Kansas women ‘rebuilding’

By J-W Staff Report     Nov 7, 2001

Two words figure to fall freely from the mouth of Kansas University women’s basketball coach Marian Washington: rebuilding and patience.

More than half of Washing-ton’s roster seven of 13 is composed of newcomers.

“Basically, rebuilding is what we’re having to do,” Washington said. “We’ve lost a lot of players over the last two years and we’ve got a lot of young recruits. These are young people I’m very excited about and really believe can do something.”

Six players from last year’s team did not return.

Jaclyn Johnson, Brooke Reves and Jennifer Jackson, who finished 1-2-3 in scoring on the 12-17 team, were seniors. Also, Rodneikka Freeman, who red-shirted as a freshman, and Dalchon Brown, a senior-to-be, opted not to come back. Also, Fernanda Bosi left the team toward the end of last year and did not return.

Too, junior guard Kristen May will sit out this season for personal reasons.

One bit of good news, however, is the return of 6-foot-3 senior Nikki White, who averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds despite injuries.

White played some of last season with a plastic mask because of a broken nose she suffered early in the season, but her chronically tender knees caused the most trouble.

Senior KC Hilgenkamp, a shooting guard, is Kansas’ fourth leading scorer from last season at 7.6 points per game the highest among all returnees. She also made 31 of 75 three-point shots for a glistening 41.3 percent. Hilgen-kamp started 22 games while averaging 30 minutes per outing tops among returnees.

Hilgenkamp can play the point, but that duty will primarily rest with senior Selena Scott, who started 17 games last season and averaged just 5.1 points.

Senior Kristin Geoffroy will split time with White in the pivot. Geoffroy, a 6-6 senior from Los Alamitos, Calif., has steadily improved in her three seasons.

Sharronpencer is officially a newcomer despite spending the last two seasons on Mount Oread. Spencer didn’t play last year, but not by choice. She tore the ACL and damaged the MCL and lateral meniscus in her right knee during pre-season practice. A sophomore from Compton, Calif., Spencer sat out her freshman year because of the NCAA partial qualifier rule.

Guard Leila Mengo returns, as does senior forward Katie Hannon. Both saw limited duty in 2000-01.

Many of the newcomers are likely to play right away.

Blair Waltz, who led Blue Valley North to two Class 6A state championships, should see time at shooting guard and small forward.

Chelsea Thompson, who was a 2000-01 Street & Smith pre-season honorable mention All-American from Louisville, Ky., boasts versatility.

The other newcomers are:

l Valerie Migicovsky, a 6-foot-4 center from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, who averaged 21.2 points a game in secondary school.

l Brandi McGinest, a 5-10 forward from Long Beach, Calif., who averaged 11 points and nine rebounds before breaking an ankle midway through her senior season at Long Beach Poly High.

l Keila Beachem, a 6-0 forward from Angelina, Texas, Junior College who averaged 12 points and 14 rebounds a game as a jaycee freshman last year.

Washington also has an invited walk-on in Kathryn Nichols, a 6-1 forward from Diamond, Ore.

Sereeta Jones, a 6-footer who averaged 25.7 points and 13.3 rebounds at Buena Vista High in Visalia, Calif., came up one high school credit short of qualifying, but is expected to enroll in January.

“We’ve got a lot of kids that don’t have a lot of experience,” the KU coach said. “You can’t just get that overnight.”

Kansas women ‘rebuilding’

By J-W Staff Reports     Oct 12, 2001

Who ARE those women?

If you don’t recognize some of Kansas University’s women basketball players during Late Night, don’t feel bad. You’re in the majority.

Fully half of veteran coach Marian Washington’s roster seven of 14 is composed of newcomers.

“Basically, rebuilding is what we’re having to do,” Washington said. “We’ve lost a lot of players over the last two years and we’ve got a lot of young recruits. These are young people I’m very excited about and really believe can do something.”

