DeLong and Kalugin Lead Bearcat Women's Basketball Team

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team has been very competitive in its first seven games this season. The team's 3-4 record is a bit deceptive because the Bearcats lost to Concordia University (Ore.) on a last-second shot and trailed undefeated Montana State University-Northern by just two points with 8:31 remaining before losing to the Starlights.

Willamette's other losses have been to Montclair State University (N.J.), which reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III National Tournament last year, and to University of California, Santa Cruz, which was 3-0 after defeating the Bearcats and is off to an 8-3 start.

The Bearcats have received strong leadership on the court from senior point guard Jojo DeLong (Sr., PG, Santa Clarita, CA/Canyon HS) and senior guard Katie Kalugin (Sr., G, Woodburn, OR/Woodburn HS). Both have started all seven games.

DeLong leads the Bearcats with 14.6 points per game. She also has averaged 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. She is ranked first in the Northwest Conference in assists per game and is third in scoring.

Kalugin tops the Willamette chart with 7.1 rebounds per game. She has scored 9.4 points per contest. She is tied for sixth in the NWC in rebounds per game.

"It has been so fun working with Jojo and Katie over the past few years," Willamette Head Coach Peg Swadener said. "They have shown so much grown both on the court and off. As this year's captains, I have given them a lot of responsibilities and they are definitely thriving in their roles."

Both athletes have impressive career statistics. DeLong has scored 664 points, earned 264 assists, hauled down 261 rebounds and recorded 92 steals. She has started all 82 games in her Willamette career. Kalugin has achieved 638 points, while earning 336 rebounds and 74 steals. She has played in 81 games with 57 starts.

DeLong scored a career-high 27 points against Pacific University on Feb. 4, 2014. She achieved a career-high 10 assists versus Concordia University (Ore.) on Nov. 20, 2013, and also earned 10 assists against Caltech earlier this season on Nov. 21. She grabbed a personal-best 10 rebounds against Caltech on her way to a triple-double.

"Jojo is really shining as our floor general," Swadener commented. "She has always been a great distributor, but over the last year she has also established herself as a primary scorer. She has so much confidence with the ball in her hands and she is a true leader in that she is consistently making those around her better with both her athletic abilities and her leadership skills."

Kalugin provided Willamette with a career-high 30 points against Berry College (Ga.) on Dec. 18, 2013. She has registered 11 rebounds in five different games, including match-ups this season with Northwest Christian on Nov. 25 and Concordia (Ore.) on Nov. 26.

"Katie had such a great summer and worked tremendously hard on her fitness and strength," Swadener noted. "The results are seen as she has dominated the boards for us and has established herself as a major offensive threat. It has also been great to see Katie take so much pride in her defense as she often has to defend our opponent's key players."

The combined efforts of DeLong and Kalugin have been important to the steady improvement of the Willamette team during their four years with the Bearcats. Between them, they have scored 1,302 points and grabbed 597 rebounds. One of them was the team's leading scorer in 20 of 25 games last season and in four of the first seven games this year.

The Bearcats, who last played on Dec. 6 against Montana State-Northern, will play two games in Honolulu, Hawaii, later this month in the Hoop N Turf Classic.

Willamette will take on Wheaton College (Mass.) on Friday, Dec. 19 at St. Francis High School at 12:30 p.m. HST/2:30 p.m. PST. On Saturday, Dec. 20, the Bearcats will play Lake Forest College (Ill.) at McKinley High School at 4 p.m. HST/6 p.m. PST.

The Bearcats are set to open Northwest Conference action at Willamette's Cone Field House on Friday, Jan. 2 against Whitworth University. Game time on Gordie James Court is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST). Willamette will remain at home to take on Whitman College on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 4 p.m.