CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS
C
entral Michigan is expected to contend for the Mid-American Conference West Division title this season despite the fact that only one regular has been in the program for more than two years. CMU returns seven letterwinners while losing three starters from last year’s team that went 10-21 overall and 7-9 in the MAC, good for third place in the West Division. The team’s two returning starters, sophomore guards Trey Zeigler and Derek Jackson, are the nucleus that head coach Ernie Zeigler has built the 2011-12 team around. Trey Zeigler was honorable mention AllMAC as a rookie after averaging 16.3 points per game, third-best nationally among freshman. Jackson chipped in 7.5 points per game and ranked among the league’s leaders in steals with 1.6 per game. He started the last 13 games of the year and averaged double figures over that stretch. However, the lack of a point guard last season left the Chippewas turning to Trey to run the show most of the time while taking 28 percent of the team’s shots. As such, CMU brought in a pair of talented, pass-first point guards to push the offensive tempo and allow Zeigler the ability to get out in transition. Los Angeles-area native Austin McBroom and Michigan product Jorddan Myrick are expected to split time at the point, with McBroom providing a threat from the arc and Myrick to be counted upon as a defensive stopper. The freshmen will be tutored by junior walk-on John Morris (2.4 ppg) who started six times last season and emerged as a steady option. Jackson also will be pushed at shooting guard by the most experienced player on the roster, junior Finis Craddock (3.9 ppg). Central added a knock-down three-point shooter in Austin Keel from Winter Park, Fla., where he played with national high school Player of the Year Austin Rivers (Duke). Keel will help
QUICK FACTS
Ernie Zeigler Head Coach
Trey Zeigler Sophomore Guard
DID YOU KNOW? • The two most recent CMU products to play in the NBA were also both Olympians – Dan Majerle (United States, 1988) and current Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman (Germany, 2008). • CMU was originally founded as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute in 1892, charged with educating Michigan’s future teachers.
keep opposing defenses honest when trying to stop the plethora of CMU’s athletic slashers. In the post, the Chippewas return senior junior-college transfer Andre Coimbra, who started 11 times last season but constantly battled foul trouble. The Brazilian is a high-energy player who averaged 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Collin Voss is slated to open the season as a starter at power forward after averaging 1.1 points and 1.3 rebounds in limited action last season. The Division I football recruit is only 6-7, but as you would expect, he isn’t afraid to get physical. CMU returns a pair of native Michiganders in 6-8 sophomore Jevon Harden and 6-8 junior Zach Saylor down low as well. Harden is a raw talent that will need time to develop, while Saylor has missed a majority of the last three seasons with injuries.
Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich. Enrollment: 28,311 Founded: 1892 Nickname: Chippewas Colors: Maroon & Gold Conference: Mid-American Conference Arena: McGuirk Arena (5,300) Web Site: CMUChippewas.com Athletic Director: Dave Heeke Head Coach: Ernie Zeigler Record at CMU: 64-90, 5 years Overall Record: Same Assistant Coaches: Darren Kohne, Pat Miller, Terrance Chatman 2010-11 Record: 10-21 2010-11 Conf. Record: 7-9 (3rd, West Div.) 2011 Postseason: None Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/3 Newcomers: 4 TOP RETURNEES
PPG
RPG
OTHER
Trey Zeigler Derek Jackson Andre Coimbra
16.3 5.4 7.5 2.1 5.0 4.5
2.2 apg 1.6 spg 50% FG
The Chippewas bolstered their athleticism down low with the addition of another juniorcollege transfer, Olivier Mbaigoto from Africa by way of St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC. The 6-7, 225pound forward will produce matchup problems with his speed and ability to step outside and hit the three.
CHIPPEWAS ROSTER NO. NAME
0 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 13 20 23 25 30 33 35 41
Trey Zeigler Jorddan Myrick Austin McBroom Auston Barnes Nick Jordan Finis Craddock Andre Coimbra Paris Paramore John Morris Luke Wiest Derek Jackson Olivier Mbaigoto Austin Keel Colin Voss Jevon Harden Zach Saylor
POS. HT.
G G G F G G F G G G G F G F F F
6-5 5-11 6-0 6-6 5-11 6-1 6-9 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-8 6-8
WT.
CL. HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS TEAM)
203 177 162 196 188 179 235 179 157 179 171 225 180 236 222 232
So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Fr. So. So. Jr.
Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Mount Pleasant HS) Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa HS) North Hollywood, Calif. (Campbell HS) Lansing, Mich. (Waverly HS) Rochester, Mich. (Rochester HS) Garland, Texas (Garland HS) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (NE Oklahoma A&M) Chicago, Ill. (Triton HS/Washington) Battle Creek, Mich. (Lakeview HS) Caledonia, Mich. (Caledonia HS) Cleveland, Ohio (Benedictine HS) Chad, Africa (Bethel [Va.] HS/St. Petersburg JC) Winter Park, Fla. (Winter Park HS) Grand Rapids, Mich. (East Grand Rapids HS) Detroit, Mich. (Loyola HS) Lansing, Mich. (Waverly HS)
Sophomore guard Derek Jackson
2011 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout
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