Northern Michigan women's basketball 2008-09 yearbook www.nmu.edu/sports Quick Facts Table of Contents 2008-09 Outlook. 1 Head Coach Troy Mattson. .2 Coaching Staff. .3 2008-09 Roster. 3 Player Profiles. .4-9 2007-08 Game-by-Game Review. .10 he Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Twas founded in June 1972. During the two years previous to the 2007-08 GLIAC Results, Standings. 11 GLIAC’s founding, several attempts were made to create a new NCAA NMU Profile. .12 College Division conference. In 1971, the Great Lakes Athletic Confer- 2008-09 Wildcat Women’s Basketball Schedule. Back cover ence was formed, but plans for the new conference were put on hold, and several of the participating schools subsequently withdrew their support. The idea did not die, though, and since 1972-73 the GLIAC has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women. Quick Facts Location: Marquette, Mich. The GLIAC features a membership of 12 schools: Ashland Uni- versity, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, University Nickname: Wildcats of Findlay, Hillsdale College, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Founded: 1899 Technological University, Northern Michigan University, Northwood Enrollment: 9,400 University, Saginaw Valley State University, Tiffin University and Wayne President: Dr. Leslie (Les) Wong State University. Affiliation: NCAA II Overall the GLIAC conducts championships in 20 sports, 10 for Conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men and 10 for women. The policy-making body is the GLIAC Execu- Home Court (capacity): Berry Events Center (4,000) tive Council, which is comprised of three representatives from each Colors: Old Gold and Olive Green member institution – its director of athletics, faculty representative and Director of Athletics: Ken Godfrey senior woman administrator. Final approval of all GLIAC legislation is required by the Council of GLIAC Presidents. Head Basketball Coach: Troy Mattson As GLIAC commissioner, Tom Brown is responsible for all confer- Alma Mater: Northern Michigan ’86 ence administration. He is beginning his 16th season as the conference’s NMU Record/Years: 24-54/3 fifth commissioner. Overall Record/Years: 24-54/3 Office Phone: 906-227-2643 Assistant Coach: Brigitte LaPointe Alma Mater: Finlandia ‘07 Office Phone: 906-227-2109 Head Trainer: Jim Winkler Office Phone: 906-227-2027 Equipment Manager: John Tesssaro Office Phone: 906-227-1110 Sports Information Director: David Faiella Office Phone: 906-227-1013 Home Phone: 906-226-8435 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 906-227-2492 Sports Hotline: 906-227-1014 Web Address: www.nmu.edu/sports Team Information 2007-08 Overall Record: 9-17 2007-08 GLIAC Record/Place: 4-14/7th GLIAC North Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/2 Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1 Northern Michigan University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status, familial status, handicap/disability, sexual orientation or veteran status in employment or the provision of services and provides, upon request reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all programs and activities. 2008-09 NMU Preview ourth-year coach Troy Mattson and his Sophomore Nicole Grengs, redshirt FNorthern Michigan University women’s freshman Carla L’Esperance and true fresh- basketball team will begin a season of devel- man Lauren Beeler provide great athleticism opment. The team has lost its leading scorer and energy at this position. Mattson says they from last year, Allison Carroll. Carroll was all bring a strong work ethic and are compet- named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate ing for some playing time. Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division All-Conference Second Team. Carroll led the Centers 2007-08 Wildcats in scoring with 389 points Junior Angie Leckson and sophomore Erin (15.0 ppg), rebounds with 148 (5.7 rpg) and Powers are strong on the inside and de- blocked shots with 24 (0.92 bpg). She was fensively. Last season Leckson appeared in also sixth in the GLIAC in blocked shots, 26 games and averaged 6.9 points and 4.2 ninth in scoring and 16th in rebounds. rebounds. She contributed points from the The Wildcats, who were selected sixth free throw line making 54 of the 77 attempts. in the GLIAC pre-season poll, will welcome Powers appeared in 22 games, averaged two back 12 players from last year’s squad. The points per game and blocked a total of eight team has four new players. NMU is coming shots. She also went 13 of the 19 at the free