Www.heartofamericaconference.com



MEN’S BASKETBALL

PRE-SEASON OUTLOOKS

AVILA UNIVERSITY MEN

The Avila University men’s basketball team will have a new look in the 2008-09 season. In fact, that’s a huge understatement. AU’s roster includes 12 players in their first or second years at the school, with a number of newcomers on the brink of cracking into the starting lineup. Plus, with four starters from last season’s team having graduated or no longer with the team, the Eagles are assured of having four new starters in the line-up. All of those facts lead to the conventional wisdom the Eagles are poised for a step back in the Heart of America Conference. But, a closer look at the group assembled in Kansas City points toward a great opportunity to exceed those expectations. And don’t for a moment think the Eagles aren’t setting their own expectations high and doing everything they can to have a successful season.

AU believes it has assembled an extremely talented group of players, combining four returnees with a high-level collection of newcomers. The returnees include one senior, two juniors, and one sophomore, with Alex Marler and Tommy Cochran appearing in every game last season. The impact newcomers are highlighted by NCAA Division I transfer Justin Lott, NJCAA Division III National Finalist Adam Short, Second-Team All-City and Honorable Mention All-State Kevin Booker, and a very talented Jason Haase.

It should all add up to an intriguing year for the Eagles, who are trying to build a winning tradition at Avila University.

AU’s group of returnees starts with senior, Courtney Early. Courtney is in his second season at Avila after stints a Treasure Valley Community College and Barstow College. Courtney can really chase the ball and be powerful on the inside. We will need him to do just that in order for us to be successful. Cory Prindiville, plagued by injuries, also looks to help the Eagles inside. He can score on the post and plays hard.

The story of Marler, who has made contributions in each of the last two years, is a happy one for Coach Hall. Coach believes Marler is becoming more of a leader with this team. He started both his freshman and sophomore seasons and can score both inside and out. We are looking for Alex to work harder to improve his game and help the team.

The final returner is Tommy Cochran. Tommy played a great number of minutes last season as a freshman. He is very competitive and wants to be successful.

Clearly, though, Avila will be counting heavily upon a highly-touted group of newcomers to make a major difference in 2008-09. The leader of that newcomer group is Lott, who played at Treasure Valley Community College and UC-Riverside before sitting out last season at Avila. His Division I collegiate experience, as well as his experience in the program, makes him a key component in the mix for this season.

“It is so important that he has college experience, both at UC-Riverside and with us in practice last year, because we are going to need his experience,” Hall said. “We have returning players, but not much experience at the point guard position, so we need some veteran leadership. Although Lott will be a first-year player for us, he is still a veteran. He has a chance to be a major player in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. He can score the ball very well, he can guard the ball very well, and he can lead a team. While a Treasure Valley Community College, Justin averaged over 17 points per game and was a great leader for his team.

Adam Short helped to guide Joliet Community College to the National Junior College Division III National Finalist Game. Adam can shoot the ball. He averaged over 15 points per game and is a very good team player. Look for him to be one of the Eagles top scores.

Kevin Booker from Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel is a three man with lots of talent. When he wants to be good he really is. The Eagles will need him to want to be good at all times. He can shoot the three ball and get to the basketball very well. Look for Booker to challenge for a starting position.

Jason Haase a very talented player from Houston, Texas. He is talented because he is so versatile, Hall said. “At 6-7, he can definitely play an inside position, but with his ball skills on the perimeter he can play on the outside. He should be a difficult matchup for an inside player.

In addition to all of the players noted above, newcomers Kelby Phelps, Ben Dierkes, Connor Gross, Austin Stockard and Phillip Deng will compete for playing time on the perimeter and Red-shirt James Deng, Jason Steven, and Abraham Mathok will compete for playing time on the inside. Incoming freshman Zach Smith will see playing time both inside and out. He is also very versatile and has a good basketball IQ.

“Right now, I probably could pick four or five guys who have started to separate themselves, but we’re going to need at least eight or nine. I would also say I could probably pick 17 that have a chance to be in that group and that we’re really looking at, so there is no question we have a lot of talented options,” Hall said. “Opportunities are available for everyone, and everyone has a chance this year. I thought last year people kind of settled in and knew who was going to play. This year, I think everyone sees an opportunity to play and that’s why it has been so competitive.

The large number of choices for the playing rotation also means the Eagles could use a variety of starting lineups, especially early in the season.

Mixing in a large number of new players can be challenging, but that process actually started this summer, with most of AU’s newcomers coming to campus for basketball retreats. It gave them a chance to spend time with the returnees and those that sat out last season, meaning a relationship was formed long before preseason conditioning began in September.

“Young or not, we are aiming to prepare our team to compete to make the playoffs. There’s no question our focus is on the league, and the league is very strong this year. Expectations won’t be quite as high for us, but we need to prepare this team to play at a championship level,” stated Hall.

