Car Accident, 2 Previews

#1 posting 11.28.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

MINNESOTA REPORTS
CAR ACCIDENT
Stina Leiseth of Yellow Medicine East was killed in a one car roll over Wednesday afternoon. Leiseth averaged 5.2 ppg for the Sting last winter. Leiseth made the West Central Tribune and Marshall Independent all area teams in volleyball this fall. From the West Central Tribune.

Our sympathies to the family and YME.

PREVIEWS
Abby Rothenbuehler is the key to Mankato West's season. From the Mankato Free Press.

Willmar is previewed in the West Central Tribune.

The Minnesota High School season tips off today. I had tournament schedules up yesterday.

Next up: More Area Reports

Wisconsin Signers Like Winona

#2 posting 11.14.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

SIGNINGS
Ali Nellis of Waupaca, WI is headed to Northern Michigan. From the Appleton Post Crescent.

The Green Bay Press Gazette has a feature on these three signers
forward Adrian Ritchie of DePere to UW Green Bay
guard Claire Steffen of DePere to Winona State
forward Karisa Laskowski of Pulaski to UW-Parkside.

WAOW looks at area signers.
Winona State will also get two more signers
Sam Barber of DC Everest
Katie Wolff of Marshfield
plus Heather Kessler of Antigo headed to Michigan Tech.

D1
UW Green Bay is expected to rule the Horizon. From the Green Bay Press Gazette.

D3
UW Superior will have more depth this year. From the Superior Telegram.

SHOOT FOR THE CURE
Jackson and Lumen Christi will hold a shoot for the cure series on Dec 5 and Jan 20. From the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

OBITUARY
Former Flint Southwestern coach Ernest "Billy" Moore died Tuesday. From the Flint Journal.

Next up: more news

Michigan Opening Day

#2 posting 11.11.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

MICHIGAN OPENING DAY
Comebacks---Ariel Braker of Grosse Pointe North is back practicing after an ACL injury on Mother's Day. From the Detroit News.

There is an uprising at Frankenmuth with proposed changes to athletic policies. From the Saginaw News.

Detroit Country Day is ready to defend their B title. From the Detroit Free Press.

INDIANA PREVIEWS
The Indianapolis Star looks at the top five teams.

HALL OF FAME
Tonya Edwards (Flint Northwestern) leaves a trail of championships. Edwards will be joining the Flint Hall of Fame. From the Flint Journal.

OBITUARIES
Preacher Roe, a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, died Sunday in Missouri. What you probably didn't know was that Roe coached girls basketball in Arkansas back in the 40s and was involved in a brawl which resulted in a fractured skull. From the Detroit News.

Shauntoy Chambers, former Fennville, MI player, was killed in a car accident in Holland, MI. From the Grand Rapids Press.

Next up: even more news

Rutzen Verbal, UMAC, NAC Previews

#1 posting 11.8.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

VERBAL
Miriam Rutzen of West Central in Illinois has verballed Harvard. The post player averaged 18.4 points per game for the 28-4 Heat last year. From the Burlington Hawk Eye.
Rutzen is the 25th player overall in the 2009 class to verbal and the 23rd headed to a D1 program.

HIRED
Craig Machut has been hired as Milwaukee King's girls basketball coach. from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

OBITUARY
Former Western Michigan women's basketball coach Frances "Fran" H. Ebert died November 7. She also coached softball at the college. From the WMU News.

D1
Creighton takes on Central Missouri on Saturday.

D2
Augustana is #21 in the D2 poll.

D3
UMAC: Northland is the preseason pick for first in the UMAC. Bethany Lutheran is 4th in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference preseason poll.

NAC: Lakeland is 3rd in the Northern Athletic Conference preseason poll. Concordia WI was picked for first in the north division, Wisconsin Lutheran is first in the south division. From the Sheboygan Press.
The NAC has new division alignments. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

NAIA
Sioux Falls beat Mayville State 89-64. The Cougars dominated the second half. Elizabeth Hildreth (Norwalk, IA) had 23 for USF. Kayla Blom (Centennial) added 10. Ali Sonstelie (East Grand Forks) had 13 for Mayville State. From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

South Dakota Mines is looking for new leadership with seniors graduating. From the Black Hills Pioneer.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Iowa Central beat Grand View JV 67-39 on Thursday. Morgan Brown (Fort Dodge, IA) had 16 for IC. From the Fort Dodge Messenger.

Madison ATC's Dana Wagner (Sun Prairie, WI) has been named to the NJCAA 3 second team. From the Capital Times.

Grand Rapids CC beat SC4 58-54 in the Skipper Tip off. Chanahl Putnam (Almont, MI) had 22 for SC4. From the Port Huron Times Herald.

