Hey BW family! My names is Megan McKean and I'm an incoming freshmen this fall, and in all honesty I have never been more excited for a school year to start! I've been to both open gyms so far & have worked a few camps, so I have gotten to meet most of the team. They are all so welcoming and great athletes that they will help make my transition easy!

Now, a little bit about myself. I am from a small country school called Northwestern between the cities of Wooster and Ashland. I am apart of a family of 5, with two older brothers. My oldest brother Lucas just graduated from Wittenberg University last spring, and Brennan will be a junior basketball player for Marietta. I spend most of my time working out or giving kids basketball lessons at my house which is fortunately my job. But, I also love to hang out with friends, go swimming, and going to places like cedar point, concerts, and movies. So all of that is basically what my summer has consisted of! Growing up with two older brothers who loved basketball as well has taught me to be very competitive so I cannot wait to for season to start & to make some new experiences! I'm very happy I made the decision to be a yellow jacket :)

--Megan

ONE MORE MONTH

Hola mis amigos! Me llamo Alissa. …..the team calls me Mex, as in Mexican, thanks to Janaya and She’kiera so I’ve decided to own it.

Anyways..I will be a sophomore this year and I am very much looking forward to moving back in. Living at home is so boring now and I miss the team so much. I am undecided on my major, but as of today I am leaning towards Exercise Science. It changes about every other week. My summer has been pretty normal…working and working out and such. I’m a lifeguard at two pools and I host at a Mexican restaurant (another reason they call me Mex). I’ve pretty much worked every day, except when we had 40 days and 40 nights of rain – makes it a little hard to work at a pool. I have to admit that working in the sun all time has left me with a pretty awesome tan, making me look even more Mexican.

I am definitely looking forward to this season and getting to know the freshmen. They seem like a great group of girls. They have a lot to live up to after last year’s freshmen class though – we were kind of awesome. I know everyone has been working hard this summer so you’ll be able to find us at the top of the conference.

Until next time my friends,

Alissa Munro #13

     Hi my name is Mackenzie Colombo and I will be an upcoming freshman this year.  I missed my week for the blog because I was on vacation and thought mine was this week so its a little late!  I am very excited to become a yellow jacket and play college basketball.  I went to Strasburg High School which is about an hour and a half away.  I also cheered for the football team but basketball has always been my passion.  I have a younger brother who just turned 16 and he and I have played in the driveway ever since I can remember.  My whole family is really big basketball fans.  My dad coached my brother and I when we were younger.  In high school my team played Berlin Hiland at home and my junior year we beat them to win the IVC, which is our conference.  That was probably my favorite high school memory in basketball.  This summer I have been very busy.  I went on a senior trip with my friends and then the week after I was with my family so unfortunately I missed the first open gym but I am looking forward to meeting all of you!  I have met a few of you on my overnight visit with Megan McKean who is also an upcoming freshman.  You

SENIOR RAH!!

My name is Jessica Lairson. I'm a senior. I can't believe I'm writing my last pre-season blog ever!.  You'll be a senior before you know it kiddies! I really am not a fan of writing full sentences, so here is a bullet list of everything you need to know! These are the MOST CRUCIAL pieces of information. Highly classifieds, if you will:

• I will be 22 in August, and that feels old as shit. (Sorry Coach)
• You may call me Larry, Jess, Jessica, or Lairson, or anything else you like.
• I like candy
• I was a spelling champion in middle school
• I'm a chemistry major, but don't ask me any math questions or we can't be friends.
• I have 1 sister, 3 brothers, a half brother, and a step-brother
• I went to Louisville High School. It's in Ohio, contrary to popular belief.
• I'm obsessed with cats. Like, literally obsessed. They just have the cutest little faces and little personalities. I love them.
• When I'm really tired, I don't speak very much English. Just noises that sound like words, but really aren't.
• I make really stupid faces in pictures. Sometimes they scare people.
• I've lived with Melissa Hoffbauer for what will be 3 years now, so if you see a really tan and jacked girl, that's her and you should say hi because she is awesome!

So yeah, there's no real paragraph that would really fit all that vital information in it.  But this summer I've just been lifting, shooting, playing calculus 2, and hanging out with my 4-year-old son Trevor! He is an awesome little dude and he loves that ninja turtles, which in case you've never seen them, they talk like surfers, so he talks like a little surfer dude. I'm sure you will see lots of him this year! He loves coming to practice and playing with all the girls. I'm really excited to meet all the new people this year! I am also so proud of seeing everyone do work this summer! I feel like I have seen and heard about more effort in the gym than any other summer that I have been here! That's what we have to do to win big this year- constantly get better!  You'll find out pretty quickly that I hate to lose. I hate to lose more than I even enjoy winning. Keep up the good work!! 5 weeks until we go back to school, make the most of it!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Loves Yous Alls!

