2005-06 Recruits

Kristine Zwolak, from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, has signed a letter of intent to play for Laura Pollard’s Graceland University Yellowjacket women’s basketball team. “Kristine will be a great addition to the women’s basketball team,” according to Pollard. “Her skills and offensive threat will definitely be an asset for us. Overall, she will help with leadership because she is very mature for her age. She will be expected to play better than the average freshman.” Zwolak is a 5-foot-6-inch guard who played for the E.S.C. Algonquin basketball team in North Bay. Kris was the league MVP two seasons and was on the league all-star team three years in a row. Zwolak played in 34 of the 35 games in 2004-05, averaging 14.2 points, 7 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. She also played for Team North at the Junior Development Program tournament at York University during the summer of 2004.

Kris’ coach, Tim Lowe, says Zwolak is a leader on and off the court. “She lead her team in all offensive categories, was one of our best defenders, and as team captain the past two years, she always put the team’s needs before her own. Her maturity and knack to help her teammates has made my job as coach much easier.”

Kris is an all-around athlete, receiving the city’s Outstanding Female Athlete of the year for 2004, which is sponsored by the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame. She was also her high school athlete of the year three times.

Zwolak is an outstanding badminton player, having won a gold medal in senior girls singles at the city tournament two years in a row and regional championships, as well as the bronze medal at the provincial championships this year. She was a member of the school’s first ever city championship volleyball team as a power hitter. They also won silver at the regionals, second to the provincial gold medallists. On the soccer field, Kris led her high school team in goals, even though she played a majority of her games as the goal keeper. She was a member of the city’s under-17 Lakeview TIMBR Mart soccer team that won the gold medal at an international tournament in Sweden last summer.

Kris is the daughter of Agnes and Stan and the sister to Peter, John, Jeremy and Annette. Kris plans to study English and physical education at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

Graceland’s Coach Laura Pollard has added junior college transfer Michelle McCrady to the 2005-06 women’s basketball roster.

McCrady comes to Graceland from St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, where “Lil Bit” was a member of the 1000 point club. At five-feet-two-inches, McCrady was a two-time all-conference player and a one-time all-region point guard for Florissant Valley.

“Michelle McCrady is a phenomenal point guard who will add leadership and lots of talent to our squad,” says Coach Pollard. “She has a quiet persona that encourages yet establishes discipline of the people on the court to produce.”

McCrady played high school ball for Alton Senior High in Alton, Ill. As a point guard for the Redbirds, McCrady was team MVP three years and a two-time first team all-conference player. McCrady was the 2001 Exchange Club MVP and received the 100 percent award. McCrady is a member of the Alton High School 1000 point club and plays on an AAU basketball team in the summer.

Off the court, Michelle is a member of FCA and Talent Search, and is the youth chair at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church.

Michelle is the daughter of William and Karen and the sister to B.J., Nikki and Danielle. Michelle plans to study elementary and physical education at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

Samantha Burnside, a six-foot-three-inch center, has signed a letter of intent to play for Coach Laura Pollard and the Yellowjacket women’s basketball team. “Samantha has great height for our program and faces the basket very well,” says Coach Pollard. “She is knowledgeable about the game of basketball and her greatest attribute is her willingness to get better as a player and a person.” Burnside, from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada, was the senior captain of the Kirkland Lake Collegiate and Vocational Institute Red Devils basketball team. Sammy led the Red Devils in rebounds, points and blocks her senior year.

“Sammy is an outstanding defensive player, where her height helps greatly in changing shots and blocking the floor view of opponents,” says KLCVI Coach Jeff Brandon, who is a Graceland alumnus. “She is a terrific team player and is dedicated to learning and playing the game at a higher level. Sammy is also very dedicated to her studies and will work hard in the classroom. I am certain she will be an integral part of the Yellowjacket program in the near future.”

Sammy is the daughter of Jeanna and Calvin and the sister to Jessica.

Coach Laura Pollard has added Beth Schilling to Graceland University’s 2005-06 women’s basketball roster. Schilling, a five-foot-seven-inch guard, was a four-year letter winner for Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Kansas. As a Cougar, Schilling was coached by Graceland alum John Reiff. “Beth Schilling has an excellent knowledge base for the game of basketball,” according to Coach Pollard. “Her greatest attribute is offensive movement off the ball, allowing her teammates to get their best shot selection. She can score at all vantage points on the court, and defensively she is smart and plays tenacious help side defense. Fundamentally, Beth is very solid and she will fit in our style of play without a doubt.”

Beth is the daughter of Scott and Barbara and the sister to Adam.

Coach Laura Pollard has added Cassie Anderson, a senior at Armstrong-Ringsted High, to the 2005-06 women’s basketball roster at Graceland University. Anderson was the leading rebounder in the Cornbelt Conference as a five-foot-nine-inch forward for the Mustangs. She was a first team all-area and unanimous all-conference player her senior year, and a second team all-area and all-conference player her junior year. Anderson holds the school record for most rebounds and most taken charges in a game and the most charges taken in a career. Cassie was the team’s leading rebounder, scorer, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, charges taken and steals.

“Cassie is a model student and athlete,” says Coach Pollard. “At only five-foot-eight she can play the post position and her greatest strength is her knowledge of the game of basketball as well as her technique to block out and rebound. Cassie has the desire and work ethic to help Graceland women’s basketball win more ballgames in 2005-06.”

As a senior, Anderson was an honorable mention all-conference backside hitter and led the volleyball team in kills. Academically, Anderson holds a 3.5 GPA, and has been on the principal’s honor roll for four years. She is a member of the National Honors Society and received the Academic Achievement Award in four sports for all four years of high school.

Anderson’s list of extracurricular activities includes participation in concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band, honor band, choir, FCCLA, Foreign Language Club, Student Council, high school Sunday school and 4-H. She has also participated in Big Buddy and Pennies for Patients, along with holding offices such as class treasurer, class secretary and student body vice president.

Cassie is the daughter of Greg and DeeAnn and the sister to Tabetha and Logan. Cassie plans to study nursing at health at Graceland.

Christy Everett, from Aurora, Ill., has signed a letter of intent to play basketball and softball for Graceland University in the fall of 2005. Everett is currently a senior at Kaneland High School where she is a captain of the Knights basketball and softball teams. Everett is a five-foot-nine-inch forward on the court and infielder on the diamond. She is on the honor roll and a member of the Community of Christ. “Christy is a very strong athletic basketball player,” according to GU Head Coach Laura Pollard. “Besides being very versatile playing forward and post, Christy's greatest contribution to the Yellowjackets will be her success at winning and playing with a new team. This is because as a senior in high school Christy's family moved to a different state and that meant she had to change high schools. Most impressive is that she was able to step up and be a major contributor on her high school basketball team that made it to the postseason. So, her experience with being on a new team before college, and having a great year, will help GU pursue our goals for the coming season.” Everett also looks to make an impression on the Yellowjacket softball team in the spring of 2006. "Christy is a good athlete that has been playing high quality ball in high school so I believe she will be ready to compete for our softball team right away," says Don Stopa, associate head softball coach at Graceland. "We lose two infielders to graduation so Christy will help us fill a void right away."

Christy is the daughter of Shannon and Rosemary and the sister to Shane and Chad. She plans to study criminal justice and education at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.