Somehow we are just days away from the DMACC women’s basketball team participating in their first scrimmage of the season.
Steve Krafcisin is entering his 17th year coaching women’s basketball at DMACC. Steve has had many assistants over the years but the former player and DMACC All-American Jocelyn Kovarik has assisted him going on her 10th year of coaching the DMACC women’s basketball team. Jocelyn’s duties include recruiting, scouting, on-court coaching, and is also an academic advisor here on campus. Jackson Miller, a graduate student at ISU, joins the team as their weight room coach and hopes to improve them for the court.
With five returning sophomores or Covid-freshman as some might say, the women’s basketball team is bound for success this upcoming season.
Magan Christopherson returns as a former second-team All-Region participant and Emily Caspers was also named the third team All-Region as well. All-Region participants are players from the same conference who show outstanding attributes and then get chosen by a panel to represent your school. Christopherson was huge for the DMACC women’s basketball team as a threat on the three-point line as well as a key basket driver. Caspers ended the 2020-2021 season with over 150 rebounds and was 53% from the field. Caspers will be a great asset on the boards this upcoming season. The Bears also welcome back Lexi Branning, Camry Jones (yes, that’s me), Payton Tahahwah, and transfer player from Marshalltown Community College, Karisma Wright.
With many Covid-freshman returning this year, there are several incoming freshmen that coach Steve Krafcisin has added to the roster.
The Bears welcome five true freshmen on the team this year to complete the roster. Jadeyn Smith of Arcadia graduated from Ar-We-Va Highschool with many basketball honors and quite an academic record as well. Smith was the valedictorian of her class and went on to be a part of the honors program at DMACC. Reagan Franzen of Polk City graduated from Collins-Maxwell High School holding the record for career assists and scored over 1,000 points during her career. Franzen will be a great small-forward asset to the Bears. Shakara Robertson of Cocoa, Florida, graduated from Cocoa High School. Robertson graduated as an honors student and was also a part of the honors society. Being able to drive the ball and also shoot outside the three, she will be a great asset to the roster. Adding onto the freshman class is Lilly Lyons of Boone. Lily graduated from Boone High school as a tall player in the Center position. Lyons will bring great length to the team and foresee her dominance on the boards. Completing the freshman class is Ashanti Lee from Houston, Texas. Lee is a dominant ball-handler and has quick feet on the floor.
“One of my favorite things is to be a part of my players’ lives,” said Coach Krafcisin. He is prepared to have a competitive season and is very optimistic for the upcoming season. The DMACC women’s basketball team’s main goal this season is to challenge the next team on the schedule. This means that they don’t want to have to worry about who they are challenging next week, but taking care of the game at hand.
Last season the DMACC squad went 15-7 overall before a tragic loss to Iowa Central for a chance to participate in the national tournament. DMACC will play this coming Sunday in Ames in their first Jamboree of the year, game times are still to be determined.