off a 9-17 overall and 4-14 GLIAC slate for throw line. the 2007-08 season. Junior Jaclyn Davey, who is 6-1, is ex- pected to have a presence and contribute to Guards the team’s efforts. The Wildcats are looking to their experience on the perimeter to advance the team this Kelsey Deacon is the top returning scorer for the Schedule season. Senior Kelsey Deacon appeared in 2008-09 Wildcats. She averaged 12.3 ppg for the The Wildcats are looking forward to using 26 games last year, averaging 12.3 points per 2007-08 season. the home court to advantage. The 27 game game. With more time on the floor than any Also returning for the Wildcats are schedule includes 15 home games. The ’Cats of her teammates, averaging 32.3 minutes per sophomore Kellie Rietveld and juniors Natalie will face the North’s top seed Michigan Tech, game, she led the team in assists, 2.7 per game Larocque and Christa Erickson. Rietveld twice this season, in Houghton on Dec. 13 and had a three-point percentage of .332. appeared in 26 games last season and aver- and at home on Jan. 3. Last season the ‘Cats Sophomore Steffani Stoeger also returns. aged 5.2 points per game. She made 23 of 32 lost to Tech 74-61 in December and 54-52 in Stoeger appeared in 26 games, averaging 8.3 free throws and had 30 assists. Larocque February. points per game and she had 53 total assists. appeared in 26 games and garnered a field Northern will also face the South’s top She also led the team in steals with 60 per goal percentage of .366 and a three-point per- seed, Hillsdale twice, on Jan. 17 and Feb. 19. game. centage of .323. She had a total of 16 steals. Last year the ’Cats faced Hillsdale once and Erickson, who appeared in eight games, had a lost 65-46. Number two in the North, Grand field goal percentage of .500 and averaged 4.8 Valley State and No. 2 in the South, North- points per game. wood, will also face off with the ’Cats twice Mattson also has high hopes for fresh- this year. man Brynn Larson and senior Holly Cole, Although it will be a challenging season, who are expected to be major contributors Mattson is confident that his team will make off the bench. Cole was a member of the drastic improvements from the previous sea- NMU team in 2003-05. “Larson and Cole son. “I think we have 12 teams in the league have the capability of lighting the score boards that are good and truthfully it’s pretty tight. up,” said Mattson. If people come to watch us play, they will see a high-energy team,” said Mattson. “We are as good as anybody in the league. Every game Forwards will be a great game right to the end.” The Wildcats should be strong at the forward position. Senior Cassi Rushford appeared in 26 games last season and had a field goal percentage of .444, 71 total rebounds and a three-point percentage of .424. Also at the forward position are senior Cassie Hegbloom and sophomore Hillary Bowling. Hegbloom appeared in 25 games and had a field goal percentage of .459 with an average 4.4 rebounds. Bowling appeared in 19 games and had a field goal percentage of Cassie Hegbloom was second on the team in rebounds .350. Look for Hegbloom and Bowling’s num- during the 2007-08 season with 111 rebounds (4.4 bers to increase because of the hard work rpg). She is the top returning rebounder. both have put in last year and in practice, according to Mattson. 1 Coaches Head Coach Troy Mattson Troy Mattson enters his fourth and women’s basketball coach at Lake Superior State University from season as NMU’s head women’s 1986-88. basketball coach. His three-year He began his coaching career at Munising High School, where he total is 24-54. He led the Wildcats was the boy’s basketball coach for the 1985-86 season. to a 6-19 mark in his inaugural A Milwaukee, Wis., native who grew up in Ishpeming, Mattson is a 2005-06 season, was 9-18 in 2006- 1981 Westwood High School graduate. He earned his bachelor’s degree 07 and 9-17 in 2007-08. from NMU in 1986, where he was a four-time letterwinner (1982-85) From 1994-2005, Mattson was as a point guard for the Wildcats. He was the 10th player in school his- the associate head coach of the tory to score 1,000 career points. NMU men’s basketball team and Mattson is currently 27th on the career scoring list with 1,018 assistant coach from 1988. He also points. He is third in career assists with 486 and is tied for third in served as the head NMU women’s most assists in a single season with 187, along with Doug Ingalls. During tennis coach from 1994-2003, his junior and senior years, Mattson helped lead the Wildcats to the where he was the GLIAC Coach NCAA II playoffs.