Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Bearcats need contributions from post players to have good season

McKendree opens play tonight at Bethel College

LEBANON -- How quickly an inexperienced group of post players develops will go far in determining the level of success reached this season by the McKendree University women's basketball team.

Coach Melissa Ringhausen, in her 13th season, has an abundance of experience in the backcourt with the returns of guards Katie Fullerton, Ashley Agee and Haley Klingelhoefer from a team that was 20-12 last season, including 9-7 in the American Midwest Conference.

But outside of sophomores Ashley Dressler and Emily Woodland, Ringhausen isn't sure how much the Bearcats will receive from players like 6-foot-3 senior Jill Wolf, 6-1 freshman Shelby Woelful, 6-0 freshman Jessica Steinmetz, 6-1 freshman Courtney Harris and 5-11 freshman Meghan O'Connell.

"We brought in some very good recruits for this year that are all young --freshmen and one transfer (Wolf)," Ringhausen said. "We've got some experience at the guard spot. Outside of that, we're young and very inexperienced."

McKendree, which opens the season at 6 p.m. today at Bethel College in Tennessee, graduated Kelsey Park, Emily Best and Amanda Shuring. Park had 126 steals to become the Bearcats' career leader in that category, while Best averaged 12.9 points. Schuring was a key reserve.

But Agee, a 5-6 junior, returns after leading the Bearcats in scoring at 13.1 points a game and in 3-pointers with 37.

Fullerton, a 5-6 junior from Coulterville, is back at point guard after averaging 8.8 points and handing out 114 assists. Klingelhoefer, a 5-7 senior from Mascoutah, averaged 9.3 points off the bench.

"With Katie, Haley and Ashley, we're very strong in those three positions," Ringhausen said. "They'll do a good job of leading our team, trying to keep us under control. They bring stability and calmness to our team. From there, my freshmen will have to learn as they go.

"Ashley Dressler is probably our strongest returner on the inside, but she's only going to be a sophomore. We just don't have a lot of experience, so there's going to be some chaos and a lot of learning going on down there. But we have the ability and talent to be very strong."

Agee is developing into a complete player at shooting guard. She made 17 fewer 3-pointers last year than as a freshman, but she penetrated more consistently and led the Bearcats in free-throw attempts with 132, making 84.

"She was a great outside shooter her freshman year," Ringhausen said. "Last year, she really developed her driving game. We're trying to put the two together and try to make her an overall good player this year."

The 6-0 Dressler, who will start at center, averaged 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.

"She just got stronger and stronger as the season went on," Ringhausen said. "I thought she ended her season last year playing very, very well for us. She found some consistency in her game and she's worked hard in the offseason to get stronger at her post moves and stronger at driving in the high post."

Woodland, who stands 6-1, will start at forward.

"She's made all her improvement in the offseason," Ringhausen said. "She's worked very hard. She's done a lot of work in the gym. She's gotten stronger, and fundamentally she's gotten stronger on the block. She came to us with no post moves, and she now has post moves."

Wolf, a transfer from Division II Nebraska-Omaha who graduated from Okawville, will miss at least the first two weeks of the season recovering from two knee surgeries.

"She should be physically strong and understand basic defensive things we're trying to do -- and just bring that leadership to the inside that maybe we're lacking right now," Ringhausen said.

Freshman Leann Voss, a Central High graduate, will provide depth at guard. Voss averaged 10 points and five rebounds as a senior for the Cougars.

"She'll be that fourth person rotating around," Ringhausen said. "She's been doing a great job. Of all the freshmen, she's adjusted the quickest because she's got Katie, Haley and Agee to look up to and follow. She's a great shooter. When she's on, she's on. She handles the ball very well and sees the floor very well."

Junior Kacie Frazier, a Lebanon High graduate, is another guard. She played in eight games last season.

Steinmetz, a top defender, is expected to give the Bearcats a lift off the bench. Harris is a versatile performer who can play on the blocks or play outside and handle the ball. Woelful averaged 12.8 points and 9.5 rebounds as a senior last season at Jerseyville.

"Shelby's really come along," Ringhausen said. "It's just clicked all of a sudden."