BAKER UNIVERSITY MEN

Five returning lettermen will compete with eight newcomers as the 2008-2009 Baker Wildcats prepare for the upcoming season. Only one starter, 6'5 senior wing Heath Baird returns for the Cats. Fellow seniors 6'6 Bret Shaw, 6'1 Ryan Highfill and 5'10 Nick Iversen saw heavy action last year and will be expected to play key roles. 6'2 junior guard Matt Quandt saw limited playing time off the bench last season. 

 

Newcomers include junior college transfers 6'0 Brock Entner (Yavapai CC),6'4 Malcolm Greer (Brookhaven CC) and 6'6 Chris Goss (Hill CC). Four year transfers 6'9 Justin Houser (S. Carolina/Upstate) and 6'9 Mike Mokeski (Nebraska/Omaha) will join freshman 6'3 Drew Berg (Baldwin) 6'0 Joe Wachter (Pittsburg-Colgan) and 6'0 redshirt Connor Bechard (Gardner) in competing for playing time as well

Coach Weaver had this to say, "We have quite a few new faces that will be playing key roles this season. I think we'll have depth at most positions. This group has a chance at developing into a competitive ballclub as the year progresses."

BENEDICTINE COLLEGE MEN

The Ravens lost 4 seniors and a freshman starter from last year’s team, and will have to find an inside game to replace All-American Dan Van Dyke. Besides Van Dyke, the Ravens will miss 4-year starter Ronnie Tyson and solid front line performers John Browner and Vince Brennan. Nick Larson, a starter at forward for most of his freshman year, transferred to an NCAA D2 school. With these losses, leadership will be the key to the Ravens early success.

The good news is that starting guards Drew Huppe and Dave Goettelmann return for their senior campaign. Both have started the last two years, and both had less than expected junior campaigns due to injuries incurred in the second half of the season last year. Both are healthy again, and ready to lead the Ravens once more. In addition, senior Chris Henton, a 6’6” forward from Houston, worked very hard over the summer and enters his last season at BC with renewed enthusiasm and better offensive skills. The same can be said of Chris Bonham, a 6’10” sophomore from Phoenix who backed up Van Dyke last year. Jack Johnson, a 5’9” sparkplug from KC, also returns to give the Black & White another good shooter and defender. In addition, BC won the JV Championship last year, and the players from that team are positioned to challenge the returning varsity players for playing time.

The newcomers that will have a chance to have an immediate impact will probably be front line players, where the Ravens needed the most help from a recruiting perspective. 6’11” sophomore Paul Brennan, Vince’s younger brother, transferred from NCAA D2 Christian Brothers College in Memphis. He is rail thin, but has very good offensive skills. Darius Bolling, a 6’6” Dallas native who started last season as a freshman at Pratt Community College, will challenge for a starting birth at the 3 and 4 positions. On the perimeter, the Ravens signed 6’2” shooter Dave Beale from Phoenix’s Glendale Community College, and look for redshirt freshman Geno McNeil, an all-conference guard at St. Louis University High School in 2006-07, to challenge for a starting position at point guard. The surprise this year could be 5’10” redshirt junior Jeremy Hamilton, who has the ability to be very good at the point or the two-guard positions.

Coach Joe Brickner enters his eleventh year as the Ravens mentor with the challenge of meshing this talent into a team. He plans to continue to play his aggressive style of defense, but would like to push the ball more often on offense than last season’s team did. With a more athletic team than last year, Brickner thinks that this offensive emphasis is doable and is looking forward to helping the Ravens be successful in their first year at the NAIA D1 level. The difficult early season non-conference schedule should give fans an indication of just how well this team is coming together.

CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY MEN

The Eagles return three starters, including two All-HAAC conference players, from a team that finished 3rd in the HAAC with a 14-6 conference record and an overall 20-12 record last season.  Although CMU star player and NAIA All-American Anthony Love graduated, the Eagles have gained a large number of newcomers, including four transfers who will keep the Eagles in contention in the HAAC race. 

The Eagles strengths will be experience with 12 juniors and seniors on this year’s roster.  However, it will be crucial for the newcomers to blend in and adapt to the Runnin’ Eagle philosophy for continued success.

Jeff Blauvelt, a 6’3 senior, and Matt Sherman, a 6’ junior, lead a talented Eagles attack and should be among the top players in the conference in ‘08-09.  Add newcomers 6’6 senior Moses Harper, 6’ junior Eli Harris, 6’4 junior Brock Edris, and 6’ junior Jake Prosser, and the Eagles will have the depth to challenge opponents throughout the season.  Look for returning players Nic Dykman, a 6’1 junior, and Joe Howell, a 6’ junior, to make great strides from a year ago with additional responsibility.

“I think we can be an exciting team to watch,” Head Coach Jeff Sherman said.  “We will be aggressive and talented at most positions on the floor.  We will have good quickness, chemistry and depth which would be our assets while our overall size will be our challenge. We will be a difficult team to match up with and in many ways our smaller size could even result in an advantage against some opponents.” 