Next up: Another dose of news

Zins Obituary

#4 posting 11.5.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

ZINS OBITUARY
The mother of Bloomington Kennedy's senior forward Brittany Zins, Rebecca Zins died on Saturday. The Memorial service will be held tomorrow at First Memorial Edina Chapel at 1 pm.
More details in the StarTribune.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Brittany, her family and the extended Kennedy basketball community.

next up: tomorrow.

Badger Leaders, Hope, Exhibitions Galore

#2 posting 11.2.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

TODAY
Minnesota takes on Concordia St. Paul in an exhibition at 2 pm. The game features three Elgin-Millville players: Katie Ohm for the Gophers and Candace and Kali Olstad for CSP. From the StarTribune.

LEADERSHIP
The Wisconsin Badgers will have new leadership this season. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

HOPE
There is still hope at #23 (D3) Hope. From the Grand Rapids Press.

SATURDAY RESULTS
D1
Drake beat Quincy 67-62. Lauren Dybing (St. Croix Lutheran) had 23 points for the Bulldogs. From the Des Moines Register.

Indiana beat Southern Indiana 93-49. Haylie Linn (Madison Edgewood) had 16 points for Indiana.

Missouri State beat Southwestern Oklahoma State 89-37. Maggie Dwyer (Grand Haven) had 15 points for MS.

Marquette beat Winona State 78-53. Krystal Ellis (Racine St. Catherine) and Angel Robinson (St. Paul Central) had 11 points for Marquette. Natalie Gigler (Champlin Park) had 22 points for WS.

Indiana State beat Indianapolis 70-63. Sarah Paul (Elkhorn, WI) had 1 point for ISU.

IPFW beat Indiana Tech 60-45. Chelsey Jackson (Flint Central) had 10 points for IPFW.

Arkansas State beat Arkansas Monticello 72-57. Kayla Pospisil (Linn-Mar, IA) had 1 points for ASU.

San Jose State beat Sonoma State 66-55. Natalie White (Dubuque Senior) had 20 points for SJS.

Boise State beat Lewis & Clark 67-55. Sierra Moeller (Pierre) had 2 points for BSU.

Silver beat Cherry in the New Mexico scrimmage Saturday. Amy Beggin (Roseville) had 19 points for Silver.

D2
Alaska Anchorage beat Bentley 46-43. Rebecca Kielpinski (Mandan, ND) had 10 points for AA.

NAIA
#13 Minot State beat Briar Cliff 74-65. MacKenzie Mack (Scranton, ND) had 22 points for MS. Megan Salcedo (Omaha Marian) had 10 points for BC. From the Sioux City Journal.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESULTS
Southeastern IA CC edged Florissant Valley 65-64. Brittany Brown (Milwaukee King) had 19 points for Southeastern. From the Burlington Hawk Eye.

St. Clair County CC beat Fanshawe College 61-57. Chanahl Putnam (Almont, MI) and Jessica Stevenson (Anchor Bay, MI) had 10 points each for SC4.

ACCIDENT
Former East Grand Rapids, MI coach Dan Graham was killed in a car accident in Ohio on Friday. From the Grand Rapids Press.

Next up: tomorrow

Rochester #1; Beggin Launches 3s

#1 posting 10.25.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESEASON POLLS
Rochester is the #1 team in the preseason NJCAA D3 poll. Also Rochester's Anne Breland is a preseason All American.
Northland is #11 and Anoka-Ramsey is #15 in the poll. Itasca received votes.
Shawna Rogalla of Northland is a second team All American.

In the NJCAA D2 poll area teams include Kalamazoo at #2; Kirkwood (IA) #3; Mott (MI) #5; Des Moines Area #7; Schoolcraft (MI) #10; Bismarck State #20. Receiving votes are Gogebic (MI), Lansing (MI) and Oakland (MI).
On the NJCAA D2 All American list are:
First team: Jaclyn Aijala of Gogebic and Kylie Dilla of Iowa Central
Second Team: Tabytha Harvey, Oakland MI
Third Team: Samantha Boje, Iowa Lakes

In the NJCAA D1 poll area teams include Lake Region (ND) at #21. Iowa Western and Williston State received votes.

D1 NEWS
BIG 12: The Big 12 held their media day and you can see or read what all the coaches had to say. You can also download the media guide.....Iowa State catches up with Tracy Gahan (2003).....Colorado will hold a Hoops & Wheels event on Sunday.

BIG EAST: Marquette held their media day....Louisville's coach Jeff Walz has started blogging.

MID AMERICAN: The Mid American Conference will hold their media day on October 30. You can submit a question in advance to coaches and players on the site....Western Michigan has their preview in the Month of Madness series.

MOUNTAIN WEST: Amy Beggin (Roseville) had seven 3s and 27 points in the New Mexico scrimmage. New Mexico also had their media day.

