CEDARVILLE, Ohio - Lady Jacket head basketball coach Kirk Martin has released a 2009-10 schedule that includes 14 home games, 14 road contests and two games played on a neutral court. The docket also shows 11 games with opponents who finished the 2008-09 campaign ranked in the NAIA Top 25 or in the "receiving votes" category.
2009-10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Martin, who is entering his ninth season with the program, led the team to a 21-9 record last winter and a second-place spot in the American Mideast Conference with a 12-3 mark. The Lady Jackets advanced to the NAIA Division II national tournament for the sixth time in the last seven years.
The 2009-10 schedule begins in the Callan Athletic Center with the annual Cedarville Classic on Nov. 13-14. The Lady Jackets have recorded 249 wins in the building including an impressive 83-12 mark during the last seven seasons. AMC members Malone and perennial NAIA power Indiana Wesleyan provide the opposition for Cedarville. AMC neighbor Wilberforce will also participate in the event.
CU plays in the Grace Classic in Winona Lake, Ind. the second weekend of the season. The squad faces Mid-Central College Conference members Taylor and the host Lancers.
Cedarville stays on the road for two consecutive non-league road contests. The Lady Jackets tangle with Urbana on Nov. 24 and then make the short trip to Springfield for a match-up with NCAA Division III Wittenberg on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The Lady Jackets jump right into AMC action with three games - including two trips to Canton, Ohio - during the first week of December. CU faces Walsh on Dec. 1, hosts Wilberforce on Dec. 3 and closes out the week at Malone on Dec. 5.
CU has an eight-day break during finals week before making a trip to Ft. Wayne, Ind. on Mon., Dec. 14 in a battle with Saint Francis.
Two home contests are scheduled before the start of the Christmas break. CU hosts Urbana on Dec. 17 and Madonna two days later.
The 2009 portion of the schedule finishes with the Lady Jackets, as well as the Yellow Jacket men's team, participating in the four-team Northwood Invitational in West Palm Beach, Fla. Opponents for the women are the host Seahawks on Dec. 29 and a rematch with Indiana Wesleyan on Dec. 30.
Cedarville returns to action in 2010 with 16 consecutive AMC games awaiting the team. The month of January starts out with four straight contests in the Callan Athletic Center. Home dates versus Ursuline (Jan. 8), Carlow (Jan. 9), Daemen (Jan. 15) and Houghton (Jan. 16) will get the squad rolling through the rigors of the league schedule.
A challenging portion of the calendar produces five of six contests away from home. The Lady Jackets face rival Mount Vernon Nazarene, who are the defending NCCAA national champions, on the road on Jan. 19 followed by a long trip to Rochester, N.Y. for a game with Roberts Wesleyan.
CU is home on Jan. 26 for a meeting with Walsh and then three road trips come along - at Northwestern Ohio on Jan. 28, at Point Park on Jan. 30 and at Wilberforce on Feb. 2.
Four of the last six games to close out the 2009-10 campaign will be at home for Cedarville.
Notre Dame (Ohio) is the opponent for Alumni Weekend on Feb. 6. The Lady Jackets then travel to Ursuline in Pepper Pike, Ohio on Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Three consecutive AMC home games against formidable opponents find CU hosting Shawnee State on Feb. 11, Mount Vernon Nazarene for Li'l Sibs Weekend on Feb. 13 and Northwestern Ohio on Feb. 16.
A trip to Portsmouth, OH on Feb. 20 provides another contest with Shawnee State to complete the regular season.
The 2009-10 AMC schedule produces 19 games for CU with at least one match-up against every league team. Home and away series are also slated with Mount Vernon Nazarene, Shawnee State, Walsh and Wilberforce.
The NAIA Division II National Tournament will be in Sioux City, Iowa for the 13th consecutive year. The AMC regular season champion and the AMC tournament champion receive the league's two automatic berths to the 32-team event.
