Xavier women’s basketball key players to watch

By: Danny O’Malley

Ashley Wanniger – The 5’10” senior guard from Cincinnati, is going to be a catalyst for the Musketeers this season.

Each season she has improved her statistics, going from averaging 1.2 points per game her freshman year to averaging 9.3 points last year.

The Colerain High School product has already earned herself the Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention award in her senior season. Wanniger was ranked sixth in the Atlantic 10 in three-point percentage with a .349 from behind the arch.

Shatyra Hawkes – Hawkes, a senior guard from Baltimore, Md. has been a booming force for the team throughout her years of playing at Xavier.

She has already been named to the College Sports Madness Preseason Big East All-Conference fourth team in her senior season. Last season she averaged 27.1 minutes, 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

She also finished the year ranked sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio in the A-10 with a positive 1.3.

Jenna Crittendon – The sophomore guard from Union, Ky. made her first appearance in college basketball last year and definitely made a statement. She managed to average 24.3 minutes, 6.4 points and 5.4 rebounds and tallied a rebound in 26 contests.

Crittendon recorded five or more rebounds in four games and finished with 140 rebounds, the third-highest on the team.

These statistics should only improve this year as Crittendon will have more opportunities to make plays. The experience she gained from last season will also assist her in improving her play on the court.

Aliyah Zantt and Briana Glover – The sophomore guard Zantt and the sophomore forward Glover both have very similar statistics.

Zantt averaged 5.5 points per game and two rebounds per game while Glover averaged five points per game and two rebounds per game, each bringing in a total of 59 rebounds over the course of last season.

Zantt averaged 22 minutes a game while Glover averaged 19. The one standout statistic comes from Zantt, who was able to create 33 assists and grab 28 steals last season. Both of these players should make a big impact in