D3 COLLEGE PREVIEWS
Wartburg is hoping to get back to the Iowa IAC post season. From the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.

CLINICS
The Minnesota coaching clinic moves to Hill-Murray today. Yesterday I caught part of the action with Minnesota coach Pam Borton during her transition demonstration. Also men's coach Tubby Smith spoke for 30 minutes.

The Iowa Basketball Coaches Association will hold its annual Fall Clinic October 31st and November 1st at Urbandale High School in Des Moines. The members only clinic is one of the largest high school clinics in the country with over 1300 in attendace each year. Speakers headlining the 2008 clinic include; Todd Lickliter, Head Coach at the University of Iowa, Bruce Pearl, Head Coach at the University of Tennessee, & Jeff Capel of the University of Oklahoma. For more information visit http://www.iowabca.org/clinic08.pdf

HIGH SCHOOL PRESEASON PICKS
Miss Hoopster has picked Grand Forks Central 2nd and Grand Forks Red River 3rd in their preseason selections for the East Region. Fargo South is #1. In the state rankings Central is 5th and RR is 7th. From the Grand Forks Herald.

START SWITCHED
Starting in 2010-2011, North Dakota girls basketball will start their season one week after the boys. From the Grand Forks Herald.

OBITUAIES
Kristine Jan Halvorson, a member of the 1976 North Dakota B state champion Rock Lake team died on October 13. From the West Fargo Pioneer.

Carrol Joyce (Ralph) Hood, a member of the 1952 Iowa State Champion Mallard team died October 23. From the Fort Dodge Messenger.

Next up: later today.

The Madness is Set to Begin, MAC Previews

#2 posting 10.17.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

COLLEGE REPORTS
BIG 10
It is the Law. Illinois women's Basketball coach Jolette Law held a press conference yesterday.

Get Jacked. Indiana women's Basketball coach Felisha Leggette-Jack is on Inside Indiana Basketball.

Mackey Madness starts tonight at 5 for Purdue.

Penn State also starts at 5.

Wisconsin's Media Guide is now available on line.

OPENING DAY PRACTICES
North Dakota starts their first season in D1 today. From the Grand Rapids Press.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader looks at opening night traditions throughout the country with also stops at South Dakota State and Augustana.

Dakota State will hold their annual Town vs Gown event. From the Madison Daily Leader.

Creighton starts their season today at 5 pm. Drake also goes at 5 pm.

Northern Illinois holds an open practice on Saturday at 11 am.

UW Green Bay gets their season underway at 5 pm.

Colorado State holds "10 O'clock Rock."

PRESEASON OUTLOOKS
WHAC: Cornerstone is the top pick. Davenport is slotted for second. From the Grand Rapids Press.

UN Kearney will not be tall this season. From the Grand Island Independent.

Buena Vista's Margo Muhlbauer (IKM, IA) is a preseason All American pick by DIII Magazine.

Western Michigan's Tiera DeLaHoussaye (Detroit Country Day) and Central Michigan's Britni Houghton (Lansing Waverly) has been named to the preseason Mid American Conference team.

Here is a look at these Mid American Teams: Miami, OH; Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Buffalo, Bowling Green, Ball State, and Akron.

BROADCAST
Bradley has released their broadcast schedule. They face Drake on Jan. 23 in Des Moines.

OBITUARY
Former Alaska-Anchorage and Northern Arizona coach Linda Bruns passed away Thursday after a bout with cancer.

Next up: one more news swing

Early Birds

#1 posting 10.12.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

TRANSFER
Danielle Bennett-Curry has transferred from Benilde-St. Margaret's and is now at St. Paul Highland Park. She transferred after school started.

EARLY BIRDS
Illinois was among a handful of teams able to start basketball practice early this season. They practiced outdoors at Memorial Stadium after the Gophers beat the Illini in football. From the AP.

MADNESS
UTEP holds their Midnight Madness Oct. 18.

PREVIEWS
South Dakota State is previewed in the Brookings Register.

HONORED
Katie Smith was honored for her MVP of the WNBA Finals at Ohio State yesterday.

OBITUARY
Cheryl Brooks-Brown, former Omaha Central player and coach died Tuesday. From the Omaha World Herald.

Next up: later today with an out & about on the last day of the MYAS Fall League

Ranger Verbals, Social Dos & Don'ts

#1 posting 9.28.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

RANGER VERBALS
Breannah Ranger of Niles North, IL has verballed UW Green Bay. The 6-2 center averaged 10 ppg for the 3-24 Vikings last year.
From the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Ranger is the 19th player from the Illinois 2009 class to verbal and the 17th headed to a D1 program.
Lydia Bauer of Lake Zurich, IL
Sarah Eichler of Grafton, WI
Adrian Ritchie of DePere, WI
Sam Zastrow of Algoma, WI
Have all verballed UW Green Bay

RECRUITING NEWS
Northwestern was the first in the door at Megan Nipe's house.

