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Athletics :: Women's Basketball
   
          
Schedule
Roster
Coaches
Outlook
Season
in Review
1997-2007 Statistic Archives
DAKSTATS WebSync ((W)))
2007-08 Season Statistics / WHAC Statistics
2006-07 Season Statistics / WHAC Statistics
Schedule:
2008/2009 Women's Basketball Schedule
Head Coach: Linda
Nash (13th year)
Assistant
Coach: Ray
Fron (13th year ), Mary Nienhuis (5th
year)
2007-08 Record: 25-8 overall 9-5 WHAC
* (((W))) = stats broadcasted live on web
DAY, DATE
OPPONENT/SITE
SITE
TIME
Wed.,Nov. 5
vs. Spring Arbor
Grand Rapids, Mich.
7:00PM
Fri.,Sat.,Nov. 7,8
at. Olivet Nazarene Tournament
Chicago, Ill.
Fri,. Nov. 7
vs Goshen
5:30PM
Sat., Nov. 8
vs Olivet Nazarene
4:30 PM
WEd.,Nov. 12
vs. Huntington
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Sat.,Nov. 15
vs. St. Francis
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Tues.,Nov. 18
vs. Alma
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Fri.,Sat., Nov. 21,22
AQ Classic
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Wed.,Dec. 3
vs. Purdue, Calumet
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Wed.,Dec. 10
vs. Grace
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Sat.,Dec. 13
vs. Judson
Grand Rapids, Mich.
TBD
Fri.,Sat., Dec. 19-20
at. Bethel Tournament
Mishawaka, Ind.
Fri., Dec. 19
vs. Bethel
5:00PM
Sat., Dec. 20
vs. Ohio Dominican
1:00PM
Sun.-Tues.,Dec. 28-30
at. St. Xavier
Chicaco, Ill.
TBD
Wed.,Jan. 7
at. Siena Heights
Adrian, Mich
7:30 PM
Sat.,Jan. 10
vs. Davenport
Grand Rapids, Mich.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Jan. 14
vs. Concordia
Grand Rapids, Mich.
7:30 PM
Sat.,Jan. 17
at. Madonna
Livonia, Mich.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Jan. 21
vs. UMD
Grand Rapids, Mich.
6:00 PM
Sat.,Jan. 24
at. Indiana Tech
Fort Wayne, Ind.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Jan. 28
vs. Cornerstone
Grand Rapids, Mich.
6:00 PM
Sat.,Jan. 31
vs. Siena Heights
Grand Rapids, Mich.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Feb. 4
at. Davenport
Grand Rapids, Mich.
6:00 PM
Sat.,Feb. 7
at. Concordia
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Feb. 11
vs. Madonna
Grand Rapids, Mich.
6:00 PM
Sat.,Feb. 14
at. UMD
Dearborn, Mich.
1:00 PM
Wed.,Feb. 18
vs. Indiana Tech
Grand Rapids, Mich.
6:00 PM
Sat.,Feb. 21
at. Cornerstone
Grand Rapids, Mich.
1:00 PM
2007-2008 Roster
No.
Player
Pos.
Ht.
Yr.
Hometown/High School/Prev. School
10
Alicia McCarthy
F/C
6-0
Sr..
Grand Rapids, MI/Catholic Central
13
Whitney Marsh
G
5-6
Sr.
Byron Center, MI/Byron Center
14
April Feldpausch
F
5-9
Fr.
Pewamo MI, /Pewamo- Westphalia
21
Courtney Banks
G/F
5-9
So..
Grand Rapids, MI/Ottawa Hills
22
Marie Carbee
G
5-8
Sr..
Mt. Pleasant, MI/Tiffin Univ
23
Vicky Vandyke
F
5-8
Fr.
Marne, MI/ Kenowa Hills
24
Carrie Abdo
F/C
6-0
Jr..
Romulus, MI/Gabrial Richard
32
Claire Hogan
G
5-8
Sr.
Lansing, MI/Lansing Catholic Central/Newberry
33
Kelsey Benson
F
5-8
Jr.
St. Clair Shores, MI/Lakeview
34
Courtney Miles
G
5-6
Jr..
Grand Rapids, MI/Northview
52
Joslyn Narber
F/C
5-10
So.
Wyoming, MI/Wyoming Park
PRINTABLE ROSTER
Coaches:
LINDA
NASH
Head Coach
Coach Linda Nash enters her 12th year at the helm of the women’s basketball program. She smiles when she explains that she takes an unorthodux approach to coaching. “I feel like we have turned into a society that spoon feeds people. I want my program to be one of empowerment. I want my players to be self-starters and I want our veterans to become teachers of our system to the new players. That is a huge emphasis in the way that I run our program. I try not to sweat the “little things” in life and instead, I try to focus on all the good things going on. A basketball season is a journey, a marathon...we just try to lace up our shoes everyday and we try to outwork other teams, while taking the time to smell the roses,” comments Nash.
