Recent News

3/1/05

Click here to see news about the 2005 National Womens' Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

The Express are National Champs!!!

3/21/04

Click here to see news about the 2004 National Womens' Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

2/11/02

Game #1 VS Arizona
The Express jumped off to a fast start 5-0 and 15-6 and never looked back. They were led by the hot-shooting Elizabeth Cordoba who ended up with 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting. Final score: Express 37, Arizona 23.

Game #2 VS Orlando Ice
Orlando has the tallest lineup in the NWWBA led by the versatile Amy Verst who totalled 12 points but was held in check by the tanacious zone defense of the Express.  The score was close all the way and was tied at 25 at the 3/4 mark.  The Express could only muster one basket and two free throws in the final ten minutes and fell 29-35.

Game #3 VS Orlando Ice
In a rematch early Sunday morning the Express jumped off to an early 6-0 lead on fast breaks but were outscored 24-10 the rest of the first half, with Amy Verst hitting on 9 of 16 shots (her final total for the game: 24 points).  The Express ran out of gas the entire second half and lost 37-21.

Game #4 VS Univ. of Illinois
Weary and suffering from various minor physical injuries the Express were completely dominated by the powerful, quick, and talented U of I women.  Halftime score: 6-30 and final score of 16-54. 

High scorer in the four game tourney for the Express was Sue Haddick with a total of 48 points.  Other scorers: Elizabeth Cordoba 27, Ella Chafee 14, Mikel Vandello and Kathy Reinhardt 7 each. 

Next games: VS Racine (men) B team on March 2 at Waubonsee Comm. College and followed March 6 thru 9 at Gainesville, Florida, for the Women's National Tourn.

11/1/01 - Schedule Changes

The Express regretfully have to announce the cancellation of their November 3rd and 10th games, due to unforseeable obstacles.  We apologize to anyone affected.

10/5/01 - RIC Express awards for season 2000-2001:

As announced at the annual sports banquets

MVP -- Sue Haddick
Most Improved Player -- Elizabeth Cordoba
Sportsmanship --Mikel Vandello

9/29/01 - 2001 preseason schedule announced

Click here to see the schedule

4/15/01, 33rd Annual Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tourney Announced

The Express will be one of 3 teams playing at the 33rd Annual Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tourney to be played Saturday June 23 at Harper Community College.  They will play against each of the other two teams (probably Racine and Oak Forest) at two of the 3 gametimes: noon, 1:30, and 3 PM.

4/1/01, National Womens' Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

See the NWWBT page for tournament updates.

3/10/01 & 3/11/01, vs. Racine

By Wayne Gablin

3/1/01: vs. Racine at Waubonsee (Hearts In Motion team never showed so since we had the refs there already and Racine was late we played an intersquad 4 on 4 that ended in a 34-34 tie):
First Game: Racine 32 Express 30
Second Game: Express 49 Racine 32

VS. Racine at Libertyville
First Game: Express 96 Racine 12, with the Express scoring 48 in each half and shooting as a team 67% from the field.  The Express defense held Racine to 5 for 54 shooting or 9%
Second Game: Express 52 Racine 32.  The Express was down 22-23 with 14 minutes to play and outscored Racine 30-9 the rest of the way.

3/5/01, vs. Oak Forest Fire

By Wayne Gablin

Sunday at Governors State Univ. vs. Oak Forest Fire:
Express on top in both games (although the second one was with a running clock due to late beginning and required exit time) 40-20 and 26-14 (after being down 10-4 at half-time).

1/22/01, Division III Rockford Invitational 

By Wayne Gablin

The Express surprised everyone (except perhaps themselves) at the Division III Rockford Invitational January 20-21.  As expected the host Chariots, playing almost exclusively with their ranked Div 2 men, won easily over the other two men's teams, but had more trouble with the Express in the Championship game before winning 64-29.  The Express, with their tenacious defense, were able to control the game from the tip-off against Waterloo Chariots 48-36 and Oak Forest Fire 42-31 while shooting 40% from the field.  

Led by Sue Haddick, who averaged 20 points per game for the 3 games, and shot a remarkable 50%, the Express finished second and happily took home the trophy.  In addition, Sue was voted MVP of the entire tourney and was also a member of the all-tournament team along with teammate Patty Cisneros, who was second-highest scorer for the Express with a 3-game total of 22 points.  

Returning from Columbia for the rest of the season Elizabeth Cordova averaged 4 points/game on 5 for 12 shooting.  Also contributing were long-time Express players Betsy Goering (18 pts), Mikel Vandello, Ella and Hope Chafee, Kathy Reinhart, and Maria Gotfryd.