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  • Women's Season Preview

    Here are highlights from the Rapid City Journal.

    http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/arti...cal/news06.txt

    Other women: SDSU to battle best in U.S.

    BROOKINGS - Ten home games and five games against Division I postseason participants from a year ago highlight the 2005-06 schedule for the South Dakota State University women's basketball team.

    The Jackrabbits enter their second season at the NCAA Division I level after compiling a 21-7 overall record during the 2004-05 season, including an 8-7 mark against Division I competition. Of the Jackrabbits' 28 regular season games this season, 26 will be against Division I opponents.

    Included in the schedule are matchups against NCAA Tournament qualifier Middle Tennessee State and WNIT qualifiers Nebraska, Marquette (Wis.) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

    SDSU defeated Middle Tennessee State, 58-56, on the road last season, with the rematch scheduled as the Jackrabbits' regular season home opener on Dec. 2 at Frost Arena.

    Another marquee rematch features the Jackrabbits hosting Alabama in a matinee Dec. 18. SDSU posted an 86-83 victory on the Crimson Tide's home court last January.

    The Jackrabbits are scheduled to play home-and-home series against fellow independents IPFW (Jan. 19, Feb. 24), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Jan. 26 and Feb. 13) and North Dakota State (Feb. 4 and 18 ).

    Other home games include: Dec. 4 vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Dec. 16 vs. Texas State, Jan. 10 vs. Kennesaw State (Ga.), Feb. 1 vs. Southwest Minnesota State and the season finale March 3 against Central State (Ohio).

    SDSU's road schedule includes three separate trips to California to face Long Beach State (Dec. 30), San Jose State (Jan. 14) and UC Riverside (Feb. 28 ).

    The Jackrabbits also will make two appearances in Wisconsin and Colorado. The Wisconsin trips will consist of games at the University of Wisconsin on Dec. 8 and at Marquette on Dec. 21. SDSU will play games against Colorado State and UC Irvine Thanksgiving weekend at the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational in Fort Collins, Colo., before meeting the University of Colorado Dec. 28 in Boulder.

    SDSU will play a pair of home exhibition games against Minnesota-Crookston (Nov. 4) and Upper Iowa (Nov. 11) before opening the regular season Nov. 19 at Nebraska.

    South Dakota State

    Coach: Aaron Johnston, sixth year.

    Assistant coaches: Laurie Melum, Emilee Gusso, Jina Johansen.

    Conference: Independent.

    Last season's record: 21-7.

    Returning starters: 5-7 sr. Heather Sieler, 5-11 jr. Megan Vogel (15 ppg).

    Other returning letterwinners: 6-2 sr. Christina Gilbert, 5-8 jr. Chelsey Hegge, 6-2 soph. Courtney Grimsrud, 6-0 soph. Sarah Meckley, 5-9 soph. Andrea Verdegan.

    Promising prospects: 6-2 fr. Natalie Carda, 5-10 fr. Morgan Meier, 5-8 fr. Ashlea Muckenhirn, 6-0 fr. Stacie Oistad, 5-7 sr. Sarah Smith, 6-0 fr. Jennifer Warkenthien, 5-9 jr. Lindsay Wasland (transfer from N.D. Science).

    Letterwinners missing: Brooke Dickmeyer, Sarita DeBoer, Shannon Schlagel, Stephen Bolden, Corrie Dickmeyer.  .  .  .


    Go State!  ;D


  • #2
    Re: Women's Season Preview

    Highlights from a Collegian story:

    http://www.sdsucollegian.com/media/p...-1042752.shtml

    Women's basketball team embraces challenge of Division-I schedule
    Opportunity to play in the WNIT provides extra incentive for upcoming season


    By Will Oliver

    Entering its second season at the Division-I level, the SDSU women's basketball program progresses to a complete D-I schedule. The schedule enables the Jacks a shot at the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

    With a roster infiltrated by new faces, the Jacks can battle inexperience with a few former national champions.

