Northwestern University Athletics
2003-04 Women's Hoops Outlook
10/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 26, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern women's basketball is ready to turn a corner.
Behind a seasoned group of veterans, a promising rookie class and the desire to return the program to a level not seen in several years, anticipation is high for 2003-04.
As senior Kristin Ambrose says, "we want it more."
Head coach June Olkowski wants it, too, and believes her squad has worked hard to get ready for the challenges and rewards ahead.
"I truly feel like this is the best team we have had in my time here," says Olkowski. "Most of the women have been playing together for three years -- simply put, the more you play the better you are. Now we have had a year to learn the offense we want to execute and to perfect the defense. Now we are ready to take charge of our upcoming season."
NU entered last season unable to predict what the future would hold. The coaches and players were optimistic, as all five 2002 starters returned, including 2002 honorable mention All-Big Ten selection Sarah Kwasinski. Kwasinski did not disappoint, leading the team in scoring (12.0), rebounding (6.7) and blocked shots (51) and finishing fourth in assists (58). She also tied for the team lead with 35 steals (19 in conference games). For her play in 2003, Kwasinski repeated as an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer.
How will Northwestern attack this season?
With leadership.
The 'Cats return upperclassmen that control the destiny of this squad. Seniors Michelle Zylstra and Kristin Ambrose combine with the 'core' of the team-juniors Melissa Culver, Sarah Kwasinski, Maria McCarthy, Samantha McComb and Suzanne Morrison-to raise the expectations of this team and their opponents.
"The team worked hard in the off-season to become stronger physically and mentally," says Olkowski. "I asked them to work hard and they came thorough. I am pleased with that progression, as well as the improvements made in the overall understanding and respect for the game. It will definitely be an exciting year."
Winning against Michigan and Indiana last year vaulted NU to its highest tournament seeding in three years at No. 10. But the late-season run was cut short as the Big Ten tournament's seventh-seed, Iowa, beat the Wildcats in the first round, 70-58, and ended their season. Besides adding to their best Big Ten record in three years, the wins over Michigan and Indiana gave NU six home wins for the season, equaling its highest home-win total since 1997-98, when the team also went 6-7 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The three conference victories matched the most conference wins in any Olkowski season to date, as NU won three games in 1999, her inaugural season.
With several top players returning, NU should have its best offense under Olkowski. Besides Kwasinski, McComb stepped up and proved to be a legitimate long-range threat last year, finishing the conference season fifth in three-point field-goal percentage (46-for-132, .348) and eighth in three-point field goals made (46). McComb also finished second to then-senior Natalie Will in assists with 69. Olkowski wants to see that offensive prowess continue growing in her players.
"Both Sarah and Sam came into preseason as tougher players," says Olkowki. "We are going to rely on them this year to go to the basket more to pick up points.
"We have a number of women who have great shots and can put up some big numbers," Olkowski continued. "Kristin has proven that she can shoot, Michelle has great range, and Melissa is becoming the type of scorer we need her to be."
Junior forward Suzanne Morrison, who started 13 games as a sophomore, came on strong late in the season, averaging 10.5 points in the last six games, which included three straight games of 13 points. She tallied a season-high 17 in NU's three-point loss to Minnesota.
Stepping in and making an impact right away-and even more importantly, gaining valuable experience through playing time-was freshman forward Ifeoma Okonkwo. Okonkwo worked her way back into the starting lineup by the beginning of the conference season after staring the first two nonconference games. The Texas native made the most of her time, totaling the third-most starts on the team (18) and finishing second to Kwasinski in total rebounds (108). She also finished the regular season ranked 22nd in conference with 4.8 caroms per game average.
"Ifeoma has improved tremendously as a basketball player," says Olkowski. "She is becoming a complete basketball player as well as a complete athlete."
Joining the Wildcats for the first time are A.J. Glasauer, Alex Mueller, Breanne Smilie, and Suzi Sutton.
"For this recruiting class we, as a staff, searched near and far," says Olkowski. "Being at Northwestern gives us that ability because of our academic reputation."
Glasauer was voted Germany's 2001 Rookie of the Year, competing for Club Freiburg. As a junior, Glasauer and her teammates won five German championships. She also was a member of Germany's Under-16 and Under-20 National Teams that participated at the European Championships.
Mueller, who is from Nordlingen, has been a member of Germany's Junior National Team since 1997 and has played with the Senior Women's National Team since 2001.
"The blend of international experience Alex and A.J. bring from playing in the European Championships can only make us better," says Olkowski. "The skills of all three players fits perfectly into both our offensive and defensive schemes."
Smilie is NU's second Fenwick high school player to sign in the last three years, as Kwasinski also donned the Friar jersey. Smilie transferred to Fenwick after her freshman year, and totaled 794 points in three years. As a senior, the Illinois native garnered all-conference honors, and was a second-team all-tournament selection at the Illinois State Tournament. The Chicago Sun-Times voted her second-team all-area, and the Pioneer Press named her "Tops of Their Teams" for 2003. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association also selected Smilie to its all-state team.
Sutton walks on to the Northwestern squad as a senior after starting for the Wildcats' field hockey team the past four seasons. The guard played high school basketball and was the conference Player of the Year as a senior.
Which brings us to 2003-04. The Wildcats face a schedule like any other year, filled with a variety of opponents from various conferences, many of them ranked. The schedule provides the Wildcats the opportunity to play against many different styles and make adjustments before taking on the Big Ten, one of the nation's strongest women's basketball conferences.
"Our job is to protect our home schedule, especially in the Big Ten, and try to steal some on the road," says Olkowski. "The league is so well rounded and challenging, considering we routinely face teams like Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, and Penn State. Saying that teams such as Michigan State and Indiana are 'middle-of-the-pack' is a joke! Anyone being 'middle-of-the-pack' in this league are top competitors nationally."
Northwestern faces several nonconference opponents for the first time, including Loyola Marymount, and either Duke or Hampton in the Loyola Marymount Tournament. Early on, the 'Cats host Creighton and DePaul, play Drexel and Eastern Michigan or Florida International in the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational, and entertain West Virginia. On the road, they will face Kentucky, Dayton, Illinois-Chicago, and Southern Illinois.
"If you ask any of my players what this season is about, they will tell you that it is about making a commitment to excellence-on the court and off. We know what it takes to win and we all have that hunger," says Olkowski.
Quite simply, they want it more.
