The Falcons Women’s Basketball Team is entering into a new season with two scenarios to keep in mind.
Firstly, Caterion Thompson, one of the leaders of this team over the past few seasons is leaving the team as a graduate transfer to Mississippi State, and secondly, this is not all that experienced of a team when it comes to playing NCAA basketball. Six freshmen headline this team, seven if you count redshirt freshman Macy Spielman, and many players on this squad this year haven’t been given a ton of playing time, so this squad is going to be in a position to find out what it’s identity is under head coach Robin Fralick.
However, the Falcons retain some veteran players who can still play well and provide some victories over this upcoming season. Here are three players who I think will be key for the success of the Falcons this year, while also helping establish the culture of that locker for years to come.
Angela Perry
We’ll start with Angela Perry, the leading scorer from last season who will no doubt be headlining the Falcons this year. Perry, named one of the captains this year, is one of four seniors playing, and last season was an honorable mention to the All-MAC Team. The culture is going to start and end with her in this locker room, and she is the perfect candidate to do so.
She is someone who has been on the court to make her name known where she is tied for No. 45 all-time in BGSU Women’s Basketball history for scoring with 741 points, but someone who off the court has made a name for herself as well having been named to the Academic All-MAC Team for the second-straight season.
When it comes to rebuilding a team regardless of the sport, it’s important to have the right people in the building to not only instill the right way to compete and prepare, but to also set an example in how to act. Perry is the perfect person for this job with her great attitude, and performance on the court.
Madisen Parker
Madisen Parker shares a lot of the same characteristics Perry does. Last season, Parker was not only the third-leading scorer on this Falcons squad, but at the same time was one of two Falcons to start in all 31 of the games she played in. She was also the only Falcon to record over 1,000 minutes played last season. Justin Turner may be the number one player on the men’s squad, but Madisen Parker will clearly make the case for number one on her own squad.
The 5-foot-9 senior led the nation in three point percentage and set a school record for three-pointers made at 98 last season. Parker also had a career high game in scoring 28 against Valparaiso, the very team the Falcons start their season against later today.
She is exactly the type of player who will have opposing coaches up at night trying to find ways to stop her.
Kadie Hempfling
Now this player was actually difficult as I was split between a few of the veteran players to place here such as Mari Hill or Clare Glowniak. But the team recently announced Hempfling as one of the captains for the squad this year so I decided to look in that direction, and it comes at no surprise why Coach Fralik and her staff have so much confidence in the junior from Ottawa Ohio.
At the beginning of the 2020-21 season she ranks No. 75 in BGSU history for scoring at 460 points. And just after two years with the Falcons she was No. 13 in career assists at 274. Hempfling seems to have found her niche in Fralik’s system having been one of two players to start all 31 games.
That’s a mark of stability and resiliency that regardless of what’s going on is that Hempfling will be on that floor. As the only junior, the team knows they have a great player to build around and help the seniors to establish the tone before the end of the season.
