The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) women's basketball team expects to build upon a record-setting season with a reinvention of the team's philosophy and a redefinition of the team's core values.
During the offseason, the UIS women's basketball team collaborated to determine the core values that would be the points of emphasis on a daily basis and the team agreed that the core values would be positivity, being selfless and having consist high energy.
"Positivity is always keeping your head up with no complaining, no criticizing and no comparisons," UIS coach
Mark Kost said. "Being selfless is going beyond the mandatory work, both on and off the court. Keeping consistently high energy is building on the high energy at the beginning of the season all the way through the end of the season. Our team created these core values for our program at the beginning of the year. Our goal is to exhibit those traits on a daily basis and that leads to positive results."
LOOKING BACK
UIS put together a 13-13 overall record and a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) record of 7-11 last season, setting UIS Division II program records for wins and conference wins. The Prairie Stars finished a program-best 10th place in the GLVC last year.
GLVC OUTLOOK
Drury University swept the GLVC regular-season and conference-tournament titles for the second-consecutive season. Drury, the University of Southern Indiana and Lewis University each qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament, earning the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 6 seeds in the region, respectively. Lewis topped Sothern Indiana 72-64 in the first round before falling to Drury in a 63-49 contest during the second round. Southern Indiana went 26-5 on the season while Lewis finished 24-8 on the season. Drury ended the season 31-3 after suffering a 79-73 loss to eventual national runner-up Ashland University in the regional finals.
In the GLVC preseason coaches' poll, Lewis edged Drury for first by one vote and one first-place vote. Lewis was selected first with 175 points and seven first-place votes. Drury earned second with 174 points and six first-place votes. Southern Indiana was picked third with 155 points and the final first-place vote.
In the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II preseason poll, Drury is ranked No. 9 and Lewis is ranked No. 25. Southern Indiana is also receiving votes.
UIS was tabbed 11th in the GLVC preseason coaches' poll.
STARS LOST
The Prairie Stars graduated three seniors, including two second-team all-GLVC selections from the previous season in
Shelbi Patterson and
Destiny Ramsey. Patterson led the Prairie Stars with a scoring average of 12.6 points. She also turned in averages of 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Ramsey contributed an average of 11.5 points. She also posted averages of 7.6 rebounds and 1.27 blocks, which ranked sixth in the GLVC in both categories.
Reje Pitchford scored 3.1 points per game for the Prairie Stars.
STARS RETURNING
Jasmine Sangster averaged 10.2 points last season to lead all returners from last season. The junior guard from Round Lake finished eighth in the GLVC with an 82.8 free-throw percentage, converting 82-of-99 shots from the free-throw line. Sangster ranks ninth in UIS Division II history with 96 career free-throws made.
Tehya Fortune provided 8.7 points per game. The junior guard from Chicago led the team with 66 assists and 43 steals. Among UIS Division II career leaders, Fortune ranks fifth in 3-pointers made (78), is tied for sixth in free-throws made (113) and seventh in assists (120). Fortune ranked 15th in the GLVC with a 78.8 free-throw percentage, hitting 78-of-99 attempts from the charity stripe.
Katelyn Rosner posted averages of 7.0 points and 7.5 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 junior center from Chicago led the GLVC with a 1.5 blocking average and ranked seventh in the conference in rebounding. Rosner broke the UIS Division II single-season records for blocks (39) and blocks per game. Among UIS Division II career leaders, Rosner is tied for first in blocks (62) and ranks 10th in rebounds (256). Rosner blocked five shots against Missouri S&T last season, which ranks third in UIS Division II history for most blocks in a single game.
Val Meissner notched an average of 5.6 points in 23 games and 17 starts.
Erin Bolskar averaged 4.3 points,
Chasitee Shroyer contributed 3.5 points per game,
Lanie Hicks recorded 2.6 points per game,
Brianna Mefford produced 2.4 points per game,
Grace Weber scored 2.0 points per game,
Airiana Smith provided 2.0 points per game and
Gabrielle Sanders turned in 1.3 points per game.
"Our leading returning scorers are Val, Jasmine, Katelyn and Tehya," said Kost, who enters his fourth season as head coach of the Prairie Stars. "With losing two all-conference performers from last season, we will need them, plus many others, to take on different roles."
The Prairie Stars return 64.9 percent of their minutes from last season, but bring back several players who got minutes under their belts in the early parts of their careers.
"We have depth in the frontcourt and the backcourt and returners that played meaningful minutes in their careers as freshmen and sophomores. We need those young players to grow and flourish as upperclassmen and leaders."
STARS ON THE RISE
UIS brought in four newcomers for the 2018-19 season. Junior
Myka Roth transferred in from Vincennes University, while freshmen
Lauren Ladowski,
Ellie Mitchell and
Carson Vance each join the Prairie Stars.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars battle in the Purdue Northwest Cross Conference Classic in Wentzville, Ind. this weekend. UIS takes on Tiffin University on Friday at 7 p.m. The Prairie Stars then clash with Purdue University Northwest on Saturday at 3 p.m.
A LOOK AT TIFFIN
Tiffin went 9-19 with a 5-15 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to finish 10th in the GLIAC. The Dragons return 75 percent of last year's starts and 76.9 percent of last year's minutes.
Allie Miller started seven games for the Dragons last season before missing the remainder of the season due to injury. She converted 41-of-82 (50 percent) shots from the field and recorded averages of 15.4 points and 6.0 rebounds.
Ali Schirmer started each of the 28 games for the Dragons last season and averaged 11.3 points. Aida Santana Martin contributed 7.7 points per game. She drained 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) shots from the perimeter to finish second in the GLIAC in 3-point field-goal percentage.
Making the transition to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC), the Dragons were selected ninth in the GMAC preseason coaches' poll.
"Tiffin has a new coaching staff, so they will have a different style of play than in the past. We will focus our preparation on our energy and our attention to detail, which are two things we can control."
A LOOK AT PURDUE NORTHWEST
In its first season as an NCAA Division II program, Purdue Northwest compiled a 4-21 overall record and finished 11th in the GLIAC with a 3-17 conference record. Purdue Northwest returns 60 percent of its starts and 65.9 percent of its minutes from last season. The Pride tied for fifth in the GLIAC North Division preseason coaches' poll.
Purdue Northwest is led by Shae Rhonehouse, who provided an average of 10.9 points last season.
UIS and Purdue Northwest squared off twice last season. The Prairie Stars captured a pair of wins, earning 79-73 and 80-72 victories.
Purdue Northwest's Tom Megyesi enters his 12th season as head coach of the Pride. Immediately prior to becoming an NCAA Division II institution, the Pride put together six consecutive 20-win seasons, which included four appearances to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II National Tournament.
"Purdue Northwest is a familiar opponent that we played last season. Coach Megyesi is a veteran coach and always has his teams prepared. I expect another highly-contested game, much like last season."
KEYS TO SUCCESS
The Prairie Stars expect to take their core values and utilize them through the entire season.
"We need to focus on the values that our team created and exhibit those each day, on and off the court. If we do that consistently, we will be in position to be successful."
