Knox in the News

For five straight seasons, the Knox College women’s basketball team has increased its win total, finishing 2009-2010 at 10-13.How confident are the Prairie Fire of continuing that trend?“What we’ve accomplished is good,” said third-year coach Emily Cline. “I’m proud of it.“But to get better will take even more work. Getting to the next level — above .500 — will take a lot.”

Knox has a solid core of players to take on that task. Junior Krystyna Williams (9.3 points per game), senior Jenny Haskell (9.0), junior Kelly Ricketts (8.4, 5.2 rebounds and junior Lynn Mueller (7.7 points) were the team’s top scorers a year ago.

Cline expects first-year players Grace Theisen (Minneapolis) and Chantal, Heckman (Chicago) to make instant contributions.

Other Prairie Fire players are sophomore Kristin McDonald (Chicago), ju;nior Abby Owens (Grinnell, Iowa), sophomore Sara Johnson (Grinnell, Iowa), freshman Nina mack (Algonquin), freshman Amber Eisha (South Wilmington), ju;nior Steph Nunez (Mokena) and freshman Nellie Erickson (Mokena.

St. Norbert — 23-4 a year ago — was picked as the Midwest Conference favorite in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches ahead of St. Norbert and Ripon. Knox was picked ninth in the 10-team conference.