The Carl Sandburg women’s basketball team looks to take another step forward in their second season under head coach Kellen Fernetti. The Chargers finished 12-20 last season but return several key pieces going into 2023-24.
The Chargers kick off their season at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 8 against Marshalltown in John Lewis Gym. Sandburg’s season opener will also serve as the fall semester Paint the House Red Night. All fans are encouraged to wear red, and the first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free bag of popcorn. There will also be Chargers giveaway items throughout the evening.
KEY RETURNERS
Elly Bentley (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone)
- Led the team with 18 points per game last season and appeared in all 32 contests for the Chargers.
- All-Region 4 and All-Arrowhead Conference selection as a freshman.
- Fernetti: “Elly is a leader for our team and sets the tone for us with how she competes. Elly not only can score the basketball at a high level, but she sets up others for success as well.”
Gracie Sims (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island)
- Appeared in all 32 games for the Chargers last season as she averaged 3 points and 4 rebounds per game.
- Fernetti: “Gracie is a key piece to our defense. She is, more often than not, matched up on the other team’s best offensive player.”
Savannah Dominique (Galliano, La./South Lafourche)
- Was second on the team in field goal percentage last season, shooting 48.1 percent. She also averaged 3 rebounds per game.
- Fernetti: “Savannah played her best basketball in the final third of last season and has picked up where she left off from that stretch of games.”
KEY NEWCOMERS
Brook Pieper (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon)
- 6-foot, 1-inch forward
- Fernetti: “Brook comes in with many accolades from her highly successful career for the Tornadoes. She has a great feel for the game and is a skilled forward.”
Capre Ferguson (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg)
- 5-7 guard
- Fernetti: “Capre begins her Charger career coming from the successful Galesburg High School program. She is a guard that can play multiple positions for us.”
Camille Kruse (West Point, Iowa/Fort Madison)
- 5-8 guard
- Fernetti: “Camille is Fort Madison’s all-time leading scorer. Along with her scoring ability, she is a versatile player that can fill up the stat sheet in many categories.”
COMEBACK FOR KELCI
Guard Kelci Shelton, a Monmouth-Roseville High School product, will return to the court after spending a year away from the game. The 5-6 guard started her career at Black Hawk during the 2021-22 season and joined Sandburg in the spring semester last season as a redshirt.
STAYING CLOSE TO HOME
Ten of the 12 players on the Chargers’ roster are from within an hour of Galesburg. Six of those 10 are from high schools in Sandburg’s district: Pieper (Abingdon-Avon), Ferguson (Galesburg), Shelton (Monmouth-Roseville), Elliot Lewis (Knoxville), Lauren Powell (West Prairie) and Armani Revis (Galesburg).
WHAT ARE YOUR SEASON EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?
Fernetti: “Our expectations for the season are to see if we can build off our season from last year. We know it will be very challenging with our schedule and the opponents that we play. There will not be a night off on our schedule, and we will need to be ready to play each game.”
GAMES TO WATCH
• Jan. 4 vs. Highland
• Jan. 11 at Black Hawk
• Jan. 30 at Highland
• Feb. 6 vs. Black Hawk
THIS WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …
Fernetti: “This will be a successful season if we defend and rebound. We believe we have a good mix of returners and newcomers to the team. Defending and rebounding will be a huge factor to see if we can achieve our goals.”
PHOTO GALLERY: 2023-24 Sandburg women’s basketball team
***Courtesy of Carl Sandburg College***
