Not so Blue Demon

Long-time DePaul University women’s basketball coach Doug Bruno could be mistaken for being a charter member of the Felicia Chester fan club.

“I’ll talk to you about her for hours if you want to,” Bruno said of the senior to be from Florissant who graduated from Incarnate Word Academy before becoming a Blue Demon. “She’s a special, special player and a special human being.”

IWA coach Dan Rolfes discovered that during Chester’s time as a Red Knight. Chester led the area team to a Class 5 state title back in 2005 when she averaged a team high 16.4 points and 9.1 rebounds.

“For us at Incarnate, she was the type of person who could do just about anything,” said Rolfes of Chester. “She could score with her back to the basket and play strong in the post. She could also go out and guard a guard on the perimeter, block shots and she was great in the press.”

Now, the fans of the Blue Demons are finding out the same thing. Chester has steadily improved during her stay in Chicago. She is considered a key cog on a team that has averaged better than 21 wins the past three seasons and is expected to possess the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament in March.

“She’s one of the best captains I’ve ever had,” said Bruno, who is heading into his 25th season at the helm of the DePaul program, of Chester. “I don’t like to compare players. But she’s in my top five of best captains for sure.”

The 6-foot-3 forward, who stayed in Chicago this summer to take classes, sure isn’t regretting her decision to head to the Big East Conference school.

“I think it’s gone well,” she said recently during a phone interview. “I’ve learned a lot since I came here. Coach Bruno is a great coach. He’s pushed me to the limit as a person and a player.”

Chester, after beign granted a medical hardship during the 2006-’07 season, served as a reserve during the 2007-’08 season and then became a starter the past two years. She had her best season statistically in her last campaign when she averaged 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.57 assists, 1.30 blocks and 1.19 steals.

“Felicia is better than Felicia realizes,” said Bruno. “Certainly on defense for us she’s a center presence or lynchpin of our defense. She’s constantly in a state of helping others along with guarding her own man.”

Bruno’s one beef with Chester – it could also be construed as a compliment – is that she’s just too darn unselfish. The daughter of Melvin and Patricia Chester promises to seriously address that during the upcoming season.

“We’ve definitely talked about that,” she said. “It’s a goal I have for my last year here. I want to be more aggressive offensively.”

She may have offered a preview of coming attractions in her team’s loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this past March. She had a season high 19 points and seven boards in that contest.

In addition to being a good role model on the court for her teammates, she also has led the way in the classroom as well. The three-time member of the Big East All-Academic Team was a big reason why the Blue Demons ranked eighth in the country academically during this past school year among Division I schools.

“She’s been awesome in the classroom,” said Bruno.

Her personal life evidently hasn’t suffered in the Windy City, either. Chester became engaged to Corey Wootton, who played football at Northwestern University, shortly after he was drafted in the fourth round (109th overall) by the Chicago Bears in April. The two were introduced by a mutual friend, Chester said.

The engagement of the two became the subject of an article in the Chicago Sun-Times, something which the shy Chester admitted made her a little uncomfortable.

“The spotlight is more on him than me so that’s good,” said Chester, who said the two may get hitched next summer. “Everyone loves the Bears here. He’s excited to be playing there.”

Chester, who Bruno thinks could have the potential to play at the next level as well at least in Europe if not the Women’s National Basketball Association, is excited to have one season of college ball left. The Blue Demons have lost in the first round of the big dance the past three seasons, something she and her teammates are determined to change.

“I have one more year to do it,” she said. “Hopefully, we can do it.”

She’s also got personal goals as well.

“I want to continue to be a good leader for the team,” she said. “I’m also trying to expand my game outside the post. I want to become a good jump shooter and expand my guard skills like ballhandling.”

Chester loved playing at Incarnate in high school. She was thrilled to hear that her alma mater won another state title last March, the first since she was there.

“I was excited for (Rolfes),” she said. “I learned so much when I went to high school. Rolfes taught me so much how to play as a team.”

Another former IWA star hoopster, Rachel Pierson, transferred to DePaul from Iowa State a couple of years ago. However, she had to sit for one season due to NCAA rules, played in just 10 games as a junior and sat out all of her senior season due to an injury.

“Me and Rachel are best friends,” said Chester. “When she came here. I was looking forward to playing with her. I got to play with her a few games so that was nice.”

Pierson won’t be there next season to help push Chester but she surely will come through with another solid season for the Blue Demons anyway. Bruno will be surprised if she doesn’t.