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The Shawnee State
Women's Basketball Team will take on a decidedly new look in 2006 -
2007. Gone from last year's National Tournament team are Tara
Walker, Shannon Thomas, Mandy Deal, Anna Ramey, and Heather
Schilling. Along with nine all-conference awards, the departed
players take 60% of the scoring and 54% of the rebounding totals
from last year’s squad. Despite the loss of production, Coach Robin
Hagen-Smith is optimistic about the Bears’ prospects this season.
“This is a very young, but extremely athletic team,” said Smith.
“It might take us a few games to put it all together, but this team
has a great deal of potential.”
Leading this young,
but athletic team are sophomores Karen Diehl and Kelly Wagner. Both
earned All-American Mideast Conference Freshman Team honors last
season. Diehl, a 5’11” forward from Chillicothe, averaged 9.1
points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season. Wayne, a 5’9” guard
from Wayne, OH, averaged 7.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Shawnee State also
returns junior Shannon Leasure and sophomores Andrea Rudmann and
Becky Babione. Leasure, a 5’7” guard from Sarahsville, OH, has
averaged 6.4 points over the course of her career. She has shown
the ability to score in bunches as she has recorded a career-high of
17 points on four separate occasions. Rudmann, a 5-10 forward from
Ironton, OH, averaged 4.3 points, but hit double figures in five
games. Becky Babione, a 6’0” forward from Fremont, OH, averaged 2.8
points and 2.8 rebounds as a freshman.
“Our returning
players, though young, played a lot of minutes last season,” said
Smith. “They also gained a lot of experience, along with some of
the freshmen, when we went to the Virgin Islands this summer. That
was a great experience for the team. It really helped us develop
early team chemistry and togetherness.”
New to the mix are
nine freshmen and one sophomore. Of the nine freshman, six earned
all-state recognition in high school, one in Kentucky and five in
Ohio. Jennifer Grandy, a 5’5” guard from Buchtel, OH, was a
finalist for Miss Basketball in Ohio as a senior. She helped lead
Trimble High School to three straight District Championships and
scored 2,581 points over the course of her career. Alison Meyer, a
6’0” freshman from Hamler, OH, earned 2nd Team All-Ohio
recognition as she led Patrick Henry to a 25-1 record and an
appearance in the state semi-final game. Sarah Williams, a 6’1”
center from Mount Gilead, OH, averaged 18.3 points and 10.2 rebounds
at Northmor High School and earned 3rd team All-Ohio
honors. Jill Cropper, Mallory Albers, and Taylor Christman all
earned honorable mention all-state recognition. Cropper, a 5’11”
center from Georgetown, OH, averaged 15.5 points and 9 rebounds a
game for Georgetown High School. Albers, a 5’7” guard from Fort
Loramie High School, averaged 11.8 and 4.9 rebounds per game as a
senior. Taylor Christman, a 5’5” forward, averaged 14.5 points, 4.6
rebounds, and 3.7steals per game as a senior at Paris High School in
Kentucky. Katie Duduit (Minford, OH; Clay HS) scored 1,321 points
in her career and was twice named the SOC Player of the Year.
Whitney Williams (Coshocton, OH; River View HS) earned honorable
mention All-Ohio recognition as a sophomore. Britnee Bankston was
the league player of the year at Cincinnati Hills High School.
Sarah Cartmell (Ironton, OH; Ironton HS) was a four-year letter
winner in high school. She was first time all-district in
volleyball, and played volleyball for Shawnee State as a freshman.
“All of the freshmen
have shown tremendous attitude and commitment,” said Smith. “They
are all very eager to learn and not afraid of hard work.”
The schedule will be
a challenging one for the young squad. The Bears play five ranked
opponents over the course of the season. The Bears play 23rd
ranked Virginia-Wise at home in the Buffalo Wild Wing Classic and
again at Urbana’s Holiday Classic. Shawnee State also plays 17th
ranked Notre Dame in Urbana. Cedarville, ranked 2nd in
NAIA Division II, appears twice on the Bears’ AMC schedule. In
addition, the Bears take on Cumberland College, ranked 10th
in NAIA Division I, and Georgetown, ranked 18th in NAIA
Division I. The high light of the schedule comes on November 7,
when the Bears travel to Lexington to take on the University of
Kentucky in exhibition play.
“Despite our youth,”
said Coach Smith, “I have very high expectations of this team. We
are going to find out very early on what it will take to be
successful, and I think we will answer the challenge.”
Shawnee State opens
the season against Roberts Wesleyan the Wendy’s Classic on November
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