Season Opener for Lady Crusaders and College of the Ozarks

Game 1
Evangel University
at College of the Ozarks
Tuesday, November 6, 5:30 p.m.
Keeter Gymnasium* Pt. Lookout, Mo.

The Lady Crusaders will play at College of the Ozarks on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 5:30 p.m. in Pt. Lookout, Mo. The Lady Bobcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation on the NAIA II preseason poll. The game is the season opener for both squads.

Following their game at College of the Ozarks, the EU ladies will travel to Maryville, Mo., to participate in the Northwest Missouri State University Classic on Nov. 16-17. On Friday, Nov. 16, the Lady Crusaders will face host Northwest Missouri at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 17, EU will face off against Briar Cliff University (Iowa) at 2 p.m.

2006-07 Records

Evangel finished the 2006-07 season with an 8-21 record. The Lady Crusaders lost 61-47 at MidAmerica Nazarene in Olathe, Kans., in the first round of the Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament.

The Lady Bobcats ended a spectacular 2006-07 season with a 34-3 record and advanced to the NAIA II national championship game, where they lost 48-34 to Indiana Wesleyan.

Series, EU vs. C of O

Evangel leads the series 26-22, however, College of the Ozarks has won the last four meetings and leads EU 12-10 in Keeter Gymnasium. Last year, C of O defeated Evangel 76-42 in Pt. Lookout and 73-53 in Springfield. The Evangel women’s last win against C of O was on Jan. 31, 2005 by a 63-49 score.

Coaches

Evangel is led by Leon Neal in his 14th year. During the past 13 seasons, Neal has put together a 291-145 record.

George Wilson is the head coach for the College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats. Wilson begins his 11th season with C of O in 2007-08 and has a 263-61 record.

Returning Lady Crusaders

• Katie Burger (6-0, So., G): sat out 2006-07 for personal reasons, played in 30 games in 2005-06 and earned letter, 3.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 38.3 FG% (41-107)
• Samantha Haraldson (6-0, So., C): earned first letter, improved rapidly as season aged
• Brianna Mingus (5-6, So., G): earned first letter, starting point guard as a freshman, won third team all-conference honors, won team’s rookie of the year award, 12.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 70 assists (2.4), 24 steals (0.8), 41.3 3FG% (52-126), 87.8 FT% (65-74)
• Kate Prentice (5-10, Sr., F): earned third letter in 2006-07, won Daktronics-NAIA II Scholar-Athlete award, one of three players to win team’s Discipleship Award for spiritual leadership.

Players Lost by EU

• April Allbritton (6-0, C): played in 11 games, averaged six minutes per game
• Abi Brock (5-8, G): played in 16 of 29 games due to injury, saw six starts, 5.3 ppg, 30.6 3FG% (15-49)
• Rachel Damanskis (5-7, G): honorable mention all-conference pick, team MVP, starter, 10.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 80.0 FT% (64-80), 25.9 3FG% (22-85)
• Heidi Kalsbeck (6-2, C): starter, 6.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 79.2 FT% (38-48)
• Katie Leischner (5-9, G): starter, 8.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 33.1 3FG% (49-148)
• Kristin Metzger (6-1, C): played in every game, saw four starts, 9.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 65.4 3FG% (102-156), won team’s 6th Man Award
• Amy Szczepanik (6-2, C): starter, 5.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 44.4 3FG% (56-126)

New Faces on the 2007-08 EU Team Photo

Lindsey Burnett (5-8, Jr., G): transfer from Southwestern Assemblies of Assemblies of God, played two years at SWAG, 2005 graduate of Argyle (Texas) High School, team captain

Kelsie Hargus (5-10, Fr., G): 2007 grad of Marion D. Early High School (Morrisville, Mo.), 1st team all-state Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, 1st team all-state Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Class 2, 1st team all-Ozarks four years, two-time conference MVP, 1st team all-district three years McDonald’s All-America nominee, 24.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2 spg

Melissa Hogan (5-7, Fr., PG): 2007 grad of Ozark (Mo.) High School, 1st team all-district, academic all-state pick, 10.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.4 apg, 3.1 spg

Megan Jewell (5-7, Fr., G): 2007 grad of Willard (Mo.) High School, 1st team all-state Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 4, 2nd team all-state Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Class 4, 1st team all-Ozarks, 1st team all-conference, 1st team all-district, team MVP as junior and senior, 21.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.0 spg

Ashley Jurgensmeyer (6-0, Fr., C): 2007 grad of Osceola (Mo.) High School, 1st team all-state Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 2, three-year all-conference pick, two-year all-district selection, 14.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.5 spg, 1.5 bpg

Ashlee Luko (5-6, Fr., G): 2007 graduate of Nixa (Mo.) High School, 1st team all-state Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 5, 1st team all-state Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Class 5, academic all-state pick, 1st team all-Ozarks, 1st team all-district, 1st team all-conference, team MVP  as junior and senior, 17.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 spg

Michelle Michener (6-1, So., C): 2006 homeschooled grad, transfer from Southwestern Assemblies of God, averaged 9.0 points and 10 rebounds at Southwestern A/G

Danielle Noah (5-10, Fr., F): 2007 Lutie (Theodosia, Mo.) High School, team MVP, won team’s best all-around player and best offense and sportsmanship awards, won all-state and all-conference honors her junior year

Whitney Pollard (5-11, Jr., F): transfer from Hannibal-LaGrange College, earned two letters and started two seasons at H-LC, 2004 grad of Springfield’s Glendale High School

Caitlin Russell (5-8, Fr., G): 2007 grad of Springfield’s Hillcrest High School, 1st team all-conference, 1st team all-district, 14.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.4 apg, 2.3 spg