Central Michigan University Athletics
Women's Basketball Looking Towards Magnanimous Season
10/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 16, 2003
A great spirit helps build great teams.
For the Central Michigan University women's basketball program, being "magnanimous" in 2003-04 is the means to a worthy end.
"The word 'magnanimous' says it all in terms of the characteristics you would like your team to have," said third-year head coach Eileen Kleinfelter. "The first phrase of the definition is 'a great spirit.' And, having a great spirit kindling within your team will give us a spark and gets us off on the right foot."
The word encompasses a wide range of ideologies. Some of the terms used to describe it are bold, courageous, aggressive, making a sacrifice for worthy ends and others, and showing distinctive power and influence in a specified area.
"If we remain committed to the word and what it stands for, we will go a long way," Kleinfelter said.
The team showed elements of its magnanimity last season and will build upon it this year. The Chippewas were aggressive and showed distinctive power, and influence, especially on defense. CMU was one of the top defensive teams in the Mid-American Conference. The Maroon and Gold allowed a league-low 60.8 points per game, were second in three-point field goal defense (.322), and third in steals per game (9.2).
"We will continue to play hard-nosed defense. I do not see that changing from last year's squad," commented Kleinfelter.
The offense didn't lack its power either. The Chippewas connected on 178 three-pointers. That was tops in school history and the fourth-best mark in the MAC last year.
This season's offense is bolstered by the return of two of the top three scorers from last season. While the team's top scorer from last year, Desiree Eidson, has graduated, CMU returns more than 45 percent of its offense.
A lot of the team's offense came from the perimeter last season. While it's a good source, the Chippewas will look for the front court to add to the mix this season.
"We do want to step it up offensively," Kleinfelter said. "Our team shot a lot of three-pointers last season but that just naturally happened with the talent we had on the floor. But, this year, we are looking for a more balanced offense."
A tough defense and balanced offense will come as a result of addressing one of the team's major concerns ... height. Three of the Chippewas' five freshmen top the six-foot mark and add a new dimension that the team hasn't had in a while.
"I think the added height will help us change things defensively," Kleinfelter said. "It is a taller body to shoot over and it will allow us to protect the paint a little more.
"We have size but you have to remember, too, that it is young. But, our size can still help us in a lot of areas like rebounding and scoring in the paint."
Youth is one of the things that this team has in abundance. Of the 13 student-athletes on the roster, there are five freshmen and five sophomores. However, youth is nothing new to the Chippewas. Last year, three newcomers cracked into the starting lineup and made an immediate impact. Playing with such a youthful squad, as Kleinfelter notes, can be exciting.
"I think it is exciting to have such a young team because it is all a part of the rebuilding process," Kleinfelter commented. "When you have a young team, it plays with the feeling that there's nothing to lose and everything to gain."
Guards
The most experienced and deepest part of the team this year will be its back court.
Headlining the returnees is MAC All-Freshman team honoree and the top returning scorer, Erin Kuhl (Rochester Hills/So.).
The 5-9 crafty guard stepped in immediately and played both the one and two-guard positions in her rookie campaign. Since becoming familiar with the offense as a freshman, Kuhl will be looked upon to run the floor at the start of this season, if not for the whole year.
Kuhl was second on the team in scoring (9.3 points per game) and got the bulk of her points on a remarkable 48 threes. Her three-pointers were the fifth-best single season mark and leave her one shy of cracking into the career record book. Her 48 three-pointers paced all freshmen in the MAC as she hit them at a .421 (48-for-114) clip.
Also bursting on to the scene as a freshman was Casey Manning (Southgate/So.).
Manning, who saw the court as a two or three, got a lot of looks when she paced the Chippewas with 18 points against Canisius. She went on to average 17 points over the next three games. Manning capped the season with a 5.6 scoring average and was the team's top field-goal shooter at .439 (54-for-123).
