Women's Basketball: 2010-11 Season Recap
IRVING, Texas - The University of Dallas women's basketball team finished the 2010-2011 season with winning record, once again, going 14-13 in head coach Jina Johansen's first year with the program.
Lady Crusaders fare well against future fellow SCAC members:
From Dec. 18 - Jan. 30, the Lady Crusaders boasted a 9-3 record, never losing consecutive games. This stretch saw Dallas capture a season-high four game winning streak, spanning from Dec. 30 - Jan. 9, where the team knocked off three current members of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) – Hendrix College, Austin College and Colorado College. Dallas will join the SCAC, beginning fall 2011.
The Lady Crusaders wrapped up their season by hosting the Association of Division III Independents' (AD3I) Postseason Tournament in late Feb. Though Dallas fell to Nebraska Wesleyan University in their first tournament game, the Lady Crusaders ended on a high note, defeating UC-Santa Cruz, 67-62, in the season finale.
Dallas protected home court advantage throughout the season, posting a 9-5 record at the Maher Athletic Center, including an 89 point performance against Sul Ross State University on Nov. 19.
Trio of seniors lead the way:
Dallas' three seniors -- Cara Sczepanski (Highland Village, Texas/Marcus H.S.), Bethany Roessler (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier Prep H.S.), and Joirdan Cole (Plano, Texas/Bishop Lynch H.S.) contributed largely to the squad's success in 2010-2011.
Sczepanski, a four year letter winning forward, led the team in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game, while finishing second on the team in rebounds, amassing 7.3 boards per contest. Additionally, Sczepanski was second on team in blocks, amassing 16, and third in both assists (30) and steals (44), while starting all 27 of Dallas' games. Her shooting percentage of 44-percent from the field, led the team, as did her six double-doubles.
Roessler, who also started all 27 games, was a workhorse for the Lady Crusaders. The 5'7" guard logged more minutes than any other player, averaging 35.7 minutes per game. In addition to the energy, Roessler was a defensive force, accruing a team-high 67 steals. Roessler was both third in blocks, with 14, and in rebounds, with 140. Roessler also made a big impact offensively, where she finished second on the team in assists, with 80, while shooting 38-percent from the field and averaging just under six points per game.
Cole, a post/forward, averaged 10.8 points per game, good enough for third on the squad in scoring. She shot 40-percent from the floor. Defensively, Cole was a force, leading the team in blocks in only 15 games played, with 21 rejections. She totaled three double-doubles, and had a 15 rebound game in Dallas' road victory over LeTourneau University.
Underclassmen transition into greater roles:
Despite losing three dynamic seniors, the Lady Crusaders look to continue a winning tradition, returning four letter winners in sophomore guard Kylie Yoshimura (Temple City, Calif./Mark Keppel H.S.), junior guard Kelly Regan (Plano, Texas/John Paul II), freshman forward Christy Allen (Burton, Mich./St. Thomas More), and freshman guard Kia Grable (Wathena, Kan./Troy H.S.).
Yoshimura, the most heralded of this group, is a two time letter winner. The Lady Crusaders' back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP), she started all 27 games in her sophomore campaign. Yoshimura trailed just Sczepanski in scoring in 2010-2011. She accounted for 372 of Dallas' 1,681 total points, and by far led the team in assists, with 139 helpers. The future looks bright, with her running the backcourt.
2010-2011 Postseason Awards:
Cara Sczepanski (Highland Park, Texas/Marcus H.S.)
- AD3I First Team All-Independent
- United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Honorable Mention All-America
Kylie Yoshimura (Temple City, Calif./Mark Keppel H.S.)
- AD3I Second Team All-Independent
- Dallas Women's Basketball MVP