2005-06 Women’s Basketball Outlook

Head Coach Rick Stein leads the University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team into action for the seventh season after becoming the second winningest coach in the program’s 30-year history.

For the Screaming Eagles to bounce back from an injury-plagued season that saw them post a 14-14 overall record, 7-13 in the GLVC, Stein will need to mix a strong cast of seven returnees with seven newcomers.

Leading the list of returnees are senior forwards Sabrina Brandon and Ashley Green. Brandon is USI’s leading returning scorer after finishing second on the squad a year ago with 12.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while Green, who became a scoring threat from outside as a junior, is USI’s top returning rebounder after averaging a team-best 5.6 rebounds per outing in 2004-05.

Senior point guard Tiara Brown averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 assists per contest in her first season with the Eagles and gives the squad a strong presence and leadership in the backcourt. Her assists ranked third in the GLVC.

Junior guard Leah Stormont also saw a lot of action as USI’s point guard a year ago. Stormont, who averaged 1.5 points and 2.2 assists per game in 2004-05, provided the Eagles a lot of speed and hustle on the defensive end of the court and will be looked upon to do the same this season.

One of the biggest hits the Eagles took last season was the loss of freshman forward Jessica Minnick to injury. Minnick averaged 14.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game before a season-ending knee injury sidelined her five games into the season. Minnick received a medical red-shirt for 2004-05 and will be a major asset to the squad in 2005-06.

One player with a ton of athletic talent that should help the Eagles out in 2005-06 is sophomore guard/forward Marshay Jolly. Jolly struggled at times during her rookie season, but has the ability to be an outstanding player. She averaged 14.0 points in USI’s first two contest, putting in a season-best 15 points against Purdue University-Calumet.

With the graduation of last season’s leading scorer, Jamie Truitt, the Eagles will need additional contributions from sophomore guard Nicole McDonald. McDonald averaged 1.5 points per game as a freshman, but showed the capability to hit a long-range shot in key situations.

USI’s list of newcomers includes five transfers and a pair of freshmen. Junior guard/forward Michelle King and junior guard Katie Thiesenhusen will give the Eagles versatility in the back court, while junior forward/center Sarah Buldtman and sophomore forward Megan Kreider will give the Eagles needed size in the post.

King averaged 11.5 points, 3.0 steals, and 4.2 assists per game as a sophomore at Chattanooga State Technical Community College last season, while leading CSTCC to a 25-3 overall record and a NJCAA Division I ranking of 16th. Thiesenhusen averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest in helping Jefferson College to a 28-4 record in 2004-05 and the second round of the NJCAA I Tournament. She averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a freshman.

Buldtman may be one of the best steals of the recruiting season. She averaged 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore for John A. Logan College after an elbow injury limited her to just 22 games in 2004-05. She averaged 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds as a freshman in 2003-04.

Kreider is a walk-on to the squad after spending her freshman season at Glen Oaks Community College where she averaged 10.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in 2004-05.

The Eagles also are excited about the addition of sophomore forward Jasmine Baines. Baines comes to USI from Indiana University/Purdue University-Indianapolis where she was named to the Mid-Continent Conference All-Newcomer Team. She averaged 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in 27 games as a freshman, but put up some big numbers as a starter, averaging 8.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per outing in 15 starts.

USI added to its frontcourt as well as its backcourt with its freshmen signings. Guard Keisha Collins averaged 11.0 points and 3.6 steals per game as a senior at tradition-rich Marian Catholic High School (Chicago Heights, Illinois) and will make an immediate impact at the point guard position. She earned IBCA honorable mention All-State honors and was the Illinois Times Player of the Year last season.

Forward/Center Brittany Neuman averaged 11.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game as a senior at Southridge High School a year ago and will provide much needed size and depth to the post position. She scored 873 points and brought down 707 rebounds during her career at SHS and was a member of two sectional and Pocket Athletic Conference championship squads.

The Eagles start their season earlier than normal when they compete in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic November 4-6 in Orlando, Florida. USI opens the three-day tournament with Columbus State University, a school that defeated the Eagles in the 2001 NCAA II Elite Eight.

USI opens its home schedule with Brescia University November 15 and opens GLVC play on the road against the University of Missouri-Rolla December 1. UMR is one of three newcomers to the league this season. Rockhurst University and national-power Drury University join UMR in its inaugural season in the GLVC and will be part of a seven-member West Division that features USI, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Quincy University, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The Eagles will play each member of the West Division twice in 2004-05, while they will see the East Division once a year. Members of the GLVC’s East Division include Bellarmine University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Lewis University, Northern Kentucky University, Saint Joseph’s College, the University of Indianapolis, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

This year’s Homecoming is scheduled for February 11 against Rockhurst, while Senior Day is slated for February 25 against the Missouri-St. Louis. The GLVC Tournament is March 2-5 at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Indiana, and the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional Tournament is slated for March 10-13. The NCAA II Elite Eight is March 22-25 at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Return to Top