Five players from last year’s team did not return. Jaclyn Johnson, Brooke Reves and Jennifer Jackson, who finished 1-2-3 in scoring on the 12-17 team, were seniors. Also, Rodneikka Freeman, who red-shirted as a freshman, and Dalchon Brown, a senior-to-be, opted not to come back. Also, Fernanda Bosi left the team toward the end of last year and did not return.

One bit of good news, however, is the return of 6-foot-3 senior Nikki White, who averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds during an injury-plagued season. White played some of last season with a plastic mask because of a broken nose she suffered early in the season, but her chronically tender knees caused the most trouble.

“The decision for Nikki to come back was most definitely hers,” Washington said. “We treated her as a graduating senior last year at the banquet. It wasn’t until later on that she said she was feeling better and talked to me about the possibility about playing overseas. Then she said would rather come back and play with us.”

It’s likely White’s time on the floor will be limited, however.

Senior KC Hilgenkamp, a shooting guard, is Kansas’ fourth leading scorer from last season at 7.6 points per game the highest among all returnees. She also made 31 of 75 three-point shots for a glistening 41.3 percent. Hilgenkamp started 22 games while averaging 30 minutes per outing tops among returnees.

Hilgenkamp can play the point, but that duty will primarily rest with senior Selena Scott, who started 17 games last season and averaged just 5.1 points .

“It’s going to be an interesting year for us,” Scott said. “We’ve got a lot of new people coming in and we lost some people. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get something going early on and go from there.”

Senior Kristin Geoffroy will split time with White in the pivot. Geoffroy, a 6-6 senior from Los Alamitos, Calif., has steadily improved in her three seasons, but believes she has not yet reached her full potential.

“I know I can be better,” she said. “I’ve been working hard in the off-season to improve and I think this might be the year for me.”

Sharronpencer is officially a newcomer despite spending the last two seasons on Mount Oread. Spencer didn’t play last year, but not by choice. She tore the ACL and damaged the MCL and lateral meniscus in her right knee during pre-season practice. A sophomore from Compton, Calif., Spencer sat out her freshman year because of the NCAA partial qualifier rule.

Guards Kristen May and Leila Mengo return, as does senior forward Katie Hannon. All three saw limited duty in 2000-01.

Many of the newcomers are likely to play right away.

Blair Waltz, who led Blue Valley North to two Class 6A state championships, should see time at shooting guard and small forward.

“Blair was a standout in high school and we’re very excited about having her here,” Washington said. “She’s one of our own, an in-state kid. She’s a long-range shooter who has the capability of breaking you down off the dribble.”

Chelsea Thompson, who was a 2000-01 Street & Smith pre-season honorable mention All-American from Louisville, Ky., boasts versatility.

“Chelsea gives us a lot of flexibility,” Washington said. “She can play the one, two or three positions and has a good outside shot. Her flexibility is really her strength and she is able to do a number of things.”

The other newcomers are:

  • Valerie Migicovsky, a 6-foot-4 center from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, who averaged 21.2 points a game in secondary school. Washington calls her “one of the most physical players on our roster.”
  • Brandi McGinest, a 5-10 forward from Long Beach, Calif., who averaged 11 points and nine rebounds before breaking an ankle midway through her senior season at Long Beach Poly High. Of McGinest, Washington says: “Brandi is one of our most athletic players.”
  • Keila Beachem, a 6-0 forward from Angelina, Texas, Junior College who averaged 12 points and 14 rebounds a game as a jaycee freshman last year. Played only two years of high school basketball. Washington says Beachem has a “real passion for the game.”

Washington also has an invited walk-on in Kathryn Nichols, a 6-1 forward from Diamond, Ore.

Kansas could have still another new face at the semester break. Sereeta Jones, a 6-footer who averaged 25.7 points and 13.3 rebounds at Buena Vista High in Visalia, Calif., came up one high school credit short of qualifying, but is expected to enroll in January.

With so many incoming players Washington knows it will take time to jell.

“We’ve got a lot of kids that don’t have a lot of experience,” the KU coach said. “You can’t just get that overnight.”

PREV POST

KU football players have court date in connection with purse theft

NEXT POST

11480Kansas women ‘rebuilding’