Gorlok Winter Sports Preseason Roundup

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Men’s Basketball

Senior Jason Coleman running down the court. Contributed photo from Webster Athletics

The Gorloks are looking to come back stronger following a SLIAC tournament finals defeat at the hands of Fontbonne University. While the team has lost seniors Javane Nugent, Wynne Brown Jr., Stephen Hawkins and Zion Henderson, the Gorloks still have a star-studded cast heading into the 2023-24 season.

Jason Coleman, Karl Moore Jr. and Jemard Sykes II — A senior, junior and sophomore, respectively — will lead the charge offensively this year. The trio will look to exact their revenge and win the SLIAC Tournament for the first time since 2020. Along with Brown Jr., they were the only players in the 200-point club last season. 

Their first home match of the season is Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. against Willamette University in the Webster Classic.

Women’s Basketball

The team returns for round two with five of its top minutes-played leaders still in the lineup, looking to clinch their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Four players scored 300 points last season, including seniors Bethany Lancaster and Kate Rolfes, graduate student Julie Baudendistel and junior Emily Wilson. 

Graduate student Julie Baudendistel in a game at Grant Gymnasium. Contributed photo from Webster Athletics

Baudendistel will likely be the difference-maker for the Gorloks. In the 2022-23 season, she led the team in minutes played, points, steals, field goals made and she finished second to senior forward Lancaster in total rebounds. 

Webster will also be looking for a big year from Rolfes, who led the team in three-pointers last year with 45 made in 150 attempts. 

The Webster Tip-Off Classic will take place in Grant Gymnasium Nov. 10-11, as the Gorloks face off against Belhaven University and another team yet to be determined.

Indoor Track and Field

The Gorloks have a lot to prove this year as both the men’s and women’s teams placed second in the SLIAC Championships last season. They lost key athletes in the offseason, such as Elijah Perez, SLIAC’s Track Athlete of the Year award winner, and record-holder Vanessa Jones. Fortunately for the Gorloks, Perez and Jones will return as assistant coaches.

Kaelin Triggs running the 800m at Illinois College. Photo by Vanessa Jones

Kaelin Triggs and Armond Williams, who helped lead the Gorloks to their runner-up placement in last season’s SLIAC Championships, will return for the 2023-24 season. 

Watch out for freshman Ethan Nieroda, as he was the top competitor for Webster in the Gorlok-Griffin Invitational, helping the Gorloks win the inaugural cross-country event.

Isabelle Llewellyn, who finished in the top six multiple times in previous SLIAC Championships, will also return for the 2023-24 indoor track and field season. 

The Gorloks will kick off their season Dec. 9 in Bloomington, Illinois at the Titan First Chance meet. 

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