(Midway, Ky.) -

Following one of the most successful seasons in recent history, Midway basketball is on the rise in the Kentucky
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC). The Eagles ended their 2014-15 campaign at 8-8 in the conference and hope to continue that upward trend under the leadership of first-year head coach John Kenger, who will be working with a mixture of raw talent and seasoned veterans.

"We're fortunate to have a great group of players this season who are willing to work as hard as they can to improve and help their
teammates," said Kenger. "We have five very talented freshmen and one veteran player who has skills but has never had the opportunity to play for Midway's varsity team. On the other hand, we have several exprienced returners who have done a great job of mentoring our younger players and helping them improve their game. I've been really pleased with what I've seen so far in practice and I can't wait to continue to watch this group grow as a team."

Among those veterans returning is junior guard Jasmine Johnson, who had a strong 2014-15 campaign, averaging 10.4 points per game and dishing out 56 assists.A two-year starter, she is well equipped to handle running the Eagles' offense this season. "I think that Jasmine has all the skills and athleticism for a breakout season. She's a great shooter and sees the court well on offense, but she has the quickness and agility to make plays on the defensive end as well," said Kenger.

Joining Johnson on the list of returning players are seniors Hristina Ostojic, Jordan Renner, Jariana Gillespie and Shavon Majors, and sophomore Courtney Pfister. Though they haven't seen the extensive minutes common among many veterans, Kenger says he is confident in their ability to make plays. "Some of our older players haven't seen a lot of varsity action, but they are strong basketball players who can really make things happen for us on the court. They've also been around the college game and have a lot to teach the freshmen."

Those freshmen include five Kentucky players - Preslie Baker, Brittany Vandeventer, Missa Walker, Savannah Carr and Shelby Goode. "Their talent is still pretty raw, but that group plays with so much heart and energy," said Kenger. "It's going to be amazing to watch them evolve this season and throughout their college careers."

As he prepares his team for the upcoming season, Kenger says that, although it won't be an easy road, he's excited to see where it takes the Eagles. "This season is going to be a very special one. We are playing a very tough out of conference schedule but that is going to get us ready for a competitive season."

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