LADY COUGAR BASKETBALL TEAM NO. 6 IN NAIA PRESEASON TOP 25
Now the University of Saint Francis women’s basketball team has its work cut out for it after the Lady Cougars were designated the No. 6-ranked team in the NAIA Women’s Division II Top 25 released Wednesday, October 26, 2005.
Entering their fifth season under the direction of head coach Gary Andrews, the Lady Cougars secured the highest ranking for the women’s basketball program since they were rated No. 2 heading into the 1999-2000 campaign. USF finished 24-13 in 2004-05 advancing to the 32-team NAIA National Tournament last March, the ninth time in the last 11 seasons.
The Lady Cougars upset No. 15 Hastings (Neb.) 85-67, but had their season ended 96-67 to final Top 25 No. 1 ranked Cedarville (OH) 96-67. USF was No. 17 in the final NAIA Top 25 for 2004-05. Cedarville advanced to the championship game for the second year in a row before falling to Morningside (IA) in the final.
Andrews has a veteran squad returning including 2004-05 NAIA All-American Megan Dossen (Ossian, IN / Bishop Luers H.S., 16.4 ppg); Cassie Reeder (formerly Kline, Huntington, IN / Huntington North H.S., 7.76 asst. pg, No. 1 in NAIA, 9.4 ppg); Chivonn Keppeler (Edgerton, OH / Edgerton H.S., 14.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, .597 FG shooter, No. 6 in NAIA); and Nikki Lewis (Fort Wayne, IN / Homestead H.S., 11.0 ppg).
“Those four are just for starters,” Andrews said. “We’re like an iceberg in that there’s more to this year’s team than what you see on the surface. With the players we have returning and a talented group of newcomers and freshmen, we have the potential to really challenge for the conference title and national recognition.
“We’ve got a team this year that can get the ball down the court and seal the deal. We’re more athletic than any team I’ve had the previous four years and we’re going to put that talent to good use.”
“It was disappointing to finish that way, but it has also served as a motivator for the players we have back to get stronger and improve,” Andrews said.‑ “We have good kids who work hard and know what it takes to be successful.‑ Our players just want us to be successful,” Andrews said. “They know their job is to help us find a way to win.‑ They are a lot of fun to coach.”
The Lady Cougars also return their top three rebounders —Keppeler (7.2), Reeder (5.08), and Dossen (4.65) and their top three assist-leaders — Reeder (277), Amanda Engleking (75), and Lewis (62). Dossen was an NAIA All-American, third team, a first team All-MCC selection and the league’s Newcomer-of-the-Year. Lewis earned second team all-conference honors. Reeder was under-rated as an honorable mention selection and Keppeler went un-noticed outside the Lady Cougars’ family.
In addition, sophomore Tara Dice and transfer Lindy Carey provide Andrews with plenty of experience players to count on. The incoming freshman class of Marie Kaufmann, Bessie Jenkins, Mary Petrie and Myranda Zimmerman is talented and adds depth that has been missing in previous seasons.
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