The DMACC women's basketball team will begin the 2020-21 season on Wed., Jan. 20th, when the Bears face Kirkwood Community College inside the DMACC Gymnasium in Boone. Game time is 5 p.m. 

DMACC Head Coach Steve Krafcisin is beginning his 16th season as the DMACC women's basketball head coach. The Bears return three sophomores from the 2019-20 team that had 10-20 record. The Bears are also coached by assistants Jocelyn Kovarik, who is in her 11th year as a coach and was an All-America player for DMACC; Amara Burrage, who starts her second year for the Bears; and Kiana Peterson, a former DMACC player and Grand View University assistant coach.

This year, the Bears will be playing region games only, due to the pandemic. 

"With not playing non-region games, it has given us more time to emphasize individual and team skill development which is great but nothing gives you development like game experience," Krafcisin said. 

He said the team has done a great job of adapting to COVID-19 restrictions. 

"The first three weeks of November we practiced with everyone wearing masks," Krafcisin said. "We changed practice format as we would go on the floor for 8-10 minutes of activity then have social distancing spots for them to go off the court, catch their breath and drink water." 

Jada Powell, a 6'0" forward from Des Moines East High School, returns for DMACC. She averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds last season, and was named to the ICCAC All-Region Third Team. Shamir Brown, a 5'6" guard from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, also is back. She averaged three points per game and dished out 29 assists to only 25 turnovers last season. Emma Jacobsen, a 5'8" shooting guard from Adel, missed all of last season due to hip surgery. Jacobsen averaged nine points per game, including making 45 three-pointers, during her senior season at Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School. 

"I think our sophomores have been good leaders on and off the court," Krafcisin said. "The nine freshmen have really adjusted well during this COVID year. No academic class has come to college with such restrictions. It's a tough adjustment living away from home, re-establishing your athletic name, living and studying in a four-bedroom apartment, practicing and working out with teammates every day who are as good or better than you are, and learning different terminology and offensive and defensive styles." 

Krafcisin said the thinks the strengths of the team will be an inside presence thanks to the recruiting of physical players such as Emily Caspers, Camry Jones and Lexi Branning. He said all three can play the forward or center position. Caspers is 6'1" from West Fork High School. Jones is 6' from Okoboji and Branning is 5'9" from IKM-Manning High School. 

Caspers averaged nine rebounds per contest last year when she was named to the All-State team. She is the leading scorer (909) and rebounder (599) in her high school's history. Jones also averaged nine rebounds, as well as nine points per game last year as the starting center for the 22-2 Pioneers. Branning averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 55 percent from the field last season. She was also named an All-State selection. 

"We also have quality perimeter players," Krafcisin said. "Three of our incoming players, Grace Flanaghan, Magan Christopherson and Jensen Archibald, were All-State performers, and all three of them averaged more than 17 points per game. In addition, we have length this year with ten of our 12 players being 5' 8" or taller." 

Krafcisin said Grace Flanagan of North Linn High School has transitioned nicely to the collegiate level.  She averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and four steals per game as she lead North Linn to the Class 2A State Basketball Championship. She was MVP of the State Tournament and a three-time All-Stater in basketball, in addition to being a four-time All-State softball player. Krafcisin said she knows how to win, accumulating a 94-7 record as a point guard and a 132-23 record as a catcher on her softball team.  

Magan Christopherson, also of Okoboji, is a two-time All-State player who averaged 18 points, five rebounds and four assists last year.  She also holds her high school's record of 175 three-pointers, and was a two-time All-State performer in cross country. 

Jensen Archibald will be playing guard for the Bears this season. She is the leading scorer in Martensdale St. Mary's High School history.  She averaged 18 points, four assists and four steals per game as a high school senior. 

Karlyn Snider is a guard from West Marshall High school who averaged 11 points and three assists per game. 

"Karlyn is a tough minded young lady that was a key figure in the Trojans four year run of 71-20 and made it to state in 2018-19," Krafcisin said. 

Jenna Bohaty from Millard West High School in Omaha was an Honorable Mention All-State player who averaged nine points, six rebounds and three assists per game. She is a 6' athlete who is skilled to play all five positions on the court. She left Millard West High School with the third most rebounds and blocked shots in school history.  

The DMACC women's basketball team will be playing only 20 region games this year. The season starts Jan. 20th, with the regional tournament set for April 6th-10th