The Advance

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Kat Benton Women's basketball begins preseason Friday, Nov. 16 with the KWU Classic.

After being predicted to finish in seventh place by the media and eighth place by the coaches on the Oct. 17 KCAC Conference Media Day, the Lady Coyotes have been practicing more often to reach the potential that the coaching staff believes they have.

"It's disappointing to see that result,
but it is motivating to prove everyone
else wrong and to work harder in practice," said returning starter and Tribune native Kaylaen Dittmer.

Leading the way are team captains Gray, Lee and Dittmer. Dittmer is a decorated retuning player for the Lady Coyotes. In her third season running the offense, Dittmer will be a huge difference maker in helping to earn the Coyotes more respect in the KCAC and search for the allusive KCAC Conference Championship.

Dittmer comes off from Freshman of the Year as well as back to back All-KCAC Conference Honors. A student from Greeley County High School, she has been on varsity since her freshman year and last year averaged
9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game.

"I'm looking forward to a better season than last year and improving with a whole new group of girls," said Dittmer.

Although overlooked by everyone involved in the KCAC, the Lady Coyotes will stick to their high-paced playing style. They are currently working on inner-squad scrimmages and set plays.

The reason for such intensity and vigor with each play, comes from the incentive the women have from the coaching staff, mentioned Assistant coach Ryan Showman. At the end of every practice, the player who had exerted the most effort, hustle and shows the most passion is awarded a "purple heart."

"We're going to run teams off the floor," said fourth-year Head Coach Gordon Reimer. "I would say that our strengths so far are running the ball, transitioning, shooting and our high-pressure defense."

Possible starters for the varsity squad include transfers Robin Smith, Emily Luckeroth and Jennie Vopat, as well as returners Jenn Lee, Charressa Gray, Tierra Baldwin and Dittmer.

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