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WBB 16/17 Season

Season Awards
Sophomore Megan Gustafson took home the Field Goal Percentage Leader and Best Rebounder awards. The first team All-Big Ten selection averaged 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this season. Her 64.7 field goal percentage ranked second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. She ended the season ranked in the NCAA top-30 in seven categories, including field goal percentage (5th; 64.7), double-doubles (10th; 18), field goals made (11th; 260), rebounds (11th; 343), rebounds per game (11th; 10.1), defensive rebounds per game (26th; 7), and final points (28th; 628).

Tania Davis was presented with the Free Throw Percentage Leader award. The sophomore led the Hawkeyes, shooting 87.8 percent from the free throw line. She averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 30.4 minutes per game in the first 23 games of the season before being sidelined with a knee injury. Davis dished out five or more assists in nine games and scored in double figures in 14 of her 23 contests.

Freshman Kathleen Doyle was named Iowa's Assist Leader. The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native averaged 4.4 assists per game. Doyle's 148 assists on the season broke a program record for assists in a freshman campaign. She bested Sam Logic's previous record of 136 set in 2012. Doyle also broke the record for steals in a freshman season, tallying 71 to best the previous record of 57 set by Johanna Solverson in 2003. Doyle's 70.1 free throw percentage and 2.1 steals per game led all Big Ten freshmen this season.

Doyle also shared the Best Defense award with freshman teammate Bre Cera. Cera appeared in 31 games with 18 starts in her freshman campaign. She led the team in 3-point shooting percentage (37.5) and registered 65 rebounds, including 25 offensive boards.

Hannah Stewart was named Most Improved. The sophomore played in all 34 games and scored in double digits six times. She recorded her best season as a Hawkeye, compiling 167 points, 94 rebounds, 17 blocks, and 14 assists in her sophomore campaign.

Freshman Alexis Sevillian was presented with the Coaches Award, whiles seniors Alexa Kastanek and Hailey Schneden were each presented with the Community Service Award. Sevillian brought energy and enthusiasm to each and every practice during her redshirt year. The duo logged countless hours serving the local community this year.
 
There will be strength-and-conditioning workouts, and the Hawkeyes will scrimmage four times per week, with no coaches in attendance.

Bluder said she has considered making one of those workouts per week open to the public, “but we can’t advertise it. How will people know when to come if we don’t advertise it?

“We’re still working on that.”

We're depending on you oak for some leaking on here.
 
I know that Kathleen can shoot better than that, and probably a bunch of the FR in the league can.
 
Welcome Raina Harmon as the new assistant coach for the women!

Here is Harmon's bio from Central Michigan.

Detroit native Raina Harmon is in her fifth season as an assistant under CMU head coach Sue Guevara.

Harmon earned four letters as a player at CMU from 2001-04, and in 2003 received the Dee Pommerenk Sportsmanship Award. She served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2003-04.

Harmon’s primary responsibilities at CMU include perimeter player development, academics and scouting. She has 10-plus years of coaching experience at various levels, including one season (2011-12) as the director of basketball operations at Michigan.

In Harmon’s four years at CMU, the Chippewas have finished a combined 76-52 with one Mid-American Conference Tournament championship, two MAC West titles, an NCAA Tournament berth and two WNIT appearances.

Harmon earned a bachelor of applied arts in sports studies and marketing from CMU in 2004. She earned her master’s degree in sports administration from Wayne State in 2009.
http://www.cmuchippewas.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/raina_harmon_897432.html
 
Welcome Raina Harmon as the new assistant coach for the women!

Here is Harmon's bio from Central Michigan.

Detroit native Raina Harmon is in her fifth season as an assistant under CMU head coach Sue Guevara.

Harmon earned four letters as a player at CMU from 2001-04, and in 2003 received the Dee Pommerenk Sportsmanship Award. She served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2003-04.

Harmon’s primary responsibilities at CMU include perimeter player development, academics and scouting. She has 10-plus years of coaching experience at various levels, including one season (2011-12) as the director of basketball operations at Michigan.

In Harmon’s four years at CMU, the Chippewas have finished a combined 76-52 with one Mid-American Conference Tournament championship, two MAC West titles, an NCAA Tournament berth and two WNIT appearances.

Harmon earned a bachelor of applied arts in sports studies and marketing from CMU in 2004. She earned her master’s degree in sports administration from Wayne State in 2009.
http://www.cmuchippewas.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/raina_harmon_897432.html
Might be a good coach, but wish someone with Iowa connections had been available and hired.
 
