By Ryan Ernst
Cincinnati Enquirer

After posting a 25-6 record last season, including an Ohio Junior College state championship, Cincinnati State men's basketball coach John Hurley made one very big offseason acquisition.

The Surge should benefit this season from the play of newcomer Brandon Bender, a 6-foot-10 center who transferred from Louisville.

"He's coming along good," Hurley said. "Anyplace you go, there's a time of adjustment, and I think he's just learning about junior college basketball. But he's played against top (Division I) competition."

The Surge started 3-0, , winning the Pepsi Shootout. Bender had 26 points in the title game, but early in the season the top two returning scorers have led the team.

Forward P.J. Sanders, the team's second-leading scorer last season, averages 20 points per game this season, while the top scorer from last season, shooting guard Malcolm Manier, has chipped in 15 per game.

Although his team is hovering just outside the Top 25 rankings, Hurley said if the Surge live up to their potential, they can join the nation's elite.

Mount St. Joseph

The Division III Lions start their first season without the school's first recruiting class. Coach Larry Cox has 25 players on his varsity and JV rosters combined, with 10 freshmen and no seniors.

"Yeah, it's kind of a new era for us with that first recruiting class gone," Cox said. "We're young, but the guys out front have a good work ethic and the other guys are following their example."

The Mount, coming off the program's first losing season (9-17), was picked to finish last in the eight-team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. But Cox quickly points out that the preseason poll can be deceiving.

"Our league is extremely good," he said. "There's really no bottom-feeders in the league, so you've got to be ready to play night in and night out."

Junior co-captains Matt Volkerding and Tom Luther will lead the Lions. Sophomore Chris Washington is the team's top returning scorer (7.3 ppg) and will be relied on heavily while Volkerding recovers from a stress fracture.

Thomas More

The Division III Saints return five of their six top scorers from a team that struggled through a 5-20 campaign, including an 0-10 road record.

Three-point threat and top scorer Dustin Mulberry should step into a starting role after coming off the bench part of last season. Head coach Terry Connor will also look to senior two-year starter Kyle Booth for leadership and instant offense. Booth averaged 10.2 points per game last season.

Inside, the Saints might get a spark from 6-7 senior C.J. Stallworth, who returns after sitting out last season. As a sophomore, Stallworth averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds per game.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Cincinnati State

The Lady Surge were ranked 28th in the preseason poll, and head coach Gary McDaniel said their schedule wastes no time in testing his squad.

"We always play a tough schedule, but this year the first three teams kind of throw us right into the fire," he said. "Then we go to (the Broward Tournament) in Florida and play some of the top teams in the country."

So far, McDaniel's team seems to be up to the challenge. The Lady Surge started the season 3-0 behind the solid play of frontcourt mates Jessica Parsons (6-4 center) and Kendra Bailey (6-0 forward).

Bailey averaged a triple-double through the first three games (15.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and Parsons averaged 15 points per game. When opponents double-team in the post, however, guard Brandi Hollingsworth can hit shots from the outside.

As with all of McDaniel's teams, however, the Lady Surge will rely on a scrappy defense. Traditionally, they hold teams to under 50 points, and McDaniel said this season should be no exception.

Mount St. Joseph

Coach Melissia Patterson's first recruiting class at the school is now in its fourth year, and she hopes it brings the school its first winning season.

"We took a big step forward last year and now we've brought in some more good talent," Patterson said. "Hopefully, this is the year we make that crossover and get it done."

The Lions will be led by last season's two leading scorers, Virginia Grace and Christina Brown.

Newcomers Tasha Reid, a transfer from Division I Arkansas State, and Julie Metz, a transfer from Division II Concord (W.Va.) should also make an immediate impact.

Thomas More

The Saints, who posted a 19-7 record last season, will be a perimeter-oriented team, with the lack of a 6-footer leading to a four-guard lineup.

Holly Roberts returns for her senior year after leading the team with 17.4 points per game last season.

She will be joined in the crowded backcourt by the team's other returning starter, Joanna Bess, who recorded 82 steals last season and anchors the team's pressing, up-tempo defense.

"We need to keep the pressure on when we're on defense," coach Sharri Brumfield said. "We press a lot and try to convert defense into offense."

Others

Senior hitter Bonita Wise leads a cast of University of Cincinnati volleyball players in postseason Conference USA accolades. Wise, a senior, earned her third straight spot on the all-conference first team. Fellow senior Trish Ladusaw, a second-team selection, was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight season. Xavier volleyball players Kimberly Cockerel and Katey Wygant were named to the All-Atlantic 10 team. Teammates Jordan Brightwell and Meggie Hoffman were named to the All-Rookie team.

Mount St. Joseph volleyball players Tiffany Norwell (Turpin), Ginny Thomas (NewCath) and Tammi Toney (Harrison) are members of the All-Great Lakes Region team.

Four Cincinnati natives have recently gained notoriety on the Maryville College volleyball team. Karen Tobias (Mount Notre Dame) finished the season as Division III's national leader in digs. Sarah Arlinghaus (MND) was a Great South all-conference selection. Kate Poeppelman (Fairfield) was the conference Freshman of the Year, while Jenna Jones (Mercy) was the GSAC Player of the Year.

St. Ursula grad Casey Mangano was the Mid-American Conference swimmer of the week after scoring 18 points in Miami's win over Ohio State.

K.C. Reynolds, a Milford graduate, broke Hanover's women's soccer record for goals in one season (14) and was named to the All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Cincinnati State women's soccer coach Wil Cagle was awarded the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 12 Coach of the Year honor. Cincinnati State freshman Rana Hoffbauer (Walnut Hills) was named the Region's Player of the Year. Teammates Amanda Roberts (McAuley) and Angie Creutzinger (Northwest) also made the all-region team.

MSJ soccer players Erin Fox (East Central), Lindsay Doll (Oak Hills) and Erin Mallory (Seton) were named to the All-HCAC team.

The following cross-country runners qualified for the NCAA National Championships: Division I: Jerry Claunch (Miami, Lakota East), Chris Reis (UC, Elder); Division III: Katie Aerni (Carnegie Mellon, Walnut Hills), Matt Meurer (Carnegie Mellon, Turpin), Jon Newberry (Emory, Madeira).

Dayton kicker Jesse Obert (LaSalle) is the Pioneer League special teams player of the week.

Xavier soccer player Steven Barten was recognized as the A-10 Rookie of the Year.

Northern Kentucky volleyball players Cammi Welter and Sara Taylor were named to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference first team.

Indian Hill alum Bryan Walker recently set Centre College's single-game receiving record with 189 yards.

E-mail: rernst@enquirer.com