Central Michigan University Athletics
Second-year CMU coach Kristin Haynie addresses the media on Thursday.
Photo by: Jasper Warner '25 - @jasperwarnermedia
Women's Basketball Media Day: Plenty Anew for Second-Year Coach Kristin Haynie
10/24/2024 7:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Our Stories
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – There's a whole lot of new when it comes to Central Michigan women's basketball.
One thing that isn't new: the coach.
Kristin Haynie enters her second season in charge of the program and she welcomes 11 newcomers to the 14-player roster. It's been a relatively rapid getting-to-know you phase.
Haynie likes what she's seen as the Chippewas prepare for their exhibition game at McGuirk Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and their season opener at home against Coastal Carolina on Monday, Nov. 4.
"This team is special," Haynie said. "They started in the summer bonding with each other. They went to Cedar Point together, for 4th of July they went to Houghton Lake. They did a lot of bonding and it was player led. That's really good to see. That's an ingredient of success, that chemistry, that camaraderie. For us to have it already is pretty special."
Veterans Lisa Tesson and Taylor Anderson are the mainstays. A senior guard in her fourth year in the program, Tesson has averaged 24.3 minutes in 79 career games. Anderson, a junior guard, has started 35 of the 46 games in which she has appeared in her two years as a Chippewa. She is recovering from an injury that sidelined her for the final nine games last season.
Anderson is the top returnee, statistically speaking, after averaging 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds a year ago. Desrae Kyles, a 6-foot-5 sophomore center, is the other returnee. She averaged 9.5 minutes a year ago.
Among the top newcomers is guard Jess Lawson, who set program records for points (478) and steals (78) last season at Division II Illinois Springfield. Eight times last season, Lawson scored 20 or more points in a game.
"it was an easy decision for me," Lawson said of coming to play for Haynie at CMU. "Just because of the culture, the coaching staff. It's really a family-based culture here and that's what I was looking for.
"I'm more of a driver. I have a nice little mid-range game. I like to play defense. I'm real feisty on the ball so I'll probably one of the people at the top of the press."
And press will be the name of the game for the Chippewas in 2024-25, Haynie said.
"We have the personnel to press so we're going to create havoc," Haynie said. "Our defense is going to create offense. We talk about how we're not always going to be able to make the shot on offense, but we can control our defense and our effort. That's our identity and we're slowly improving every day on it. Just takes time."
Lawson, Haynie said, is typical of her newcomers: Athletic, fast, aggressive, and team-first players.
"They're adaptable, they have a growth mindset, they're open to learning," Haynie said. "The depth is really important with the pressing, and we look for that when we recruit.
"We watch how they play, if we like them, we talk to their coaches and ask if they're coachable, are they a team player, are they selfless. You can see that on the court. Character is huge for us. The No. 1 thing we look for is their character.
"Sometimes when you're on a team, you sub and there's a fall off; but I feel like there's a lot of starters on the bench who could start. Our goal is to tire a team out by the fourth quarter."
One thing that isn't new: the coach.
Kristin Haynie enters her second season in charge of the program and she welcomes 11 newcomers to the 14-player roster. It's been a relatively rapid getting-to-know you phase.
Haynie likes what she's seen as the Chippewas prepare for their exhibition game at McGuirk Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and their season opener at home against Coastal Carolina on Monday, Nov. 4.
"This team is special," Haynie said. "They started in the summer bonding with each other. They went to Cedar Point together, for 4th of July they went to Houghton Lake. They did a lot of bonding and it was player led. That's really good to see. That's an ingredient of success, that chemistry, that camaraderie. For us to have it already is pretty special."
Veterans Lisa Tesson and Taylor Anderson are the mainstays. A senior guard in her fourth year in the program, Tesson has averaged 24.3 minutes in 79 career games. Anderson, a junior guard, has started 35 of the 46 games in which she has appeared in her two years as a Chippewa. She is recovering from an injury that sidelined her for the final nine games last season.
Anderson is the top returnee, statistically speaking, after averaging 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds a year ago. Desrae Kyles, a 6-foot-5 sophomore center, is the other returnee. She averaged 9.5 minutes a year ago.
Among the top newcomers is guard Jess Lawson, who set program records for points (478) and steals (78) last season at Division II Illinois Springfield. Eight times last season, Lawson scored 20 or more points in a game.
"it was an easy decision for me," Lawson said of coming to play for Haynie at CMU. "Just because of the culture, the coaching staff. It's really a family-based culture here and that's what I was looking for.
"I'm more of a driver. I have a nice little mid-range game. I like to play defense. I'm real feisty on the ball so I'll probably one of the people at the top of the press."
And press will be the name of the game for the Chippewas in 2024-25, Haynie said.
"We have the personnel to press so we're going to create havoc," Haynie said. "Our defense is going to create offense. We talk about how we're not always going to be able to make the shot on offense, but we can control our defense and our effort. That's our identity and we're slowly improving every day on it. Just takes time."
Lawson, Haynie said, is typical of her newcomers: Athletic, fast, aggressive, and team-first players.
"They're adaptable, they have a growth mindset, they're open to learning," Haynie said. "The depth is really important with the pressing, and we look for that when we recruit.
"We watch how they play, if we like them, we talk to their coaches and ask if they're coachable, are they a team player, are they selfless. You can see that on the court. Character is huge for us. The No. 1 thing we look for is their character.
"Sometimes when you're on a team, you sub and there's a fall off; but I feel like there's a lot of starters on the bench who could start. Our goal is to tire a team out by the fourth quarter."
Players Mentioned
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