|
In this age
of sequels and special effects, we see a multitude of series movies like
the Star Wars trilogy, Saw III, Halloween 7, Police Academy 8 and Friday
the 13th, Part 13. Movie fans always seem to want more of
the same, but flashier. An action movie sequel must have more stunts,
move explosions, and more last second heroics. A horror film must be
scarier and a comedy sequel must have more jokes and sight gags. For Lady T fans, can the sequel out-perform the original? The 2005-06 squad captured a Dakota Athletic Conference Championship, a berth in the NAIA National Tournament and an “Elite Eight” finish at the same tourney. Topping that will be a monumental task worthy of a Steven Spielberg/George Lucas production. Leading the Lady T’s efforts in 2006 will be senior forward Sara Nelson and guard Angie Gottsleben. Nelson, a 6-2 forward, is a Dell Rapids native that has been a force inside the past three years. Sara is currently third all time in blocked shots and is part of a talented front line rotation. Gottsleben, a Brandon Valley high school graduate, joined the team after two years at Iowa Lakes junior college and provides the Lady T’s with another long-range shooter. Angie shot 41% from behind the arc last year and is expected to continue extending opponents defenses this season. The junior class has made it’s mark on DSU and has been one of the most productive recruiting classes in DSU history. In the frontcourt, 6-1 Laura Tewes recorded double-doubles in two of the three national tournament games last year and is one of the most athletic forwards in the league. Laura comes to the Lady T’s from Mayer, MN, and is an All-American high jumper for the DSU track program. 6-2 center Maria Gengler is the anchor for the Lady T’s aggressive defense. With her shot blocking ability, Maria consistently dominates the paint and forces opponents to change their offensive attack. A steady scorer as well, Maria shoots over 50% from the field and has been one of the top three scorers for DSU in her first two seasons. Jessica VanLoy was an Honorable Mention All-American as a sophomore and has given DSU flexibility in the small forward position. At 5-10, the Wabasso native can handle the opponent's post players on the defensive end while playing a perimeter game at the offensive end. Jess has also provided the Lady T’s with a utility player capable of playing multiple positions on the floor. In the backcourt, veteran guards Jill Hansen and Angela Carr bring shooting range and a wealth of experience to this squad. Carr is a Flandreau graduate and after only two seasons is sixth all-time in three-point shooting. Jill joins the Lady T’s from Worthington and made an impact at the end of her freshman year and all last season as a shooter capable of having some big games. Her 25 points against Martin Luther was the top scoring performance by a Lady T last season. The newcomer to the junior class is guard Nicole Geraets from Dell Rapids. Nicole was a member of the Augustana Vikings the past two years but transferred to the Lady T’s in December. With her ballhandling skills and quickness, Nicole will be counted on to contribute at both ends of the court. Three sophomores will be counted on this season, led by Arlington native Tricia Boldt. Tricia is an outstanding rebounder and will help the Lady T’s stay in the Top Ten nationally in rebounding. Michelle Pollman is a 6-2 post player from Bridgewater that gained a lot of experience on the junior varsity squad last season. The newcomer to the group is Lindsey Wingen from Menno. Lindsey redshirted last season and will add athleticism to the Lady T’s backcourt. The freshman class is another talented group. Dell Rapids forward Ashley Mailey led her high school squad to a state championship and undefeated season last year. Expectations are high that the 6-0 forward will come in and help the DSU front court immediately. Alyssa Kirk from Balaton, MN, is a talented point guard capable of helping the Lady T’s at both ends of the court. Alyssa has a lightning-quick first step, is an excellent ball-handler and is a deadly pull-up shooter from sixteen feet. Forwards Becky Smith of Litchfield, MN, and Dayna Tschakert of Florence are both outstanding scorers capable of putting some big numbers on the board. Sully Buttes guard Katie Bourk is a talented and versatile guard that can shoot or put it on the floor. Two other freshmen guards will be redshirting this season. Megan Swecker of Sauk Rapid, MN, and Whitney Wagner of Chamberlain will be learning the system and joining the squad next year. The Lady T’s have improved their athleticism, quickness and depth but what will that mean overall? Can the 2006-07 squad top the performance of the 2005-06 team? Can this year’s squad reach levels of excellence never achieved before by any Lady T’s team? Can they repeat as conference champs, reach the NAIA National Tournament, and finish higher than the quarterfinal round? Are sequels truly better than the originals? It is hard to say, but if you are a fan of adventure and mystery, you won’t want to miss Lady T’s 2006: The Conference Strikes Back. |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