    "Last year we had a combination of about half D-I and half D-II [games]," said SDSU's Head Women's Basketball Coach Aaron Johnston.

    This year the team will see Division-I competition in all but two exhibition games with Minnesota-Crookston Nov. 4 and Upper Iowa Nov. 11. Both games will take place at Frost Arena.

    Finishing with a 21-7 record last year, the Jacks went 8-7 against D-I teams. They posted key wins against the University of Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Alabama and Middle Tennessee, who finished the season with an NCAA tournament berth, but fell on the road to Purdue and University of Southern California. Both Purdue and USC earned high seeds in the NCAA tournament. . . .

    Division-II national champions in 2003, the Jacks went out on top, departing from the North Central Conference and the Division-II level one year after their championship run. Leaving a conference which State dominated in its last years, players noticed in their first D-I season a marked difference in the level of play between the two collegiate stages.

    "Division-I schools have really good athletes," said senior point guard Heather Sieler. . . .

    "The level of competition in D-I is a lot higher," she said. "You're not able to blowout teams anymore ... Every game is close."

    Sieler, along with center Christina Gilbert, are the only remaining players from the championship team of 2002-2003. They represent two of only three seniors on the 2005 roster. Guard Sara Smith completes the trio.

    "It does put a lot more pressure on us," said Sieler of the seniors' experience. "We have a big responsibility to lead the team because [the team's] so young."

    Seven new players join the Jackrabbit squad this season: transfer students Sara Smith, a senior guard from Tamarack, Minn., and Lindsey Wasland, a junior forward from Wallace; and five incoming freshmen decorated with numerous high-school honors and awards.

    "[They're] all really talented players," said Johnston, SDSU's second-most victorious coach. He said his team is the "quickest and most athletic team we've ever had."

    Johnston said his team can be a great three-point shooting team with the players' experience on the perimeter. The inside lacks experience, however.

    "[There is a] great deal of talent at the post position," Johnston said. "But not a lot of college experience." . . .

    This year marks State's first eligible season for the WNIT tournament.

    "We're really excited about playing for the WNIT," said Sieler. "It adds to the intensity."

    Although the Lady Jacks are ineligible for the NCAA Tournament, Gilbert predicts climbing to the top of the D-I ranks in the future.

    "Look for SDSU as National Champions as soon as we're eligible."

    State becomes eligible for the "Big Dance" during the 2008-2009 season.

    The Jacks kick off their D-I season at the University of Nebraska on Nov. 19.


    Go State! ;D




    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Women's Season Preview

      Gosh, I wish we could go back to the good old days and those epic home and home series with St. Cloud State. DII was so great. [/sarcasm]

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Women's Season Preview

        Leaving a conference which State dominated in its last years, players noticed in their first D-I season a marked difference in the level of play between the two collegiate stages.

        Say what ... SDSU never won the NCC outright. Hardly say that qualifies for domination.

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        • #5
          Re: Women's Season Preview

          Maybe never won NCC outright but who from the NCC was there every year besides the Jacks and went farther in post season...that is domination.

          Get back on the Argus Forum and dribble there!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Women's Season Preview

            You're right. Winning the National Championship is hardly dominating.
            "You just stood their screaming. Fearing no one was listening to you. Hearing only what you wanna hear. Knowing only what you heard." Metallica

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            • #7
              Re: Women's Season Preview

              Not to mention the three consecutive Elite 8 appearances.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Women's Season Preview

                Originally posted by SPORTSFAN
                Leaving a conference which State dominated in its last years, players noticed in their first D-I season a marked difference in the level of play between the two collegiate stages.

                Say what ... SDSU never won the NCC outright. Hardly say that qualifies for domination.
                Can you say NIN-COM-POOP?
                We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler

                We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Women's Season Preview

                  Originally posted by SPORTSFAN
                  Leaving a conference which State dominated in its last years, players noticed in their first D-I season a marked difference in the level of play between the two collegiate stages.

                  Say what ... SDSU never won the NCC outright. Hardly say that qualifies for domination.

                  111-28 over the last 4 years is hardley dominating

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