It will be important to see the progress of 6’5 senior Anthony Johnson, 6’6 sophomore Matt Scott, and 6’4 junior Jake Clark to see how these players adapt at this position.  Look for Blauvelt and Edris to play the post position this season, which will give the Eagles many options offensively.

CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE MEN

Top Returners

• Brice Fantazia (6-4, Sr. F) — top returning scorer who averaged 9.8 points per game ... Appeared in all 29 games, making 10 starts ... Averaged 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game ... Shot 45.4 percent (108-238) from the floor.

• Bob Kovach (6-3, Sr., Guard/Forward) — Played in 25 games in 2007-08, making one start ... Averaged 12.3 minutes per game ... Averaged 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game ... Shot 39 percent (16-41) from beyond the arc.

• Curtis Hayward (6-4, Soph. Forward) — Appeared in 20 of the 29 games, starting nine times ... Averaged 15.5 minutes per game ... Averged 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

• Jordan Ayers (6-5, Jr. Forward) — Played in 25 games last season, starting four times ... Averaged 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 14.4 minutes of action ... Tied for the team-high in blocks with six.

Other Returners

• Steven Crawford (6-3, So. Guard) — Saw action in seven games last season, averaging 6.3 minutes per game ... Averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game... Shot 70 percent (7-10) from the field.

• Andy Anders (6-1, So. Guard) — Played in only three games as a freshman, averaging 2.3 minutes per game.

• Nick O’Brien (6-5, So. Forward) — Played in four games as a freshman, averaging four minutes per game.

Key Losses

• Chris Booth (6-7, Center - Graduation) — Led team with 14.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in only season as a Wildcats ... Named to All-HAAC 3rd team.

• Jordan Harris (6-0, Guard - Graduation) — Four-year player who averaged 13.4 points per game last season ... Set school record for 3-pointers in a season with 87 in 2007-08 ... Named to All-HAAC team (honorable mention).

• Coy Bainter (6-2. Sr. Guard - Player Decision) — Three-year starter who averaged 8.2 points, four rebunds and 2.4 assists per game last season ... Plans on graduating in December 2008.

• T.J. Nettles (5-10, Guard - Transfer) — Played and started in 28 of the possible 29 games last season ... Transfer to Sioux Falls (S.D.) ... Averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 assists per game.

• Mookie Marshall (6-2, Guard - Transfer) — Midseason transfer who played in 12 games, making eight starts ... Averaged 7.8 points and one rebound per game... Averaged 1.2 steals per game.

Top Newcomers

• Jordan Kirschke (6-0, Fr. Guard) — (Hungerford, Texas. / Wharton HS, Four-year letterwinner at Wharton... Averaged 18.7 points, eight assists and 4.5 rebounds in final three seasons at Wharton ... All-district and allcounty in 2007-08.

• Taylor Perrigo (6-1, Fr. Guard) — (Harrisburg, Mo. / Harrisburg HS), Member of three state championship teams at Harrisburg, including 2007-08 ... Averaged 16.6 points per game ... Named to Missouri Class 2 All-State team in 2007-08.

• Phil Peugh (6-1, Jr. Guard) — (Rock Falls, Ill. / Rock Falls HS / Sauk Valley CC), averaged 9.6 points, four rebounds and 2.8 assists for Sauk Valley in 2007-08... In high school, helped Rock Falls to three super-sectional appearances and two conference championships.

• Jason Gillespie (6-0, Jr. Guard — (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway North HS / Kennedy King CC), Averaged five points, four assists and two steals per game ... In high school, averaged 14 points, three assists and two steals per game ... Named to Suburban Soth all-conference team as honorable mention selection.

• Drew Ayers (6-1, Fr. Guard) — (Canton, Mo. / Canton HS), Averaged 11 points and nine rebounds per game for the Tigers his senior year ... Named to the all-district 2nd team.

• Cory Shultz (6-1, Fr. Guard) — (Edina, Mo. / Knox County HS), Was a three-year starter at Knox County High School ... Averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game his senior year.

• Denny Revell (6-2, Fr. Guard) — (Springfield, Mo. /Rogersville HS), Averaged 16 points per game his senior year ... Named to all-conference and all-district first teams.

• Shaun Johnson (6-2, Fr. Guard) — (Pahrump, Nev. /Pahrump Valley HS), Averaged 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists as a senior last year ... Was honorable mention in the South 3A League and named to the allstate team.

• Kent Rau (6-1, So. Guard) — (Troy, Mo. / Buchanan HS).

2007-08 Year in Review

• The Wildcats finished the 2007-08 season with an 8-21 overall record and a 5-15 mark in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

• The 21 losses last season was the fourth-most losses in a single season in school history, matching the 1991-92 team for that honor. The most losses in school history is 26.

• Despite the lack of victories, the Wildcats were ranked fourth in the HAAC in field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot 46.5 percent from the field.

• The Wildcats were also ranked fifth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 35.8 percent from behind the arc.

