Former Lady Jack

[jackrabbit1979]

Sportshow on 910 in Brookings reported this morning that former jack women's bball player Isha Vanterpool has left the DWU women's basketball program for personal reasons. :-/

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Former Lady Jack

Didn't she leave the Jacks about the same time last year?

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Former Lady Jack

http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/Main...rticleID=14100

Vanterpool leaves DWU women’s basketball team

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

By JOEL REINESCH, The Daily Republic

Dakota Wesleyan sophomore Isha Vanterpool left the women’s basketball team for personal reasons this week, head coach Ann Konechne said Tuesday.

The timing certainly could’ve been better for the Tigers, who are 4-10 overall and 2-4 in Great Plains Athletic Conference play, as they travel to take on Division II Augustana Thursday night.


Vanterpool, a transfer from South Dakota State University, has been one of the Tigers’ highest-scoring players this season, averaging 10 points a game for the Tigers. She also has started 10 of the Tigers’ 14 games this year.


“We’re not going to replace (Vanterpool’s) athleticism,” Konechne said. “It’s always hard losing a good athlete. She is moving onto different things that she has to have happen in her life. The basketball team will be OK.”


Vanterpool started off hot for the Tigers, scoring 19 points in a season-opening loss at South Dakota Tech, followed by 18 at Black Hills in the Tigers’ next game. Lately, the 5-foot-9 sophomore guard from Huron has been struggling through a finger injury which seemed to come to a head in Saturday’s 74-46 loss to Hastings at the Corn Palace. Vanterpool played 13 minutes - about half her average - and took just one shot while turning the ball over three times.


Still, losing an athletic guard doesn’t help a Wesleyan team that’s had issues with turnovers so far this season. However, DWU has shown flashes of being a solid team at times this year, including a 67-point second-half showing in a 91-60 win over Briar Cliff recently. The Tigers are averaging 21 turnovers a game, but only committed 13 in the win.


“I think we’ll be able to find some scoring (in the absence of Vanterpool),” Konechne said. “Like I said, it’s going to be hard to replace the athleticism that she had. But we’re starting to see some small consistencies right now.


“We’re young, plus we’re trying to get some experience and mesh together. That’s why one game we look like we’re unstoppable, and the next a few mistakes really get us down.”


Lately, Konechne has been going with the starting lineup of Kelly Haiar and Nikki Johnston at the forwards and the trio of Jennifer Pommer, Sarah Mortenson and Stacy Schultz at the guards. Whitney Gard, a freshman along with Mortenson, has also started five games this season.


“I’ve kind of always said there are no freshmen after December,” Konechne said. “I’m very positive our freshmen are going to step up after the Christmas break. Every day in practice, something pops up that gets better for us. The first half of the year is such a learning experience and such an information-overload for a lot of the freshmen. Now, they’re kind of getting a break to gather themselves and jump back in.”


The Tigers are already without the use of sophomore reserve Adria Pazour, who is lost until sometime in January with a shoulder injury. Junior Kara Overweg had preseason surgery on her shooting hand and is now just getting back into the Tigers’ lineup.


Thursday’s matchup with Augie is the third in a string of tough tests for the Tigers. Wesleyan’s last two contests have been against nationally-ranked NAIA teams, including losses at Morningside a week ago and Saturday’s to Hastings at the Corn Palace. Morningside, the defending national champion, is ranked fifth in the latest NAIA II poll and Hastings is seventh.


To add to the Tigers’ run, Augie is 6-1 on the season and hasn’t lost at the Elmen Center in more than 20 games.


“Augie is tough,” Konechne said. “They’re fast and they’re tall. We just want to come out and take them to the wire. We have nothing to lose and they have everything to lose.”

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Former Lady Jack

I dont like to comment, but after two departures due to personal reasons, you kind of scratch your head and wonder whats all going on in her life. I know when you get my age, you do reflect on your earlier choices and wonder whether they were right and wrong and I am guilty of throwing in a few "WHAT IFS".

I hope Isha will not have too many regrets later in life as these opportunities come to her only at this stage of life, not when you are forty or fifty.

[jackmd]

Re: Former Lady Jack

Not going to speculate. Only want to wish Isha and her family the best. College is tough enough, add in an athletic career and it can be overwhelming.