Macalester has improved its overall record four straight seasons under head coach Ellen Thompson and has made remarkable progress after basically rebuilding the program from scratch when she was hired five years ago. During the winter of 2009-10, the Scots will be one of the most veteran teams in the MIAC.

The Scots went 11-14 last winter and 9-13 in the conference, and with the top seven point producers returning, are optimistic about earning an upper division finish and MIAC post-season berth. The Scots out-scored their opponents on the MIAC season, but suffered a string of narrow mid-season defeats to keep them out of the playoffs. This year, the team hopes its added experience will make the difference. Mac should once again be one of the MIAC best and most aggressive teams on the defensive end of the court.

Macalester was fourth in the conference in rebounding margin and blocked shots, and rely heavily on a pair of four-year starters on the front line in Trina PaStarr (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn. / Southwest) and Ann Baltzer (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.).

A two-time All-MIAC pick, PaStarr averaged 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game as a junior, and enters her senior campaign with 920 career points. She ranked eighth in the MIAC in scoring, and fifth in both rebounding and blocked shots. Baltzer was Mac's top point producer last season with a 13.2 average and goes into the year with 853 career points and a .527 career shooting percentage. Baltzer and PaStarr ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in the MIAC in scoring.

Guard Danielle Johnson (Sr., DeForest, Wis. / Madison Edgewood) is another four-year starter and is coming off her best season where she provided 7.6 points a game while ranking sixth in the league with 3.2 assists per contest. Another senior guard, Eartha Bell (Minneapolis, Minn. / Breck School), missed the last two-thirds of the campaign last winter while on a Study Abroad program, but returns for a full season as one of the MIAC's top back court defensive players. Bell led the conference two years ago in steals.

Forward Majra Mucic (Jr., Zenica, Bosnia / St. Louis Park – Minn.) sparked the Scots off the bench last year, producing 7.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per night, and together with center Holly Schiedermayer (So., Waupaca, Wis.), give the Scots plenty of front court depth together with PaStarr and Baltzer.

The Scots have plenty of depth in the back court. Joining guards Johnson and Bell are veterans Jessica Rene (So., Eau Claire, Wis. / Memorial), Alyssa Lunde (Sr., Rochester, Minn. / Mayo), Maggie Wood (So., Oregon, Wis. / Madison Edgewood) and Shannon Rene (So., Eau Claire, Wis. / Memorial).

The Scots tip off their season with a pair of games Nov. 20-21 in Walla Walla, Washington, against Whitman and Whitworth.

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