Nash contributes much of the recent success of the program to her trip she made out to Colorado three years ago to learn the Triangle Offense from former Buffalo coach Ceal Barry. Barry achieved the pinacle of winning 500 games using this system and now, four years later, the Saints are more experienced and comfortable with the system. “Our first priority is to be in top shape, secondly to play great defense, and finally to make good reads on offense. The triangle utilizes each of our players skills and we don’t call any plays. It’s taken a while to iron out some kinks, but the players really enjoy the freedom of movement in the system,” comments Nash.
Nash, who prepped at Kenowa Hills High School, was the Athlete of the Year her senior year in the former OK White Conference after earning 12 letters and 8 All-Conference awards in basketball, volleyball and softball. She had her high school jersey retired. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University where she was a 4 year starter at the point guard position for the Chippewas. She previously held the single season assist record.
Nash knew at an early age that she wanted to be a college basketball coach so upon graduation from CMU she started her quest landing a graduate assistant coaching position at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tenn. The Eaglette’s, coached by Marynell Meadors, now an assistant coach with the WNBA Washington Mystics, won the Ohio Valley Conference in 1982 and qualified for the NCAA tournament where their tournament run was cut short by the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Upon completion of her Masters Degree, Nash moved to Houston, Texas and was an assistant coach at Rice for three years.
RAY
FRON
Assistant Coach
Ray Fron, entering his 12th year on the sideline with head coach Linda Nash, is a teacher in every sense of the word. By day, he is a special education teacher at Pinewood Middle School in the Kentwood district, and the rest of the time he influences his other two families, his own and the AQ women’s basketball team.
Fron was a successful girls varsity coach in California for 14 years. His teams were known for their aggressive style of play and strong work ethic. Fron has brought that same drive to the Aquinas College program and his energy is contagious. “Coach Fron is awesome. He is loyal, hard working, easy to get along with, but the trait that stands out the most is his generosity. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need. He is a great role-model for the young women in our program. He gets the big picture in life,” comments Nash.
Fron prepped at Catholic Central High School were he was an all around athlete competing on the basketball, baseball and cross country/track teams. Upon graduation from high school Fron attended Grand Rapids Community College and he completed his teaching degree at GrandValley State University. He is currently working on his Masters Degree in Education at Aquinas College.
Fron and his wife Kari, also a teacher, are parents to Lauren, Rob and Tarah. All three children were active in sports and Lauren, a graduate of AQ, and Rob, a Hope College graduate, have chosen to follow in the footsteps of their parents to become teachers.
MARY
NINEHUIS
Assistant Coach
Mary Nienhuis begins her fourth season on the sidelines for the Saints. Nienhuis brings a wealth of experience to the bench as she was a girl’s varsity basketball coach for 24 years before joining the staff at Aquinas. Her teams earned numerous conference and district championships, high-lited by her 1986 team’s Final 4 appearance.
“Coach Nienhuis has a passion for the game of basketball. She played the game when it wasn’t cool for girls to play, and the love of the game she had as a player has been transferred in her coaching style. She uses basketball as a teaching tool to real life,” comments Nash.
Nienhuis, a native of Walker, Iowa which boasts a population of 500, earned eleven letters competing in basketball, softball and track in high school. She attended Northern Iowa University, where she completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in math and physical education. She was a member of the women’s basketball and softball teams.
Coach Nienhuis moved to Michigan 32 years ago after spending a summer as a Girl Scout camp counselor in White Hall, Mich. It was in her first year of teaching math at West Ottawa High School that she met her husband Tom, now a retired elementary physical education teacher and former varsity boy’s swim coach. They are the parents to three children, Chad is a graduate of Eastern Michigan, Jeremy graduated from Oakland and Kelsey is a senior at West Ottawa High School.
STEVE
MORGAN
Strength
and Conditioning Coach
Strength and conditioning coach Steve
Morgan begins his fourth season training the women's basketball
team. Nash met Morgan 15 years ago when they both worked at
the Michigan Athletic Club. Morgan is a graduate of Michigan
State University where he was a member of the baseball team.
He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning
Association, the American Council on Exercise, and the National
Academy of Sports Medicine. Morgan is currently the Fitness
and Training Director at Aim High in Lansing, MI. "Coach
Morgan has brought such intensity to our strength and conditioning
program. I don't have to worry about my team running out of
gas at the end of the game. That's the time we like to kick
it in gear," says Nash.
Outlook:
The Aquinas College women’s basketball team is looking to rebound from last year’s season that could have been subtitled, “so close, but yet so far away.” The Saints ended the 2006-07season with a disappointing second place finish in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). The Saints also came up on the short end when the at-large teams were announced for the NAIA National tournament. The Saints, ranked 23rd in the nation were left out of the pool, as the last at-large bid was awarded to the team ranked 22nd.