Veterans Raina Harmon (Detroit/Sr.) and Lindy Hatfield (Findlay/Jr.) add depth and experience at guard. Harmon had a breakout junior campaign. After averaging 1.4 points in her first two seasons, she checked in at the end of the 2002-03 year scoring 5.6 points per game. She has proven to be an offensive threat both inside and out from three-point shooting to rebounding.
Hatfield has appeared in all but one game since joining the Chippewas two years ago. She averaged 4.9 points last season, and when she wasn't starting, was one of the top guards off the bench. She is effective from the three-point circle, improved in her ballhandling and passing over the summer, and reads the floor well.
Adding to the fray are two freshmen, Morgan Wills (Granville, Ohio) and Sharonda Hurd (Lansing). Wills will assist Erin Kuhl in orchestrating the offense and will also be a threat from the three-point arc. Hurd, at 5-8, will add quickness on both offense and defense.
Forwards
The Chippewas will be youthful down low as they enter the 2003-04 campaign.
Lindsay Mecoli (Clarkston/So.) is the top returning forward.
A multi-skilled athlete, Mecoli has the ability to mix it up in the paint or step out and shoot it from the floor. Last season, Mecoli was right behind Kuhl, knocking down 42 threes. That mark is the seventh-best single-season effort in CMU annals. She averaged nearly eight points per game in her first season and led the team with a .815 (22-for-27) free throw percentage.
CMU has three other returning forwards. Amanda Elwer (Delphos, Ohio/Sr.), Chasidy Myers (Columbia City, Indiana/So.), and Tiffany Douglas (Lansing/So.).
Elwer has seen time at both center and forward in her three seasons at CMU. As a veteran, she will be counted on to contribute in both scoring and rebounding. Elwer's experience will also be valuable in assisting the younger post players as they learn the system.
Myers became one of the top reserves off the bench last season, averaging 3.1 points. Myers has worked hard over the summer to improve her overall game. She will be heavily relied upon for rebounds and post defense. Douglas, who rebounded from a knee injury, saw time as a reserve in her redshirt campaign. She averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in limited action. She will be looked on to rebound, score, and to play some intense defense every time she takes the floor .
Three newcomers in 6-2 Ann Skufca (Holly/Fr.), 6-2 Dana Westover (Maple City/Fr.), and Hurd also will have the opportunity to contribute immediately.
Skufca has the ability to play in the paint or step out and hit shots from the floor. Westover, a high school track state champion, will add a lot of speed and height at forward.
Centers
Two Chippewas will share time at center in Elwer and Kristen Seright (Indianapolis, Indiana/Fr.).
Seright is the tallest athlete on the team at 6-3. She comes to CMU after garnering honorable mention All-America honors three times in high school. She will add a scoring punch in the paint.
The Schedule
The 11-game nonconference schedule features two teams that made it to the NCAA tournament last season.
The Chippewas will tip off against Valparaiso at home (November 30) and at Xavier (December 6), both of which made it into the field of 64. Coupled with in-state rivals like Detroit and Oakland, the Chippewas are staring at a competitive schedule.
"The teams that are our nonconference opponents are going to be competitive with us," Kleinfelter said. "I don't think there's anyone on the schedule that's not going to give us a good game."
The MAC looks to be another hard-fought battle. With parity across the league becoming more evident there will be no guarantees.
"You hear a lot of people say this, but any team can win on any given night in our conference," said Kleinfelter. "All of the recent coaching changes have really upgraded the programs, and that has helped a lot in recruiting. It has helped elevate many teams that have struggled in the past."
The conference schedule has some of the top teams in the MAC coming to Mount Pleasant. East Division champions Miami (February 21), NCAA tournament participant Western Michigan (January 28), and perennial MAC power Toledo (January 7) all invade Rose Arena after the winter break.
Conference play is capped off by the MAC tournament. The first round begins on March 6 at campus sites with the quarterfinals through finals taking place at Cleveland's Gund Arena on March 10-13.
