2006-07 Media Guide - Washington & Lee - Washington and Lee ...

Washington washington and lee2006-07 SEASON PREVIEWFourth-year head coach MandyKing has a feeling that this could bea lucky year for the Washington andLee women's basketball team. It’s notthe brand of luck that implies chance,rather something else. It’s more thevariety of luck that was once spokenin an adage attributed to Thomas Jefferson.Paraphrased, the aphorism byJefferson states, "I'm a great believerin luck and I find the harder I work, themore I have of it."Based on Jefferson’s logic andthe commitment the entire team hasmade during the off-season, Kingbelieves the Generals can shake theirrecent string of eighth-place finishesin the ODAC and have a breakoutseason."In the past, that hasn't happened,"said King, speaking of thelevel of effort exuded in the monthsleading up to October 15. "But, this team has (worked hard) and I think that means theywant it more -- it is a priority to them. For the first time since I've been here, basketball is thenumber one priority for everyone on the team."Something else that King is seeing for the first time in her W&L tenure, is an increasein leadership on the team."I think that with this season, the most impressive thing has been our leadership thusfar," she stated. "It seems like this year, something has lifted off the top of our program. Theupperclassmen know they are leaders."Setting the tone for the team is senior center Jessica Hunsinger (6-foot-0). A threeyearletterwinner and team captain, Hunsinger was a Second-Team All-ODAC and all-stateselection a season ago. King hopes Hunsinger can build upon a junior campaign that washighlighted by leading the team in points (15.2 ppg), leading the ODAC in blocks (2.8 bpg) andrebounds (10.0 rpg), and becoming the sixth player in W&L history to score 1,000 points."She's just gotten better every single year," said King of her starting center. "I thinkshe is going to make a tremendous impact on the league this year. She is playing with agreater confidence and I believe that will translate into her being the best post player in theleague.”Having a top-notch interior presence is among the Generals’ keys to the season, butHunsinger is not the only weapon that King has in her arsenal. Hunsinger is joined by a strongcorps of returning players, including junior guard/forward Kristen Krouchick (5-foot-9), juniorguard Emily Wolff (5-foot-9), sophomore forward Kara Nadeau (5-foot-10) and sophomoreguard Bethany Ridenhour (5-foot-9).A team captain and versatile player, Krouchick started all 26 games last season andaveraged 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 steals per outing, while also shootingnearly 50 percent from the floor."Kristen is a special player, but she kind of flies under the radar," said King. "I'm notsure why, because she is a very gifted athlete who reads the game very well. She is one ofthe most consistent shooters that we have and yet, incredibly versatile. She can play insideand out and is also a clutch shooter."King is counting on Krouchick to be a key component in starting a majority of herteam’s sets. However, she will not truly be considered the point guard and neither will Wolff,despite starting all 26 games as the point guard last season and averaging 7.0 points, 4.9rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last winter."Emily has been a point guard for two years," said King. "I think we're finally going tobe able to move her into the two-guard position, which is more of her natural position. Taking2