Student Life ArchivesOn Oct. 15, practices for the NCAA basketball season began. It was the beginning of the six-month journey that leads to the Division III National Championship in Virginia Beach, and Washington University’s 2005-2006 women’s basketball team has begun looking to make a run for the top early on.
“There is a long-standing tradition of the women’s basketball team being a fiercely committed and hard-working program that spends many extra hours in the gym. Our goal is to keep this tradition mentality alive throughout our long season, because it is this attitude and work ethic that sets the best teams apart from their competition,” said senior Katie Benson.
With the squad’s first game tonight, the accolades have already started to pile up in the pre-season. Ranked 14th in the preseason poll and picked first in the conference, the Bears are led by captain senior Kelly Manning, last season’s UAA Player of the Year and this season’s D-III News Preseason Player of the Year.
“When an All-American returns, it’s always a positive. But with the other captains, her returning complements the entire team,” said head coach Nancy Fahey.
Manning is joined by senior co-captains Danielle Beehler and Katie Benson. Beehler averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, led the team with 50 steals, and shot nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line. Benson averaged 5.7 points off the bench while shooting .413 from behind the arc.
“The captains have diversified leadership techniques that complement each other but aren’t alike. They lead with their personalities. There’s a quiet encouragement they have for each other, but still with the same drive to compete,” said Fahey.
Juniors Sarah Schell, Rebecca Parker, Nicky Huels, Jenny Southworth, Andi Strauss, and Tiffany Slater will round out the corps of upperclassmen on this year’s squad. In her first two seasons, Schell had to share the point guard position but managed to collect 172 assists. Parker, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season, will complete the frontcourt. Huels, Slater, Strauss, and Southworth are expected to contribute greatly to the Bears relentless defense that forced 283 steals last season.
The team’s two sophomores and seven freshmen will also be looked to for great contributions this season.
“We expect from them what we expect from ourselves. There are so few of us [upper-classmen], and we need everyone to fill their roles,” said Beehler. “The freshmen are learning the system, and we look to them contribute this year more so than in year’s past.”
This year’s squad has visible holes left by the graduation of post player Hallie Hutchins and point guard Leslie Berger.
“We try not to fill shoes. Every time someone graduates, we appreciate their four years, but we like the next group to leave their own imprint the way they’d like to,” said Fahey.
The Bears are not mourning their losses.
“This is a brand new team, but we still set the major goals of every program – win conference and win a title,” said Beehler.
While the NCAA tournament is still a few months off, Coach Fahey looks to focus on other aspects.
“We need to bring the defensive level higher and take great pride in that aspect of the game,” she says. “Offensively, we need to play a high tempo but controlled style.”
According to Fahey, with a lineup that lends itself to defense and with the return of three great scorers in Manning, Beehler, and Parker, the Bears are set for a “fun, exciting style of basketball to watch.”
When asked about the preseason rankings and the top UAA selection, Fahey declined to make predictions.
“We respect the polls, but there’s a reason why they call them preseason polls,” she said. “Friday is when it counts.”
The Bears will open up their season tonigt against Coe College at 7 p.m. in the University’s Field House. They will also play on Saturday at either 2 or 4 p.m.