2008-09 Season Preview

A new era begins for the Culver-Stockton College men’s basketball team as John Windham takes over as head coach for Brad Hoyt and the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) moves from NAIA Division II to NAIA Division I competition. Windham was hired in early May and has spent the rest of the summer trying to find players to replace four starters from last year’s 8-21 team that finished tied for 10th (Avila University) in the HAAC with a 5-15 conference mark.

Youth will define this team as the Wildcats welcome back only two seniors and one junior among the seven returning players. Six sophomores also return, and they will be joined by six freshmen, two junior college transfers and a sophomore to make up the rest of the roster. Brice Fantazia, a senior guard, and Bobby Kovach a senior forward will be looked upon to lead the 2008-09 squad this season. Fantazia is the only returning starter and he averaged 9.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Kovach played in 25 games and averaged 3.8 points per game. “Brice Fantazia had a good summer playing in a very competitive summer league and Bob Kovach worked out with a personal trainer,” said Windham. “Being the only two seniors, they will shoulder the majority of the scoring.” Curtis Hayward, a sophomore forward, and Jordan Ayers, a junior center, will be the mainstay of the inside game for the Wildcats this season. Hayward started the last nine games of the season as a freshman and averaged 3.4 points and three rebounds per game. Ayers saw action in 25 games and averaged 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Among the other returners, Andy Anders, Nick O’Brien and Steven Crawford combined to play in 14 games last season with Crawford seeing the most action in seven games. Those three will be expected to pick up the slack.

Among the newcomers are some talented guards including Jordan Kirschke, of Hungerford, Texas, and Taylor Perrigo, of Harrisburg, Mo. Kirschke averaged 18.7 points, eight assists and 4.5 rebounds for Wharton High School over the last three seasons, and Perrigo was a member of three Missouri Class 2 state championship teams and averaged 16.6 points per game in 2007-08 while being named to the Missouri Class 2 all-state team. Joining them will be Phil Peugh, a junior college transfer, who averaged 9.6 points and four rebounds per game last season; and Jason Gillespie, a junior transfer, who averaged five points and four assists per game. Among the freshmen, Denny Revell, a guard, averaged 16 points in his senior year of high school, while Shaun Johnson, a guard, averaged 10 points and seven rebounds per game. Also expected to see action is Cory Schultz, a guard from Edina, Mo., and Drew Ayers, a guard from Canton, Mo. “This year’s team will have two seniors who will be looked upon to be leaders for a young team, said Windham. “How quickly the younger players develop will have a big impact on the season.”

EVANGEL UNIVERSITY MEN

Lettermen lost— (Tim Dial, Todd Simon, Austin Brewer, Joel Brown, Jared Clay)

Returning— (Shane Nicholson, Jackson Capel, Chad Simon, Jordan Chapman, Spud Harbour, Chad Gillaspy, Josh Kleine)

Starters lost—Dial, Brewer, T. Simon

Starters Returning—Nicholson, Capel, C. Simon (part-time starter)

Newcomers: Transfers—Michael Storey, Soph., 6-8, 225, Union, KY (Cincinnati State)

Freshmen—Cale Ramsey, 5-9 gd, Republic, MO (redshirt freshman), Victor Agbasi—6-2 G, Tulsa, OK ( Victory Christian), Cameron Allison—6-6 F, Beaverton, OR (Life Christian Academy), Allen VanGundy—6-1 G, Des Moines, IA (East High), Taylor Sirois—6-5 F, Salem, MO, Mitch McHenry—5-10 G, Republic, MO, Jordan Fielding—6-0 G, Springfield, MO (Hillcrest) Dustin Oliver—6-1 G, Delphi, IN

The 2007-08 men’s edition of Evangel basketball ended its season with a 28-7 record, tied with MidAmerica Nazarene for its fourth Heart of America Athletic Conference title, won the conference postseason tournament for the fourth time and made the program’s seventh overall and third straight appearance in the NAIA II national tournament.

Are the 2008-09 Crusaders capable of more heady accomplishments? Only time and the team’s progress on the hardwood will tell. Head coach Steve Jenkins, who begins his 27th at the helm, returns seven letters out of 12. Including in those seven veterans are two full-time and one part-time starter. Jackson Capel (6-3, G) leads Evangel into the 2008-09 season. A second team NAIA II All-America pick and first team all-conference selection, Capel averaged 20.9 points and 4.7 rebounds. He made 46.8 percent of his 3-pointers (130-278) and 83.3 percent from the free throw line (125-150). In addition, Capel tallied 57 assists and 39 steals. The senior sharpshooter holds six Evangel 3-point field goal records, including most in a game (9), season (130) and career (300).

The other full-time returning starter is Shane Nicholson (6-0, Sr., PG), who earned honorable mention all-league plaudits last season. Nicholson set a new Evangel record for career assists (450) last season while averaging 55.5 assists per game. He also had averages of 9.9 points and 3.8 rebounds and made 84.1 percent of his free throws (90-107). Chad Simon (6-7, Sr., F) receiving the starting nod from Jenkins in 17 of the 35 games played last year. He turned in averages of 4.9 points and 4.1 rebounds and made 61.2 percent of his field goals.

