2008 Woodie Awards
Additions to Men's Team Results in Harder Practices for Basketball Players
Erica Siebrasse
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Sports
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The women's team has five new freshmen to replace the five seniors that graduated last year, keeping the squad at 11. The team will get an 11th girl after the volleyball season when freshman Samantha Clark jumps squads. A big loss to the women's squad is the graduated Jamie Ball who scored over 1000 points in her collegiate career, one of only seven Warriors to ever do so. Captaining the team are seniors Erin McKenzie, Kyra Shachmut, and Casey Smith.
"During practice I count on them to keep the team energized," first year coach Chris Hitchcock said. He also uses them as his eyes and ears on the court. "They have insight on the court that someone on the sidelines doesn't always get," he said. The captains also organized and led preseason practice when Hitchcock was not allowed to lead practice, according to NCAA rules.
Now that he can lead practices Hitchcock has the women working harder than in previous years. His hope is that the harder practices will make the games easier. "It'll be a half hour before we stop," he said. "We go drill to drill to drill."
Last year the men ended with a mere nine players total. Of those nine they lost two seniors, but they gain two transfers students, five new freshman, and junior Peter Curby will return from a knee injury, bringing the total to 15 players. As this year's much larger baseball team can attest to, a larger squad opens up new opportunities.
"This will allow us to play more up tempo," men's head coach, Dan Priest said about one of the main benefits of a large squad.
A goal for the men's team this year will be to get into the SCAC conference tournament, something they missed last year. The tournament takes the teams with 8 best records.
"Practice is going really well; we're looking to turn things," freshman David Foley said.