@Jlair3

Hi everyone,

My name is Sydney Clark and I'm an incoming freshman. I can't believe my high school career is over already. It went by so fast, but I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life. I can't wait for basketball season to start and to experience the college life.

Here's just a little bit about me. I live in Parma, OH. It's about 10-15 minutes from BW. I went to Regina High School my freshman year, but unfortunately our school closed. After Regina closed, I went to Lake Ridge Academy for my next three years. I played softball and soccer at Lake Ridge also just to keep in shape for basketball. My dad was the boys varsity coach at Lake Ridge as well. My sister graduated from Ohio University a year ago, but while she was there, she was the girls basketball team manager. So basketball is popular in my family.

So far this summer, I have gone to graduation parties, worked out for basketball, and swam. I have orientation coming up and I'm so excited to meet all the new people. We have had an open gym already and everyone seems so nice and fun and I can't wait to meet everyone on the team.

I hope everyone has a good summer and can't wait for this season!

-Sydney

Sweet Summer Time

Hello everyone!


My name is Allyson Helleis and I'm going to be a sophomore next year which is so crazy to think about. I am double majoring in Pre-Physical Therapy and Exercise Science and I'm also taking summer classes which is never fun, but essential for me to graduate on time. :((So far my summer has consisted of work with Shari and Sam everyday, then working out with them, then playing basketball with them, so you could say the three of us have become extremely close this summer! It is so awesome to see how dedicated the team is this summer, and we are definitely going to be competitors this year in the OAC so watch out everyone!

Other than working out and working I got to go on a little vaca with some of my friends from home since I am so busy all the time. We went to Put-In-Bay for four days and stayed in my friends beach house which was like paradise. No 6:30 am alarms and being able to sleep in was absolutely amazing. Its the little things like that sometimes, especially after working 8-3:30 everyday, I have a new appreciation for sleep!

Although staying at home for the summer is nice so I get to see my family and friends, I am ready for the school year to start. That means we are that much closer to the season! I am ecstatic to get to play with the incoming freshmen and the rest of the team! Go Yellow Jackets!


#YJ4L

Allyson Helleis #5

Hi Everybody!


So for anyone I didn't meet at open gym my name is Jessa and I'm going to be an incoming freshman this year! It's crazy to think my high school life is over, but I'm so excited for my first year at BW and of course for the basketball season to start! It'll definitely be weird to go from a senior all the way back to a baby freshman again. :)

To tell you a little bit about myself, I am from the city of Aurora, OH which is about 45 min away from BW (not too far of a drive at all). Although I live in Aurora I went to Walsh Jesuit High School which is catholic school about a half hour away from my city. Besides the school stuff, I have one older brother that just graduated from Ohio University. Yesterday was pretty hectic because we had a combined party for our graduations! Other than that, I have been enjoying the summer with my friends and family before I say goodbye for college. I'm definitely ready to get out and start a new chapter of my life.  I also can't wait to get down to school to hang out and get to know all of you better!

- Jessa Gilberto:)

Summer!!!

Hey everyone!

I am a little late on posting because my family has been in town all last week for my sister's graduation party! So it's been slightly hectic just ask Pup (Ally Dehart), she came up for the party and got to meet everyone!

Well my name is Erin Allen.  I am going to be a sophomore this year, which feels extremely weird. I am from the small town of Girard in Pennsylvania.  I have spent most of my summer working at the lovely fruit farm and working out preparing for this upcoming season.  I am so excited to head back to school and start playing with the entire team!  This year is about to be the best yet.

We just had our first open gym with the whole team this past Sunday and it was a lot of fun seeing everyone and meeting the new freshman.  I am excited to get to know them and hang out with the rest of the team again.  Playing with everyone again reminds me how great this year is about to be, the OAC better watch out!

Well I hope everyone's having a great summer! Love ya!  Erin Allen #14

                                                Freshman (now Sophomore) Squad <3 nbsp="" p="">

They call me Mari Shangas

Howdy y'all!

I apologize for the delay between posts, I just got back from a nice little vacation to paradise (Wrightsville Beach) in North Carolina. I must say, the beach life is just a tad bit better than the Berea life. Sunny and 90+ degrees everyday and none of the 85 degrees one day and 40 the next weather that Ohio is infamous for. I went down with a group of my friends and we stayed on a resort that was right on the beach and right down the road was Michel Jordon's mom's house; it was Pink. It actually wasn't really a house, instead it was a small castle.