Jordan Chapman (6-3, Sr., G), Chad Gillaspy (6-6, So., F), Spud Harbour (5-11, So., G) and Josh Kleine (6-7, So., C) are also returning letter winners from a year ago. Harbour averaged 7.3 points and made 43.1 percent of his treys (47-109) and 88.2 percent from the free throw line (45-51). Chapman, Gillaspy and Kleine gained valuable experience in 2007-08 and will be counted on heavily during the 2008-09 campaign. Cale Ramsey (5-10, G) is a redshirt freshman and is also expected to contribute.

Jenkins’ 2008-09 roster will be without the services of graduates Austin Brewer, Joel Brown, Jared Clay, Tim Dial and Todd Simon. Simon earned honorable mention NAIA II all-America status last season after the conference coaches selected him as a second-team representative. Simon averaged 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds. Dial, who missed five games and a month-plus due to mononucleosis, will be missed in the middle. Dial averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds. He was an honorable mention all-conference pick even though he was never up to full speed. Before the illness, Dial was on his was to duplicating his 2006-07 season that saw him win NAIA II all-America honors (honorable mention) and all-league plaudits (second team). Brewer, Brown and Clay didn’t stand out in bold letters on the stat sheet, but their roles will be greatly missed. Brewer was EU’s top defender in 2007-08 and Brown was one of the squad’s best passers and defenders. Both players were leaders both on and off the court. Clay appeared in just 10 games, but his work ethic will be hard to replace.

Hoping to take up some of the slack for the departed players are eight newcomers: Victor Agbasi (6-1, Fr., G), Cameron Allison (6-6, So., F), Jordan Fielding (6-1, Fr., G), Mitch McHenry (5-10., Fr., G), Dustin Oliver (6-1, Fr., G), Taylor Sirois (6-4, Fr.), Mike Storey (6-8, So., F) and Allen VanGundy (6-2, Fr., G).

GRACELAND UNIVERSITY MEN

Starters Returning: 

 

#   Name                          HT     YR       Pos.     Hometown                       School

 

55 Simon  Morefield        6-7      Sr.       C         Independence, MO          Truman HS

GP:  29    GS:  18    PPG:  9.6    RPG:  5.5    FG:  55%   

 

2   Jonathan Carter          6-0      Sr.       G         Colorado Springs, CO     Coronado HS

GP:  31    GS:  11    PPG:  4.8    FG:  46%    APG:  2.6    STLS:  22

 

Top Impact Recruits:

 

|Name |                           HT |    YR |   Pos. |     Hometown |             School |

4 Jewel Carter                    5-11     JR       G          Kansas City, KS     Highlands CC

GP:  27    PPG:  10.7    RPG:  3.3    FG:  40%    FT:  71%    3FG:  30%

 

10 Freddy Franco 6-0 JR G Roswell, NM South Mountain CC

GP: 34 PPG: 7.8 FG: 44% APG: 4.8 STLS: 75

Accolades: South Mountain finished 7th in the nation in NJCAA Division II. Compiled a two year record of 44-15 as starting PG for every game.

5 Michael Johnson             6-7       JR       F          Kansas City, KS      Coffeyville CC   

GP:  32    PPG:  3.0    RPG:  2.9    FG:  41%    3FG:  50%    BLKS:  17

Accolades: 3rd place national tournament finish in 2007 (NJCAA Division I). Compiled a two year record of 57-14.

 

1 Cy Wynn                        6-3       JR      G/F       Sanford, FL             Des Moines Area CC 

GP:  20    PPG:  2.0    RPG:  1.5    FG:  43%    FT:  73% 

Accolades:  First Team All-State (Seminole HS), Ranked 3rd best guard/forward in the State of Florida. Compiled a two year record of 55-11.  

During the 2007-2008 season the Yellowjackets made positive strides in the right direction.  With some key returners, an exciting recruiting class and new Head Coach Jeffrey Hamilton, the Yellowjackets will look to greatly improve upon last season’s successes. 

Guards:  The guard position returns key player Jonathan Carter (6'0" Sr. Colorado Springs, CO), a part time starter last season.  JC is a tough defender and has worked hard during the off-season to expand his game offensively.  JC will provide the senior leadership that this team needs.  At the off guard position the Yellowjackets return Matt Mullins (6'2" Sr. Burleson, TX).  Mullins is a high energy guy and will play a role in this season’s success.  Newcomer Jewel Carter (5'11" Jr. Kansas City, KS), a transfer from Highlands Community College; will be an immediate impact at the off guard position.  Jewel is an athletic scorer who will be a tough match up in the HAAC. Another Newcomer Freddy Franco (6’0” Jr. Roswell, NM), is a transfer from South Mountain Community College. Freddy started every game for the last two seasons at South Mountain, leading them to an overall record of 44-15 and a 7th place finish in this years NJCAA Division II national tournament. Freddy is a good defender, distributor and hard worker; Freddy will improve this team tremendously.    

