Season Outlook

The Yellowjackets lost the point guard play of Michelle Acosta (Midland, Texas), who was named NAIA Second Team All-American and was the 4th place leading scorer in the NAIA with 21.0 points per game. She lead the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) in scoring and steals. Michelle will not see the court this year but will return as a student assistant coach with fellow team-mates: Nina McAlister (Midland, Texas) and Stacey Osborn (Liberty, Mo.). Nina ended her final season averaging 5.7 rebounds per game and 6.3 points per game while taking care of the basketball and averaging two steals per game.

Stacey Osborn has opted out to play her senior year and focus on her academic goals, while also helping the team establish similar or better success than last year. Stacey is already proving herself as a coach as she is positive and understands the game of basketball. All of the student coaches are enthused about entering into a season with a change in coaching staff as well as style of play. Cadey Dryer's 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game will also be missed.

Right now, the focus in the program is to build confidence and team unity and one can achieve this by taking players such as these three and having them get their peers motivated. “I’m certain that the team’s overall team play and their skills and abilities as players will be strengthened as they too get in great physical condition,” says Coach Laura Pollard. “In preseason I have been impressed with their attentiveness, willingness to learn and great work ethic. This is a team that experienced success last year and seem hungry therefore willing to do even better!”

Possible returning guards to earn positions in the one and two spots are many. Beth Hooten (El Reno, Okla.) is running cross country in addition to finding time to work out with the basketball team. She is very fit, utilizing her speed and quickness as well as being a leader on the court. Casey Cole (Marshalltown, Iowa), who averaged 1.6 steals and 2.3 assists per game last season, has the ability to add quickness in the back court and has been influential with establishing team unity thus far. Tammy Sandquist will be coming off a knee injury and is a shooter. She shot 80 percent from the line last season. Senior Stacy Dobson (New Franklin, Mo.) and sophomore Adrienne Nickles (Port Huron, Mich.) are both athletic players, who are small, but are capable of handling the one, two and three spots.

Shelli Meyer (Kirkwood, Iowa) currently is a starter on the Yellowjacket volleyball squad and we are looking forward to her leadership and her development as a solid post player as one of four seniors this year. Jen McDonald (Gladwin, Mich.) is a senior guard hoping to earn varsity time and Joanne “Jo Jo” Lehman (Mt. Albert, Ontario, Canada) is a senior post player with a lot of knowledge of the game and will look to play for the varsity squad in her final year.

Other returning players that did not play a lot last year but still have hopes to earning varsity or junior varsity status are: Erin Bishop (Osceola, Iowa); LaShonda Davison (Des Moines, Iowa); and Jennifer Martinez (LaFeria, Texas). Bishop and Davison are strong physical post players and Martinez has been playing junior varsity volleyball so we have yet to see all of her abilities. Brandy Mair is also a returning post player but will sit this season out tending to severe tendonitis in both knees.

Indeed, the Graceland University women’s basketball team will have some newcomers, that combined with the returners, will make the competitiveness in practice exciting. “I was real fortunate to be able to recruit players that I had recruited to Huron University,” says Pollard, who was previously the head women’s basketball coach at Huron University in South Dakota.

During a recruiting process student-athletes get to know their future coach and usually through that relationship wish to play for that coach. Luckily this was the case for Pollard. Without hesitation the first person to agree to come to Graceland was post player Cheryl Lyles (Colorado Springs, Colo.). She definitely has talent and with added physical strength could be a part of the varsity squad. Without a doubt, Amy Giehtbrock (Chatfield, Minn.) a junior college transfer from Vermillion Community College, will vie for a varsity spot because she is a versatile player who is able to play both the guard and post positions.

Jessica Crockett (St. Paul, Minn.), a transfer from Minneapolis Community College, is a solid rebounder and can play the four and five spots. Freshman players Nakisha “Nikki” Evans (Benton Harbor, Mich.) and Eboni Farley (Benton Harbor, Mich.) will also be prepared to push their post and guard spots respectively. Lastly, guard Laqurisha Gray (Colorado Springs, Co.) will see action in January, and Brittney Green (Pomona, Kan.), a transfer from Allen County Community College in Kansas, will red-shirt this year due to a knee injury.

Before former women’s head coach Dan Hanton, now the Director of Athletics at Graceland, left his appointment at the helm of the team, he signed a stand-out guard from Southwestern Community College in Rebecca Webb (Creston, Iowa). Rebecca fits right into the guard quickness and nose for the ball. Hanton also signed Margo Iglesias (LaJoya, Texas) who not only has the speed but also great scoring ability. Lara Guscott Mt. Albert, Ontario, Canada), who is also a starting freshman for the nationally ranked women’s soccer team at Graceland, is quick and gaining lots of success which we know will help us when she enters the basketball court.

Furthermore, Sarah Young (Wright City, Mo.), a freshman starter for the Graceland volleyball team, is very athletic and also earning that success in a solid Yellowjacket volleyball program. Jennifer Coulson (Eagleville, Mo.) is a 5’10 inch forward played one year for Iowa Wesleyan and luckily came to Graceland this year. Lastly, we have Teagan Badder (Thunder Bay, Ontario,Canada). Teagan will need to get an old knee injury in shape but she knows the game and will help our squad.

So there you have it----a glimpse of the 2003-2004 Graceland Yellowjacket women’s basketball team. And what is to be expected? Even though I have not yet coached any of these young women, I know this: They will get after the basketball. They will dazzle opponents with athleticism and a confident attitude. And, they will have fun doing it.

However, this fun is the kind that beams with success. They want to win and have yet to identify what talents they truly have. It is my job to help them find their way with an upbeat tempo of basketball and to utilize their speed and quickness in full-court and half-court defense. I’m confident that they will buy into the system I establish based again on their individual and team talents. The sky is the limit and the Yellowjackets are buzzing high above the ground. LOOK OUT!