NEXT WEEKEND
The Minnesota Stars Showcase event will be held at Bloomington Kennedy next weekend with players coming in as far away as Kansas. Games start at 10 am and the last contest starting close to 5 pm. You can still register, but it needs to be done by tomorrow.


EXECUTION AND AWARENESS
Eric Musselman has a blog posting on Execution and Awareness in the WNBA. Over dribbling is frowned upon.

DEATH
Former Grand Rapids, MN girls basketball coach Gary Webb passed away on Wednesday. From the Duluth News Tribune.

ON LINE NO NOS
The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has a reminder (for those that don't know) to all athletes what is and what is not appropriate on social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace. Schools are starting to crack down.

ONTARIO RESULTS
Here are the results from the Toronto Star for Friday and Saturday.

POINT PARADE
FRIDAY
Michelle Asare, Ascension 23 vs Father Goetz 65-28
Charnel Johnson, Applewood Heights 22 vs Cawthra Park 49-23
SATURDAY
None

Next up: Later today with the Sunday Out & Abouts. I will back fill yesterdays games when I have time.

Re-Verbal, Mullins Obituary, Nike National Video

#1 posting 9.10.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

RE-VERBAL
Sklyer Gick of Benton Central, Indiana is headed to Valparaiso University. Gick previously committed to attend Northwestern but had the scholarship offer pulled from her by the new Northwestern coaching staff a la Kara Elofson.
Gick averaged 15.1 ppg for the 14-7 BC team last year
Gick is the 20th player from the 2009 Indiana class to verbal and the 18th headed to a D1 program.
From the Munster Times.

COACHING NEWS
Darryl Ladue, the new Williston girls basketball coach, has plans to change the direction. From the Williston Herald.

Former South Dakota coach Chad Lavin is coaching the 8th grade boys in Vermillion, SD. From KELO.

New Wisconsin Assistant Kathi Bennett blogs on her Madison experience.

OBITUARY
Former Caledonia girls basketball coach Terry Mullins died on Sunday. His biggest win came in 1992 when they beat undefeated #1 Rochester Lourdes 48-47. Mullins, 245-42 in his career, is the Minnesota girls basketball coaches Hall of Fame. From the Rochester Post Bulletin.

PLAYER FEATURE
Iowa State's Nicky Wieben is featured in the weekly Cyclone blog.

BIG TEN
The Big 10 Network will expand video offerings.

SCHEDULE
Montana State has released their 2008-09 schedule. From KXMB.

TRYOUTS
Davenport will hold open tryouts on September 16. The Panthers were 28-6 last year.

AAU NEWS
Nike Nationals 2008 was another for the record books. The level of competition was the best in the nation as you will see in this You Tube video. (you will see some NT players if you pay attention). I asked Coach/Director Bill Larson of North Tartan about the last two years and the experience of this particular tournament... His response:

"As an individual and a club we are blessed to be part of the Nike Family.With out a doubt our kids and coaches get an overwhelming experience from April through July. This level of basketball is why our players that graduate from the program excel at the next level. When you play, on average, 17-20 of the top 25 kids in the nation every summer... you are prepared for anything. As for Nike Nationals... 24 teams... 400 colleges...it is the highest level a team can possibly play at. North Tartan is blessed to be one of the 24 youth clubs".

When I asked him about Nike Nationals 2009 in Augusta... His response:

"I just hope the cameraman can keep up with the speed of the game..."

Next up: tomorrow

Prins Verbals

#1 posting 8.10.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

VERBAL
Anna Prins, a 6-6 center from Bloomfield, Colorado has verballed Iowa State.
Prins is the third player from the Colorado 2009 high school class to verbal and the 3rd headed to a D1 program.

OLYMPICS
The American women had a slow start, but Team USA rolled over the Czech Republic 97-57. Katie Smith had 7 and Seimone Augustus had 9. From the Lansing State Journal.

FREQUENT FLIERS
Hope College has left for a German trip and will travel to Florida in the 2008-09 season. From the Grand Rapids Press.

TRANSITIONS
South Dakota State has transitioned to D1 status. South Dakota is about to take the D1 journey. Finances, recruiting, and scheduling will all change for the Coyotes. From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

CONFERENCE NEWS
Merrill, WI is moving from the Wisconsin Valley to the Great Northern Conference. From the Wausau Daily Herald.

LOST MONEY
Most Saginaw area schools lost money in the season switch. From the Saginaw News.

OBITUARY
IGSHAU Hall of Fame Member Dorothy (Welp) Donahue died on July 28. She played at Kamrar, IA in 1948 finishing the year 33-0. From the Des Moines Register.

Next up: more news