Wings/Forwards:   This versatile group will be able to play several positions on the floor.  They include two returners and two newcomers.  Key returner Jared Stricklin (6'4" So. Grain Valley, MO), is a skilled perimeter player who is a big time threat from behind the arc.  At the forward position the Yellowjackets return Lucas Harris (6'5" Jr. Colorado Springs, CO).  Lucas is a physically tough defender who can score inside/out.  The newcomers are led by Mike Johnson (6'7" Jr. Kansas City, KS), a transfer from Coffeyville Community College who will be reuniting with high school running mate Jewel Carter.  Mike will be a key part to the 2008-2009 season as he is a versatile big man who can play multiple positions.  Mike is a natural born leader and a good teammate.  Closing out the wing/forward position is Des Moines Area Community College transfer, Cy Wynn (6'3" Jr. Sanford, FL).  Cy is extremely athletic and will be an inside/out threat.                             

Posts:  Returning starter Simon Morefield (6’7” Sr. Independence, MO) will bring a physical presence in the paint. He will join the team in November after completing his duties as starting defensive end for the Yellowjacket football team.  He will be joined by two sophomore big men, Stevan Trisic (6’8” So. Belgrade, Serbia) and Yohana Alphonse (6’8” So. Des Moines, IA), who will see early action while Morefield completes the football season.  Both players have improved tremendously over the last year in many areas and are expected to make huge contributions this season. 

This will be a talented Graceland team that will look to prepare for the difficult HAAC schedule with a strong non-conference agenda.  Non-conference highlights will be the always tough, host of the NAIA Division II national championship, College of the Ozarks; traditionally strong MCC teams Grandview and Ashford; two difficult classic at national powers Columbia College and Embry Riddle University, NCAA Division II power Quincy University and first year NCAA Division I program University of South Dakota. 

The Heart of America Athletic Conference has joined the NAIA Division I scene and your Graceland University Yellowjackets have their eyes set on nothing short of the National Tournament, held at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, MO.   

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY MEN

Last season's group of young Lions are one year tougher, one year smarter, and one year more experienced as they look to compete for a spot among the elite NAIA programs. The Lions lost their leading scorer/rebounder and NAIA All-American in Earnie Norman as well as team captain Travis Hawkins to graduation, but fourth year coach Ryan Cherepkai thinks that the combination of returnees and recruits have what it takes to compete as LU makes its debut at the NAIA Division One level. The Lions return three full time starters as well as four other players who started games during last season.

Guards

Coach Cherepkai is very excited about his group of experienced point guards led by 5'10 senior guard Andre' Dickson (Terre Haute, IN), a returning all conference performer who averaged 12 points and 4 assists per game as a junior, as well as shooting over 80% from the free throw line. Valuable back-up point guard Taylor Florence (Columbia, MO) returns for his junior year, as the quick and athletic guard looks to provide the Lions with energy and defensive intensity when he takes the floor. Freshman guard Brandon Kunkel (Red Bud, IL) brings in a high scoring pedigree from the high school ranks, as the All-State performer was one of the top scorers in the state of Illinois last season.

Wings

Defensive specialist and perimeter shooter Robbie Bazzell (St. Charles, MO) returns for his senior campaign where he looks to improve on his solid junior year where he showed the ability to be an impact player. 6'3 sophomore Richard Rose (Troy, MO) returns as he was one of the top first year players within the HAAC last season. Rose averaged over 10 points per games as a freshman, and has the potential to be dangerous on both sides of the ball this season. Jason Schneider, a 6'5 junior (Great Bend, KS) is one of the top perimeter shooters in the league, and the coaching staff is expecting a huge season from this multi-position player. The Lions most versatile player is 6'5 sophomore Tyler Donaldson (Highland, IL), who had some strong games down the stretch last season and has shown that he can play four positions on the court. 6'3 junior Jared Pribyl (Lake Osage, MO) returns after missing two years with knee injuries. Pribyl was a valuable backup on the 05-06 NAIA Final Four team and will provide depth and toughness.

Posts

6'9 Aaron Brinker (Pacific, MO) and 6'8 Rodney Harrison (Phoenix, AZ) return for their senior year and look to contribute more on the offensive end after being defensive stoppers and solid locker room leaders during their junior campaigns. 6'9 junior Mark Budde (St. Charles, MO) returns looking to contribute after an injury riddled sophomore season. Junior transfers Toriano Adams (Detroit, MI), Shane Williams (Syracuse, NY), and Mariano Bowles (Columbus, OH) are three inside players that the coaching staff feel can make an immediate impact with their abilities to score in the post and off of the glass. The 6'5 Adams was one of the nation's top rebounders at Kellogg CC, and is a rugged player that is in attack mode at all times. Williams, a 6'6 forward, has a great touch in the post as well as facing up and was named an academic All-American as a sophomore at SUNY-Onondaga. Bowles, who will be eligible in January, is a 6'6 post who was named to the All-Tourney team at the NJCAA National tourney, and led the nation in field goal percentage. 6'6 sophomore Madison Medley (Harrisburg, IL) made great strides in his freshman year, as the athletic forward was called up to varsity after a great showing in the junior varsity ranks. 6'6 freshman forward Jordan Loveless (St. Louis) was among the tops in St. Louis in rebounds and blocked shots, and looks to add depth on the front line.

