Lady Jacket Basketball set to begin 2005-06 season
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio - After a 14-11 finish to the 2004-05 season, the Defiance College Lady Jacket Basketball Team will look to improve on that close this year with senior leadership, solid underclassmen contribution, and a new coaching staff.

Head Coach Corey Laster will begin his first year with the Jackets, along with Assistant Coach Julie Porter. The Taylor University alum brings with him vast coaching experience, including head coaching stints at his alma mater and at NCAA Division II St. Michael’s. Porter adds her vast knowledge of the game, having been a part of a University of Texas-Pan America team that achieved a #1 national ranking in 2001.

Laster expects that this season will not be an easy one, as the team will have to get adjusted to a new coaching staff, a new defense, and a new season in general. Based on his observations, he feels that the Jackets’ strength last season came in their ability to shoot the basketball, and thus hopes that will be their forte again this year. In addition to the shooting, Laster also observed the good team chemistry among the player thus far in the preseason, something that no coach can teach. He hopes that this chemistry will translate into an increase in wins this year.

Seniors Meghann Savard and Kara Jones will be looked upon to help the younger players during this transition period. Savard is coming off of a season that saw her lead the Lady Jackets in scoring (18.7), field goals made (159), and field goal percentage (.568), while being named to the All-HCAC Team. Jones also proved to be a threat from behind the arc, as she broke the school record for three-point percentage in a season, shooting .442 from downtown.

Juniors Megan Myers and Erica Franks also return to the Lady Jacket squad. Though their playing time was limited in scope last year, the two will be expected to play a larger role this season. Sophomores Kayla Mengerink and Sarah Bird round out the squad of returning Lady Jackets. Mengerink was named to the HCAC All-Freshman Team last year, while Bird averaged 3.5 points and 2.0 boards off the bench.

The Lady Jackets bring in five new players in the form of Allison Ramsay, Melissa Headley, Stephanie Powers, Stephanie Lieto, and Sarah Grime. In addition to the success each player experienced in high school, Headley also brings to the table a year of collegiate experience, having transferred to DC from Wilmington College after playing a year for the Lady Quakers. Yet with the small size of the roster, all five will undoubtedly be expected to make contributions to the team at some point during the year.

The team is not without losses though, as DC graduated two vaunted Lady Jacket players, Meta Gerding and Kelly VanderHost. Both players were named to the All-HCAC Team last year and accounted for 37% of the DC scoring offense. Though it will be hard to replace players of their caliber, Laster feels that with a good group effort marked by consistent play and good shooting, the team will be successful this year.

The Lady Jackets open the year November 18 at Danville, Kentucky in the Centre College Tournament and play their home opener November 22 against Heidelberg College. Conference play begins January 4, 2006 at Transylvania University.