08-09 fighting sioux - University of North Dakota Athletics

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2008-09 OUTLOOK
On the road to Division I
Head coach Gene Roebuck closed a coaching
chapter when he finished the 2007-08
season as the winningest active Division II
coach. Now it’s time for Roebuck and the
Univeristy of North Dakota women’s basketball
team to write their own names into
Division I history.
This year, the entire UND athletic department
will begin the move to DI, with the
exception of men’s and women’s hockey,
which are already participating at the
Division I level. Starting in 2012-13, the
programs will be able to participate in the
postseason with an opportunity to vie for a
national championship. Until then, Sioux
athletics will use the transition period to
continue to build on their already strong
rosters.
Though it is not yet a fully DI recognized
program, the Fighting Sioux women’s basketball
team is in store for some tough
competition at a higher level. Not only will
the players be introduced to new styles of
play, but new areas of the country.
Roebuck said that he, his staff, and the
players are eager to play teams at the
Division I level, and will use this opportunity
to build for the future.
“We are excited about the transition to
Division I and our schedule reflects that,”
Roebuck said. "Being a non-counter this
season, we could have played non-Division
I schools. However, that would not have
been the measuring stick that we need to be
successful at the next level. Our university
is and should be Division I. We are excited
to have that opportunity.”
Also new to the team is the amount of
mileage it will be putting on. This season,
the Sioux will bounce from Montana to
Arizona, Ohio to Vermont, Texas to
Washington and all the places in between
with 17 road games. Some of the trips will
last an entire week as UND works to get in
a couple of games a week.
“We have a very challenging schedule that
will take us to different parts of the country,
unlike in the past,” said Roebuck. “It
will be a totally different year with most of
our travel taking place in the air. It will be
tough at times, because of it, but hopefully,
we can learn from this season and use it as
a guide for the future.”
Roebuck will be backed by a staff very
familiar with the program. Assistant coach
Megan Kelling is back for a sixth season
working with the guards and perimeter
players. She is joined by assistant coach
Greg Ulland, who is in his third season
working with the wing players. Travis
Brewster is back for a second stint North
Dakota. Prior to his return, Brewster spent
a season as assistant coach at South Dakota
State and one at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“Our coaching staff is the best staff I have
had at UND,” Roebuck said. “With the
move to Division I, we need to upgrade our
recruiting and give the players here an
opportunity to get better. Our staff works
very hard on player development and is
capable of recruiting anywhere in the
Upper Midwest which is necessary to compete
at the next level.”
The future of Sioux basketball
Last season, the Fighting Sioux lost two
high-quality starters, Karla Beck and
Ashley Langen. It will be up to some of the
younger, less experienced players to step
up and fill those roles.
“Karla Beck was an extremely hard worker
on the perimeter and one of our best athletes,”
said Roebuck. “We are hoping our
young perimeter players and the return of
Kayla Bagaason will help alleviate the loss
of Karla.”
“Ashley Langen is one of the top scorers in
the history of UND and that is something
that will be hard to replace. It will take a
team effort to replace the impact that she
had on our scoring.”
Unlike in the past when UND had an established
set of starters, the coaching staff will
use a variety of different combinations at
the beginning of the season until they are
able to setting into a rotation that best fits
the teams they play.
At the top of their game
Highlighting the returners for the Sioux are
a pair of seniors—forward Kierah
Kimbrough and guard Danye Guinn.
A 2007-08 WBCA All-American,
Kimbrough finished the 2007-08 season as
UND’s leading scorer, averaging 17.4
points per game. Defensively, she finished
with 35 blocks and averaged 7.7 rebounds
per game.
“Kierah is one of the top offensive players
to ever play at UND,” said Roebuck. “This
season, we will look for her to set the tone
on the offensive end.”
Kierah
Kimbrough
Guinn averaged a career-high 8.8 points
per game last season with a team-high 51
three-pointers. She was also listed high in
assists and steals.
“We need Danye to help carry the scoring,
so this season we are going to move her
back out to the wing position to get better
use of her shots,” said Roebuck.
Another year under the belt
North Dakota will also return a junior class