"We feel that we have a strong group of perimeter kids that return and are very pleased with the combination of our inside kids from last year as well as our newcomers. Our wings can really shoot the ball for a high percentage, our two point guards are quick and skilled, and our inside kids can score in a variety of ways. If we can commit to playing defense for forty minutes and attacking people from the start, the rest will take care of itself. This is a very tight knit group that works hard both on and off of the court and we are very excited about the possibilities."-Coach Cherepkai

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE MEN

MidAmerica is beginning their 1st year of basketball in the NAIA Division I after a monumental run in the NAIA Division II. The Pioneers were regulars at the NAIA II National tournament. In the 17 years the Pioneers were in NAIA II, they made 13 trips to the tournament including Final Four berths in 2001, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Included in that run was the National Championship year of 2006-07. Last year MNU finished the season 31-5, won the HAAC, and finished in the Final Four once again.

The Pioneers will have to replace 3-time All American point guard Adam Hepker in order to defend their conference title. MNU has 10 players returning that have varsity experience. At the top of the list is Senior First Team All-American Danny Hawkins. Danny was also All Tournament at the National Tournament for the second straight year. MidAmerica also returns 6 other seniors for the 2008-09 campaign: Cal Kiburz, a great inside/outside player, who is returning from his second ACL surgery and looks as strong as ever. Austin Boots, who started all last year at the 2 spot has had a great summer and is a terrific leader. Brady Small started several games last year and will be a great back up at the inside position. Jonathan Knipker is returning for his senior year after an injury filled junior season. Bryce Karr will be looking for minutes at the guard spot as well. Dutch Thomas is the most improved player in the program and will be a great leader for the Pioneers. MidAmerica also returns 3 juniors who saw significant minutes. Brenton Bell started all year at a guard position. Vince Thompkins was the back up point guard and is looking to replace Adam Hepker there. Ben Swinger missed 17 games last year, but will probably start at the other forward position. The final returnee is Andrew Crotty who may be the best rebounder in the league.

The Pioneers have also brought in 3 freshmen. Barry Robinson is a lightning fast 6-foot guard and is a terrific scorer. Ian Mathews is a 6’7 post player who has made great strides already this summer. Jacob Sipple is a 6’4 guard who will remind the Pioneer faithful of another red head named Jacob Nellor.

The 2008-09 MNU Pioneers are looking forward to the jump to NAIA Division I and have worked hard again this past summer and fall to become the kind of team who can compete at that level. The Pioneers will run, defend and share the ball like the Pioneers who have preceded them and Pioneer basketball will be as exciting as ever.

MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE MEN

Optimism and anticipation circulate through Missouri Valley College Men’s Basketball Program as Head Coach Chad Lance enters his six season. The Vikings return four starters off last year team and 1 part time starter. With the addition of nine new faces the season looks exciting.

PERIMETER PREVIEW

Two year starter’s Craig Jones & Jelani Hicks return for their senior campaign. Also in the backcourt are teammates Caleb Moon, Bryant Porter, Patrick McDermott and Josh Boswell. Craig Jones returns as the most experienced Viking, the 5’9 guard was an All-Conference Honorable Mention player last year. In two seasons Jones has managed to average 10.5 point per game and hand out 3.5 assist. Jelani Hicks also will have a great deal of experience. A starter last season, Hicks had several outstanding games. Hicks, was the ability to knock down the big shot and create problems defensively. He has proven that size doesn’t matter. Caleb Moon saw action last season as a part time starter. Moon had huge nights from behind the arc. Last season, Moon finished the season ranked in the top 10 in 3 point percentage in the HAAC. Rounding out the backcourt will be newcomers Bryant Porter, Patrick McDermott and Josh Boswell.

Toughness is the term that describes Bryant Porter. A transfer from Southwestern Illinois Community College, Bryant was a starter for a team that spent part of the season ranked #1 in the country and finished the season ranked #3. Porter is an all in guy who can guard you 94 feet. He has a high basketball IQ and a knack for knocking down the perimeter jump shot. Versatility is the word that describes Patrick McDermott. A teammate of Porter’s last season, McDermott is a slasher, who can finish in traffic as well as create second chance points. His 6’4 frame should cause mismatch problems for opponents. These two know how two win and will bring leadership and experience to the Vikings.

