Friday, November 9, 2018 // TIP OFF 2018 7B Roster Breakdown: ‘M’ replacing Flaherty with strong recruiting class and experienced forwards After advancing to the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament last year, the Michigan women’s basketball team returns a seasoned and experienced bunch. Of course, the Wolverines will be without Katelynn Flaherty for the upcoming campaign. Flaherty scored 2,776 points in her career, the most ever in school history — including the men’s program — and 27th all- time in NCAA history. She was also one of just two women in NCAA history to hit over 400 3-pointers in her career (410) and she led the team in scoring last season with 22.9 points per game on 42.3-percent shooting from beyond the arc. Simply put, Michigan has a lot of production to make up. However, coach Kim Barnes Arico recruited the 12th-best class in the nation (the highest- ranked class in program history), infusing exciting young players into a lineup that also features experienced veterans. While last year was the Katelynn Flaherty show, this team has more of a feel of an ensemble. So, you may ask, who are the women that make up this year’s squad? The Daily breaks down Michigan’s roster for the upcoming season: Guards: Looking to replace Flaherty’s presence, 5-star freshman Amy Dilk appears to be more than up to the task. Out of Carmel, Ind., Dilk has shown tremendous poise on the defensive side of the ball and possesses fantastic vision and a deadly stroke from deep. In high school, Dilk averaged 17.8 points and 6.7 assists per game and was named Indiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year and Miss Basketball. Joining Dilk in the backcourt is sophomore shooting guard Deja Church, who has returned to her natural position after spending time as Michigan’s backup point guard last season. Church does a great job at getting to the basket and seems like a surefire bet to improve on a freshman campaign that saw her average 7.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Fellow sophomore Priscilla Smeenge should also be in line to see extended minutes, and she should continue to make an impact with her 3-point stroke after knocking down 40 percent of her attempts last season in limited action. Junior Akienrah Johnson also figures to make an impact, especially after she scored in double figures in three of Michigan’s final six games of the season to help clinch a tournament berth. Rounding out the guards are freshmen Danielle Rauch and Ariel Young. Young is a 6-foot- 1 guard from Tallahassee, Fla., See ROSTER, Page 8B TEDDY GUTKIN Daily Sports Writer ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily The Michigan women’s basketball team has a talent-laden roster, with a top-15 recruiting class and an experienced frontcourt returning this season. Who are the women that make up this year’s squad? junior guard Kaila Charles, who averaged 17.9 points per game to go with 8.1 rebounds per game in 2017-2018. In addition to Charles, Freese brings in the fifth-ranked recruiting class, per ESPN. Highlighted by fourth-ranked recruit forward Shakira Austin, and another five- star recruit in guard Taylor Mikesell, the Terrapins will look for early contributions from their freshmen. This year’s Maryland team is set to be an improvement on last year’s team as the Terrapins come into the season as the early season favorites to capture yet another Big Ten championship. In last season’s bout, Maryland beat the Wolverines 83-70 and will host Michigan on Jan. 12. No. 13 Iowa Last season: Fourth-place finish in the Big Ten (11-5, 24-7) After a disappointing first-round exit in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Hawkeyes head into the 2018 season full of motivation and experience. Iowa returns four of last season’s starters, including the preseason Big Ten player of the year, senior guard Megan Gustafson, and junior guard Kathleen Doyle, another preseason all-Big Ten selection. The Hawkeyes, however, will play the first month of the season without Doyle, who suffered a fractured left hand in practice a week ago. In her place, Iowa will rely on senior guard Tania Davis, who is coming off of an ACL injury which sidelined her for the majority of last season. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder is in her nineteenth season at the helm of the Hawkeye women’s program and has a record of 367-210. Seeking her third Big Ten championship, Bluder has Iowa in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2014, when it debuted as the No. 19 team in the country. The Hawkeyes defeated Michigan in their one matchup last year, 82-72, and will host the Wolverines on Jan. 17 and visit Ann Arbor on Jan. 31. BIG TEN BREAKDOWN From Page 6B Five-star guard Amy Dilk will lead the way in the frontcourt for the Wolverines, but seniors Nicole Munger and Hallie Thome bring back experience to the team The Daily breaks down Michigan’s roster.