4 May 2000
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309.556.3206 and/or head coach Mia Smith, 309.556.3611
 

Titans Net Two Women's Hoop Recruits

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Carthage High School's Cassie Twaddle and Ottawa High School's Barbi Franzen have decided to attend Illinois Wesleyan University to further their academic and athletic careers, IWU women's basketball coach Mia Smith announced today.

TWADDLE

As a senior, Twaddle, a 5-foot-7 guard, was chosen to the second team of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state squad, earned honorable mention on the Associated Press team, and special mention on the Champaign News-Gazette all-state team. She was also named to the first team of the Peoria Journal Star all-area squad.
In her 122-game varsity career for the Bluegirls, Twaddle averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 assists, 2.4 steals, and 3.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 70 percent from the free throw line.
"Cassie is a left-handed point guard who comes from an outstanding high school program with a terrific tradition," said Smith. "Her ability to know when to push the ball up the court and when to set up an offense is her best quality."
Twaddle was a first team all-West Central Conference choice as a sophomore and senior and earned honorable mention as a junior.
Twaddle, who ranks first in her graduating class, plans to major in physical or occupational therapy at IWU. She is president of Student Council and National Honor Society, is a Girls' State delegate, and a winner of the Illinois High School Association Scholastic Achievement Award.
She is the daughter of Rauna Twaddle, 201 Main, Carthage, and John Twaddle of Tennessee.

FRANZEN

As a senior, the 5-foot-9 guard was a unanimous first team all-North Central Illinois Conference selection, was chosen to the first team all-area squad, and was the Lady Pirates' co-"Most Valuable Player." She also won her team's assist and free throw shooting awards.
She averaged 10.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game as a senior. Her 69.4 percent free throw mark is seventh best in a single season at Ottawa High School and she ranks seventh in both season and career 3-point field goal shooting in school records.
Franzen was named to the academic all-NCIC teams for volleyball, basketball, and softball in her junior and senior years and was an honorable mention all-conference volleyball player two years and first team all-conference in softball as a junior.
Franzen, who plans to major in English and secondary education at IWU, is president of the senior class and National Honor Society, is a Girls' State delegate, and an Illinois State Scholar.
She is the daughter of John and Connie Franzen, 972 Bergen Ave., Ottawa.

About IWU Women's Basketball

The Titans are coached by Mia Smith, whose two-year record is 24-24. The Titans were 10-14 last winter and were 14-10 in 1998-99 with seven consecutive winning seasons.