The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Lady Roadrunners have been busy preparing for the upcoming 2022-2023 season.

“We want to be more of an up-tempo team this year,” said Lady Roadrunners Head Coach Nicole Collier. “We also want to get the ball inside to our post players and keep opposing defenses on their heels.”

Coach Collier likes what she seen from her team in practice so far.

“Practices are going really well,” said Carter. “The girls are competitive; they are engaged and excited about competing. They’re looking forward to scrimmaging some different people now that we are into October.”

SFCC returns four players who all played significant roles and minutes on last year’s team. Quincenia Jackson was a First-Team All-Region 16 and First-Team Missouri Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference player as a freshman. In 19 games, Jackson averaged 16.7 points, and 8.9 rebounds.

Autumn Wallace earned Second-Team All-Region 16 and Second-Team Missouri Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference honors as a freshman. Wallace finished third on the team in scoring average with 7.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Paige Spencer started and played in 24 games last season and scored 5.3 points per game and shot 71.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Kayla Dooley started in all 25 games for SFCC. Dooley averaged 3.6 points, 1.6 assists and shot 71.4 percent on free-throws.

Biance Stocks also returns this season after joining the team in January and provides a boost in leadership to the squad.

“Our five returners have been solid, “said Collier. “You can see a lot of growth and maturity in them. You see a difference in the way that they carry themselves and the way that they are on the floor. Biance Stocks has really emerged as a leader. Quincenia Jackson leads by example for us. Kayla Dooley does a fantastic job for us as well. We have some good leaders.”

In addition to these core sophomores, SFCC welcomes a solid group of newcomers to this year’s team.

“Aiyanna Tanksley can do a lot of different things for us on the floor,” said Collier. “Charnay Robinson is a fantastic young lady and athlete, transferring in from Texas who is a tough defender that likes to make people uncomfortable. Robinson has a high basketball IQ and has played at a high level. Perryauna Youmans is a playmaker from Florida who will step in at point guard for us.”

The Lady Roadrunners will open the season on Wednesday, Nov. 2 against Missouri Valley College Junior Varsity. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. SFCC will open the Region 16 schedule on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Region 16 Showdown in Neosho against Three Rivers Community College. SFCC will host a pair of games over Thanksgiving weekend. The Lady Roadrunners will take on Highland Community College-Kansas at 5 p.m. on Friday and Allen County Community College at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

SFCC will take on Missouri Baptist Junior Varsity to close out the 2022 portion of the schedule on Friday, Dec. 16. SFCC will return to action after a holiday break on Saturday, January 7 with a game against Kansas City Kansas Community College. The Lady Roadrunners will close their regular-season schedule on Saturday, Feb. 25 with a home game against Mineral Area College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

“We will find out really quick where we are at in the region,” said Collier. “I think our group is excited about continuing to build on what we are doing here. I don’t think we will be intimidated by that at all.”

Coach Collier expects the region to be a battle as always. She believes her team will have to come out ready to play and play hard every night.

“This with a fun group to watch,” said Collier. “They are a great group to be around. I would encourage the community to come out and support our team and get to know our student-athletes. I think they are an asset to the community.”

--David Rohrbach, SFCC Athletics

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