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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia University women's basketball team enters the 2013-14 season with high expectations after a successful campaign in which the team claimed the NSIC regular season crown and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Bears return four starters and multiple bench pieces while also adding five new players and getting two players back from injuries.
"Every year we want to win the regular season conference title or compete for the conference title, we want to win 20+ games, we want to get into the NCAA tournament and advance as deep as we can. The goals never change, we just need to work hard and get better every day," Fessler said.
While expectations may remain the same for the team, the WBCA Preseason Poll has the Golden Bears picked ninth in the country and the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll has CU tabbed to win the league for the second consecutive season. The Golden Bears finished the year last season with a 23-7 mark and a 19-3 record in conference play, a 12 win improvement from the previous year.
The starting five for Concordia is comprised of an experienced group that had a great opportunity to grow last season as a unit. The backcourt returns two seniors in
Rachel Hansen and
Carissa Wolyniec, two three-year contributors.
"Rachel, as a senior, has a handle on [the point guard position] which is comforting to know," Fessler said of his fourth year starter at the point. Hansen has been a productive player throughout her career and took a big step forward as a facilitator last season. She finished second on the team with 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and led the NSIC with 5.2 assists per game. Hansen is climbing up the all-time Concordia ranks and is third in free throws made with 324, sixth in assist average (3.4), eighth in games started (85) and tied for tenth in assists (301).
Veteran
Carissa Wolyniec will once again be a strong perimeter presence for the Golden Bears after hitting 73 threes and scoring 10.1 points per game last year. Wolyniec has been a mainstay as an outside threat for Concordia in her first three season, hitting 173 career threes, good for fifth all-time at CU.
Battling for the final starting spot for the Golden Bears are transfers
Ameshia Kearney,
Voneisha Harris and
Diamond Lane as well as freshmen
Mishayla Jones and
Lauren Shifflett.
Mishayla Jones is a talented young player for the Golden Bears. "Shayla has a huge future as a freshman and will have time to develop behind Hansen," Fessler said.
Diamond Lane adds a new dynamic as a smaller quicker guard that can defend and push the tempo and
Tierra Bender will be back at the semester break and will add some experience to the backcourt. Bender has worked hard coming off an injury last season and will be hungry to return to the court this year.
Voneisha Harris comes in from MCC-Penn Valley and will add some athleticism and
Ameshia Kearney from Johnson County CC should give the Golden Bears an offensive threat from the perimeter.
"Vo helps us with defensive matchups and transition ability and Ameshia gives us another three point shooing threat which is a big bonus."
Lauren Shifflett is a freshman who is an excellent perimeter shooter and works hard at getting better daily.
Not only will there be added depth at the guard position but the frontcourt will also be deeper this season as well. Junior
Anika Whiting returns as the reigning NSIC Player of the Year and is joined by sophomore
Kionda Nicks to form a formidable front line on both ends of the floor again this year.
"[Whiting] puts on her own high expectations so I'm not worried about her. We know what we're going to get from her and that she is going to work hard to improve her game," Fessler said of his All-American. Whiting averaged 17.6 points per game, third best in the league, and 7.2 boards while shooting an efficient 53.1% from the field and 75.2% from the line. She was also a presence on the defensive end last season, finishing eighth in the league with 31 blocks and second on the team with 43 steals. Whiting scored in double digits in all but one game and scored 20+ in ten games.
Nicks is a player expected to make a big step forward in her second season after an impressive freshman campaign. She did a little bit of everything for Concordia, averaging 4.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and picking up 53 blocks and 33 steals in just 19.6 minutes per night. She showed a knack for altering opponents' shots as her 53 blocks were good for second best in the NSIC. "Nicks is one we expect a breakout year and improvement in conditioning and readiness for college basketball is going to help her take a big step this year," Fessler stated. He also said, "Nicks is one of the best passing players period, let alone best passing post players so the more she handles the ball, the easier shots people will get."
Off the bench,
Amanda Barton and
Jodi Batzel will play a big role for CU.
"Barton has gotten stronger and more aggressive and we expect more of an impact, especially on the offensive end, from her and we're excited to get
Jodi Batzel back after her redshirt year last year coming off a knee injury. We're trying to work Jodi back comfortably and slowly because we have that depth at post and when she gets back to her high level of play she will be another dynamic player," Fessler said about his bench down low.
Asha Knight is an improving player who provides a physical presence that gives some more depth and
Jordyn Dudley is a perimeter post player who will add an outside shooting stroke to the frontcourt.
All this depth should allow the Golden Bears to increase the tempo this season and put some defensive pressure on teams and force turnovers. The team will still run through the post with talented scorers down low who can work the ball inside-out. The athleticism and length the team has should create matchup problems for other teams and their ability to get up and down the floor will put opposing defenses in a tough position in transition.
The tough schedule should allow for many tests early on which should help show what the team can do heading into conference play.
#9 Concordia opens up their regular season schedule this weekend in Anaheim, Calif. as they take part in the Disney CCAA Division II Tip-Off Classic. They take on Califronia State-East Bay on Friday at 3:30 p.m., Pittsburg State (Kan.) on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. and #5 Emporia State on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. The tournament will provide a good early season test with a matchup against a ranked opponent and another against a team receiving votes (Pittsburg State).
Live stats will be available for the tournament at cugoldenbears.com.