The Saints, hit the 20-win mark for the third consecutive year posting a 20-10 record, but the 11-3 conference record wasn’t enough to secure back-to-back WHAC championships. The Saints lone senior on the roster, Jackie Braspenninx, had a solid campaign scoring 17.4 ppg and leading the team in blocked shots. She finished her stellar career as the number two scorer in school history and a two-time NAIA All-American. She was a first team All-Conference performer the last three years.
Head Coach Linda Nash, enters her 12th season directing the program. “I hope our shortfalls last season serve as motivation for this year’s team. In so many ways it was a great season, but we didn’t achieve our goals of winning the WHAC and going to the national tournament. Those two goals are the staple of our program and we work very hard daily to put ourselves in the position to achieve them. When we don’t, we are disappointed, but we keep on working. We are a blue-collar team, and we want to earn our victories by outworking our opponents,” comments Nash.
The Saints return ten players from last year’s roster led by returning All-American sophomore Joslyn Narber. Narber was sidelined two games into her freshman season with a torn ACL. Fortunately for Narber and the Saints, she was granted a medical red-shirt for the year. She didn’t miss a stride last season as she led the team in scoring
(17.6 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and assists (89). Nash comments, “Joslyn can do so many things for our team. She has excellent vision on the court and she has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. Her shooting touch is like velvet and she is very crafty around the basket. We really need her to step up her defense to be a defensive stopper at all times. I think she will meet the challenge.” Narber will have plenty of help from this year’s trio of seniors, Whitney Marsh, Claire Hogan and Alicia McCarthy. Hogan, a member of the All-Conference team the past two seasons has the ability to do a variety of things on the basketball court. Nash adds, “Claire is a deadly 3-point threat from anywhere on the court. She has really become aggressive going to the basket and she gives us great versatility on defense. She has trained really hard this summer and is looking to end her career on a positive note.” Marsh, a 5’5” speedster, is used to having the ball in her hands and leading the team’s offense. Nash says, “Whitney is in the best shape of her life. She trained all summer with Coach Steve Morgan and is moving better than I’ve ever seen her move. I know she will be ready for her senior year…she is on a mission.” McCarthy, has played a back-up role the past three years and is ready to step up to the challenge this year. “Alicia is the strongest player in the WHAC period. We need her to really pick up her defensive game and become a terror on the boards. When she gets the ball down low she is virtually impossible to stop,” smiles Nash.
The Saints are looking to diversify their defensive game plan this season. The last couple of year’s the Saints have been primarily a man to man defensive team. This year, the Saints are looking to add a few more dimensions to their defensive game plan to keep opponents off their guard. Nash says, “We have an athletic group of players who all trained very hard this summer in the off season. We have always tried to cover 94 feet better than our opponents and I think this year won’t be any different. We won’t sit back and let folks come at us…we will be the aggressors and if they can handle our pressure so be it.”
The Saints will continue to rely on the options that their triangle offense gives them. The system is based on making “reads” and moving accordingly. “All five players on the court need to be in sync with one another. When you get a group that works well together, it’s very difficult to defend. Fortunately, our new freshman were able to play with us in a summer league and they did a decent job picking up on some of the nuisances of the system. It takes some seasoning to really get good at it and we return a strong nucleus of players with pretty good court sense,” comments Nash.
The junior class of Carrie Abdo, Marie Carbee, Courtney Miles and Kelsey Benson all understand the system and are steady players. Carbee and Miles are guards that can get out on the break and push the ball up the floor. Both are gritty defenders and will factor into the Saint’s defensive game plan. Abdo is a 6’forward who had a solid season last year after being sidelined midway during her freshman year with a knee injury. Nash says, “We need Carrie to keep progressing the way she has. I had to take a double-take when I saw her for our first team meeting this fall. It is obvious that she committed to her off-season training program.” Benson, a reserve player the last couple of years, has also elevated her game and should provide depth to the roster.
Rounding out the roster is sophomore Courtney Banks. Banks is an excellent athlete and worked really hard this summer. Nash is relying on Banks to make an impact on the boards. She comments, “We need Banksie to be a monster on the boards. She’s not the tallest player on the court, but she jumps and knows how to get in there to battle. She’s not a freshman anymore.”
Two freshman, Vicky VanDyke and April Feldpausch are coming off strong senior high school seasons are ready for action with the Saints. Nash says, “Vicky and April will do really well in our system. They are both fundamentally sound players and come from good high school programs. The biggest challenge for them is to compete at a more intense level day in and day out. I like what I am seeing so far.”
Coach Nash is assisted by long-time assistant Coach Ray Fron entering his 12th season on the sidelines and Coach Mary Nienhuis (4th season). The Saints open up the season with an exhibition game at Nash’s alma mater Central Michigan University.
Season in Review:
coming soon
1607 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 - (616) 632-8900
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