National Tournament three times. Prior to RVC, Opat accumulated seven years of NCAA Division I coaching experience. From 1999-2002 she served as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she also served as the Recruiting Coordinator. In 2000 her UIC recruiting class was ranked 19th in the country for NCAA Division I. Opat also held assistant coaching positions at Fresno State University (1998-99) and the University of Kansas (1995-1998) where in both cases she was also heavily involved in recruiting and scouting. Opat earned an Associate of Science degree from Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, where she was a two-year team captain in basketball and was named to the all-conference and all-region teams in both seasons. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, where she earned NAIA All-American honors as a player. Opat then went on to obtain a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.
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