Anyways, the name is actually Shari Mangas and not Mari. It all started with Coach Campbell switching the first letters of my first and last name around Shari=Mari and Mangas=Shangas. It started as a joke but as the season progressed, it actually started to stick. Another team favorite was Sam.. she turned into Hammy. Some people it didn't really work out for; like Rachel. She stayed Rachel. Boring life, I know :) I will be a Junior this year and can officially say that I am an upperclassman and feel old as dirt already. I am a Sport Management and Business major. I'm from the littlest town in NW Ohio called Leipsic and it's about a 3 three drive from BW. Though, I am staying up here this summer with Tali (Natalia #15) and two other of our friends. It feels good to be living on my own but paying bills is something that I will NEVER like or get used to. I "work" at the school doing stadium crew/maintenance odds and ends. Basically, Al (Allyson Helleis), Sam (Sam Hamar aka Hammy) and I mow lawns, listen to music and get our farmers tans on and get paid for it.

Summer has consisted of work, working out and playing/beating up on random teams. Every Thursday a group of us go to Brunswick's rec league and play. There are a few Mount players that go as well so we take it more seriously than we probably should but it is always nice beating Mount players 77-37 (true score). We also have gone to NDC and Walsh and played pretty well even missing half the team. Needless to say, we are about to run it next year and I know I can't wait for all of the new Freshman to come in and help us do just that!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and working on those skills so we can go get those rings this year!! After all, championships can't be won in the offseason but they can definitely be lost. Be safe, have fun and stay classy my friends!

Shari Mangas #20

happy summer!! :)

Hey everyone!

Hope everybody is having a great start to their summer! Such a bummer that the weather is has been so yucky :( Well enough small talk, my name is Natalia Simovic and this year I will be a senior :((((( so hard to believe. I am a  double major in Psychology and Business Administration so I have my hands full my last semester trying to finish up all my classes. Like last summer, I am again taking summer classes online :( and working full time at a business/marketing internship for a law firm downtown. My summer so far has consisted of working, eating, classes, working out, eating, sleeping, eating, and repeat! I look forward to meeting our freshmen class and getting this season going! To the freshmen: enjoy your selves this summer, and during the school year, time really does fly and before you know it you're a grandma/senior like me :(

Have a great June everybody!!!
:)
Natalia #15

Hey Hey Hey it's summer time!!!

Let me just start off with, freshman- don't blink, I cannot believe how fast my first year went!! seems like just the other day I was stressing about what I was going to write in my first summer blog...now it is literally a year later. Wow. anyway I am Steph! I will be a sophomore and I am from Jupiter, FL. I am newly a public relations major and I absolutely loved my first year at BW. My summer has been great so far. I have just been hanging out with my friends and family, I dreaded my hair, I am a nanny for a one month old, and I have been watching the Heat dominate (which is always a blast!!). But my summer is about to change! I have an internship in Romania, putting on summer camps for special needs and abused orphans. So I leave sunday to got to Dallas for a few days of training and then strait to Romania.  I will be there for two months, needless to say, sadly I wont be at any of the open gyms this summer. But I will miss you all so very much! I actually have a blog I will be updating about my trip all summer and I would love it if you guys would follow along (but no pressure).You can find it at: His-children-Romania2013.blogspot.com 

I am so excited to see what God has in store for us next season!! It is about to be insane!! I hope you all are having an amazing summer!! I can not wait to meet all the new freshman and see all of the rest of you again! Be safe and keep working hard! 

Steph #12

So the first picture is of me and my amazing parents (Jay and Tammy) and the second one is me hanging out with some kids in a Romanian Gypsy village last year :) 

The Final Countdown

Well everybody, it's here....our last and final week of the 2012-13 season. I think I am finally starting to realize that it is almost over, BUT looking on the bright side, we have 7 more days to make some awesome memories. That starts with gettting a good win against The Berg on Wednesday and following that winning on senior night against Musky on Saturday. I am honestly so lucky to have met such great teammates and not just that, friends. I have had some of the best times here and I know I have made relationships that will last forever. Even though we don't get to have a post-season like we are used to, there are still many other things we have to look back on after finishing our basketball career here at BWU. One last mushy comment; I just want to say thank you to all of my teammates, coaches, friends, family and teammates' family for all their support and kind words thoroughout my 4 years here. It is greatly appreciated and has got me where I am today. Ok, enough of that. We can save the tears for senior night. Anyways, I have to go to class....team games. Yes, my schedule is very tough, lifetime leisure activities, volleyball and team games. Perks of being a senior I suppose! Can't wait to finish this season right with two great wins and even better memories than I have made already! YJ4L.

Jess Carpenter