October 30, 2003

2003-2004 Season Preview

      Some around the RMAC might have thought the Nebraska-Kearney women’s basketball team was ripe for the picking last year. There was a new coach, two top players coming off major injuries and a host of freshmen in key positions.

      But at year’s end, there were the Lopers picking up their sixth RMAC trophy, to go along with their eighth straight NCAA tournament appearance. UNK finished the year 25-6, including an 18-1 effort in league play.

      In 2004, UNK returns all but one player from last year’s squad and has some talented recruits to boot. While injuries will again play a role, possibly major, in the Lopers fortunes, it would be wise to think whoever takes the floor for the Lopers will be ready to continue the program’s strong tradition.

      “We have some pretty high goals for ourselves this year,” said second year head coach Carol Russell. “We overachieved last year in some ways but we had a lot of talent. Things really came together for us at certain points in the year.”

      With Russell having a full year to implement her system, the Lopers are even more on the same page.  

      “Everyone comes into this preseason knowing what to expect. Our team chemistry is already better at this point of the season than last year,” she said.

       An experienced Loper team, featuring last year’s RMAC Player of the Year, Allison Kruger, and RMAC Freshman of the Year, Kalee Moldin, that is getting used to its new system should again be picking up some hardware come March.

Front Court.

      She hasn’t been pain free in a long time and wasn’t even at 100 percent last year. But, that didn’t stop Kruger from being voted the league’s top player last year and leading the Lopers in scoring (15.1) and ranking second in rebounds (7.6) and steals (2.7). The foot ailment that sidelined her in 2001-02 and effected her throughout last year has again acted up in the preseason but expect Kruger to be in uniform and on the court in her fifth and final year.

      “With Allison, it’s going to be day to day. We would like to get to a point where she is at a tolerable pain level and it would be incredible to see her at 100 percent,” Russell said. “She really is a catalyst for us. We have enough talent to replace her points and rebounds but you cannot replace the intangibles she brings to the court.”

      A force in her first two years, Kruger upped the ante last year, recording eight double doubles and having career highs in rebounds, steals, blocks and field goal percentage. Subsequently, she earned honorable mention All-American honors from the WBCA.

      Also bringing home the hardware was Modlin, who scored the most points (456) ever by a Loper freshman. Ranking second to Kruger in points per game (14.7), the goal this year is to expand her all around game. She did rank third on the Lopers in rebounds (5.5) and steals (2.0) last winter.

      “I think Kalee did sneak up on some people last year but that won’t be the case this year. People know who she is now,” Russell said. “She worked hard this summer and came back a better player, especially on the defensive end.”

      Another solid sophomore is lefty Anne Manning who was the team’s top scoring reserve last season (9.1). Almost automatic around the basket, the North Platte native led the league in field goal percentage at 60.2 percent.

      “Anne is a tremendous athlete, as she showed on the softball field last year,” Russell said. “Like Kalee, I think she surprised some people last year.”

      Redshirt freshman Mary Conneally, the tallest player on the team, should provide depth in the post. While she continues to battle injuries that forced her to sit out last year and miss most preseason workouts this fall, she hopefully will be able to go once the regular season begins. 

      “She is progressing as expected. I haven’t seen a lot of her on the court but her defense alone will help us tremendously. She has great hands and is very agile for her size,” Russell said.

      Senior Jenny Brown, who spent two years at Barton C.C. (Kans.) and last season at Oklahoma State, is scheduled to redshirt but could be called out if the injury bug strikes one too many Lopers down.

      “Jenny will help our posts get better and will challenge them in practice. We’re a pretty big RMAC team and its helps us to have another big player to go up against,” Russell said.

On the Wing

      There may not be a more versatile player in the country than senior Heater Steffen. Ranking in the RMAC top 10 in all the key categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks – Steffen is on pace to become the Lopers all-time leading rebounder. At the same time, she set the school record for highest three point percentage in a game when she went seven for seven from behind the arc last winter vs. Regis.

      “I can’t say enough about Heather. Everything she has achieved is because of her work ethic. She just does everything for us,” Russell said. “She adds so much to our team with her competitive drive. Heather just wants to win and will do whatever you ask of her.”

      Despite playing more on the wing last year, Steffen broke her own school record for rebounds in a season by grabbing 276 or 8.9 per game. She also ranked fourth on the team in scoring (12.0), led the team in blocks (27) and steals (2.2) and was second in assists (3.1).

      Another all around player is Lexington junior Erin Jones. With all the injuries at the end of last season, Jones stepped up and had several strong efforts, especially in rebounding and at the defensive end. This fall, Jones is the one injured and she won’t be able to hit the floor until December.

      “Erin was kinda of our junk player last year, someone who would do the dirty work and get those scrappy rebounds,” Russell said. “She also has great defensive intensity and is a great passer on the perimeter.”

Back Court

      Junior Taryn Ninemire entered last year as a bit of a question mark as she was coming off an ACL tear that happened at the end of her freshman season. Sitting out the exhibition games, and wearing a knee brace all season, Ninemire didn’t show to much ill effects form the injury, sinking a school record 90 three pointers, leading the team in assists (3.9) and ranking third in scoring (13.9).

      “I think Taryn is more confident. She won’t be wearing the brace this season. She could’ve gone without it at the end of last year but kept it on for peace of mind,” Russell said. “People know about her three point shot now so we’ve worked on her mid-range game during the off season.”

       Freshman Katie O’Grady, at 5-10, is one of the bigger UNK guards in recent memory. A broken right wrist will set her back during the preseason but the Falls City native should be ready to go once the regular season begins.

      “We’re working on her left hand now and that should help in the long run. She is very versatile and will just have to adjust to the college game,” Russell said.

      UNK’s one loss was starting point guard Emilee Gusso. She averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 assists last year but brought more to the table than her stats showed.

      “Emilee will be tough to replace because she was a great floor leader,” Russell said. “The position is wide open. The exhibition games will be a good test for them all.”

      Sophomore Nicole Gruntorad, junior transfer Amber Whitlock and freshman Liz Fischer are in the hunt to replace Gusso. The race, however, will be down to two in the early going as Whitlock will be sidelined until December with a broken bone in her left arm.

      Gruntorad, who ranked second on the team in threes made (37) in 2003, can play both the one and two guard positions while Whitlock and Fisher are true point guards.

      “Nicole is a great three point shooter and gives us another ball handler when she is not at the point,” Russell said. “Both Amber and Liz are great defenders and can score too.”

      Whitlock spent last year at Notheastern C.C. in Colorado after one season at Northern Colorado while Fischer was a star at Leigh High School.

      “Amber has some good experience and that’s why we brought her in,” Russell said. “Liz is one of the fastest kids we ever had. It’s a big jump to the college game but we think she can handle it.”

Schedule

      UNK’s first four games maybe the toughest stretch in school history. The Lopers have exhibition games at Division I members Creighton and Nebraska and then open the year with defending national champion South Dakota State in Florida. Game four could find UNK against national runner up Northern Kentucky.

      “The Division I games are a great challenge for us and a chance to see what we can do against bigger and more athletic players,” Russell said. “The South Dakota State game and the Florida tournament will be a great test for us.”

            In the RMAC, Fort Hays State, Regis, Mesa State and Colorado State-Pueblo figure to be the teams looking to knock the Lopers off the top spot.