Might be a good coach, but wish someone with Iowa connections had been available and hired.

Not going to disagree. That said, good to hire a coach with connections in Michigan where we have had some recruiting success
 
Why do many fans feel it is necessary to hire a head or assistant coach with Iowa ties? Some of our greatest coaches have had no Iowa ties when hired. Included are Vivian Stringer, Gayle Bevins, Lute Olsen, Ralph Miller, Tom Davis, Forest Evasheski and Hayden Fry.
 
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Why do many fans feel it is necessary to hire a head or assistant coach with Iowa ties? Some of our greatest coaches have had no Iowa ties when hired. Included are Vivian Stringer, Gayle Bevins, Lute Olsen, Ralph Miller, Tom Davis, Forest Evasheski and Hayden Fry.
My feeling is that recruiting Iowa kids might be aided. That's all.
 
Coach Bluder is a Marion native, played at UNI and between St Ambrose, Drake and the U of I has spent her entire coaching career in Iowa. Coaches Jensen and Fitzgerald have been with her since Drake. How much more 'Iowa' does the staff need to be? And would it have made a difference with someone like Kia Stokes? Did she go to UConn because the Hawkeye staff wasn't 'Iowa' enough? I submit not.

Now OTOH, there is a case to be made that the current SB staff, as well as several fomer VB staffs hurt themselves by ignoring quality in-state players who would have improved their teams alot. A coach with local Iowa connections could have helped in those cases. I don't see that with WBB though.
 
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Coach Bluder is a Marion native, played at UNI and between St Ambrose, Drake and the U of I has spent her entire coaching career in Iowa. Coaches Jensen and Fitzgerald have been with her since Drake. How much more 'Iowa' does the staff need to be? And would it have made a difference with someone like Kia Stokes? Did she go to UConn because the Hawkeye staff wasn't 'Iowa' enough? I submit not.

Now OTOH, there is a case to be made that the current SB staff, as well as several fomer VB staffs hurt themselves by ignoring quality in-state players who would have improved their teams alot. A coach with local Iowa connections could have helped in those cases. I don't see that with WBB though.

Yep. The current staff doesn't have a problem getting Iowa kids. Urban areas outside of the state is where the help is needed.
 
My feeling is that recruiting Iowa kids might be aided. That's all.

Don't we have enough coaches already with Iowa ties? Good to bring in someone that has ties elsewhere too, and Michigan is a state we already recruit, so why not reinforce there?
 
I think some here are missing the point of Lisa and her staff's recruiting. There is no doubt in my mind that they could sign better players if they wanted, and were not concerned with the type of person and how they would fit in with the staff and their team mates. She gets smart kids, good kids, and the type of player she wants for the most part. Just my opinion.
 
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I think some here are missing the point of Lisa and her staff's recruiting. There is no doubt in my mind that they could sign better players if they wanted, and were not concerned with the type of person and how they would fit in with the staff and their team mates. She gets smart kids, good kids, and the type of player she wants for the most part. Just my opinion.
Good point BGHAWK! Don't want to have to "police" the WBB team because of only worrying about talent and not character. I wouldn't want to go to work everyday with a number of players in trouble or breaking team/ academic rules.
 
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Her younger sister has a scholarship offer to UW Milwaukee. I think her boyfriend goes to UW Whitewater, but I'm not positive on that.
Everything seemed normal 10 days ago.
 
Coach Bluder liked her effort enough to start her in 18 games. But Bre never did seem comfortable in the offensive game. She seemed to be thinking too much and not just being free. Maybe that was something the coaches had set as plays for other players.
It was great having Bre here. I'm sorry she couldn't find a way to stay. Thanks ant80 for your insights and posts through the year. Wish the best for you and Bre.
 
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DCXawImUMAAnUl1.jpg

Front Row Tania, MaKenzie, Alexis, Kathleen, Jinaya
Back Row Hannah, Chase, Megan, Carly
Not pictured Amanda, Christina, Zion
 
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They had a video after camp and Carly was in it dancing along and jumping at the end. All fingers crossed.
 
Perhaps this was why coach Jensen was so seemingly casual about whether the extra scholarships might be used, in the article several weeks ago.
 
Yes, the first. Christina is from Canada. Those are the only two from outside the USA.
 
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