Energy and excitement are the terms Coach Lance uses to describe Josh Boswell. Throughout pre-season he has given the Vikings that needed spark. He is a relentless competitor who has never surrender attitude. Boswell is no strange to the Viking program. His brother John was an outstanding player for the Vikings 03-05. He will bring a since a pride and legacy this season.

POST PREVIEW

The Vikings return two starters, Senior Brandon Toliver and Junior Rouven Haenig. Also in the front court will be newcomers Roc Rogers, James Devault, Jon Ringstaff, and Bryan Corley.

Brandon Toliver is as big as a Mack Truck. A starter last season as well as an All-Conference Honorable Mention recipient managed to produce 14 double/doubles last season. Brandon has the ability to score with his back to the basket and clean the glass. Toliver was also a present defensively while block a number of shots. He will be looked upon as the anchor down low. Rouven Haenig is a skilled forward who can score down low as well as shoot it from deep. Haenig’s best assets, is his ability to rebound. Last season he lead the Vikings in rebounding with 7.5 last season.

Newcomer Roc Rogers comes in with a create deal of experience. A two year starter at Rochester Community College, Rogers was the Regions Player of The Year, averaging 17.5 points per game and 8 rebounds. The Term Little Big Man best describes Rogers. He can bang down low as well as beat you off the dribble as well as shoot it from 3 point range. Junior, James Devault a transfer from Mid-State Community College is a high flyer who has dead eye range. His athleticism should bring excitement to the floor.

Rounding out the front court will be two freshmen, Bryan Corley and Jon Ringstaff. These two will bring toughness and size to the Vikings. Bryan Corley 6’6 250 pound frame is a young Brandon Toliver that will improve each day through practice and competition. Jon Ringstaff is a physical player who loves contact. He has shown he loves to screen and rebound. Their future is bright.

WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE MEN

For the first time in three years, the William Jewell men’s basketball team will be returning starters to the lineup instead of having to worry about replacing graduated seniors. The Cardinals will return four starters from last year’s squad, and that has Coach Larry Holley excited about the team in 2008-09.

“We have a good nucleus of players back this year,” said head coach Holley. “If you couple that with our strong recruiting class, I think we have the opportunity to improve on last year’s season.”

The point guard spot could be a source of strength again this season for the Cardinals. Senior Jordan Jamestown is back after leading the team with 112 assists last season and earning All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. Jamestown was also voted by his teammates as the team’s Most Valuable Player last season. Adam Johnson (5’10” sophomore transfer from Perth, Australia) also will have a chance to run the offense this season for Jewell.

At the shooting guard spot this season, the Cardinals will be counting on junior Kyle Fisher (6’3” from Harrisburg, Mo.) Fisher finished the season with a team high 460 points good for 13.9 points per game, in addition to dishing out 87 assists and tallying 102 rebounds. He was also named to the All-Conference second team. Junior Jacques Wilson, who transferred to Jewell from Southern Utah last season, will also be back to provide some depth at the guard position.

The small forward position could be another area of strength this season. Larry Mandacina (6’3” senior from Blue Springs, Mo.) is back after leading the Cards with 59 steals for the 2007-08 season. He also finished second on the team in minutes played with 995 and averaged 14.0 points per game. Mandacina was named to the All-Conference third team. Sophomore Jonathan Benson (6’4” from Kansas City, Mo.) will also vie for playing time at small forward.

Leading the charge at the power forward slot for the Cards this year will be sophomore Alex Bernskoetter (6’6” forward from Springfield, Mo.). In 29 games played last season, Bernskoetter had 16 blocked shots and grabbed 77 rebounds.

Center will be a position of change for this year. “We lost all three centers to graduation from last year’s team,” said Holley. “It looks like there will be minutes to be had at that position.” Gone from last year are Phil Cantwell and Andrew Poston, along with Ryan Hintz, who led the team in blocks with 38. Players competing to fill those positions are Gary Street (6’9” transfer from Regis University) and sophomore Michael Neuenswander (6’8” forward/center from Liberty, Mo.).

The Cardinals will also look a little different on the sidelines this season. Assistant coach Kyle Taylor accepted a full-time assistant coaching job at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Assistant coach Tim Sutton, who took a year off to work with a seventh-grade travel team, will be back assisting with the varsity.

The coaching staff is again headed by Larry Holley, now in his 30th year at his alma mater. New assistant coach John Davenport comes to William Jewell after playing for coach Holley and graduating in 2007. Davenport will be the head coach of the junior varsity program. Kyle Lower is back for his third year and will assist with both the varsity and junior varsity programs. Also added in the mix as a volunteer assistant is Liberty, Mo., native Nick Robinson. Robinson led the Blue Jays to their first-ever state championship in 1998 and went on to play and coach at Stanford University.

The Cardinals will make a jump to NAIA Division I beginning this season. “The great thing about moving to Division I is that if we qualify for the national tournament we will be able to play in front of our home fans,” said Holley. “The national tournament will be held right here in Kansas City at Municipal Auditorium, and the HAAC will send the top three teams to the National Tournament.”

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download