News Release
Bryan College Women’s Basketball Season Preview
Excitement abounds as the much anticipated 2008-2009 basketball season begins for the Bryan College women’s basketball team. Head Coach Jamy Bechler’s Lady Lions will play host to Tennessee Temple University on October 30th. National Christian College Athletic Association All-American and First-Team All-Appalachian Athletic Conference performer, Katie Davis, will look to lead the program back to its fifth National Tournament appearance in six years. The 5’10” senior guard led the Lady Lions with 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4 assists per game last season.
Besides Davis, a balanced mix of youth and experience, inside power and perimeter marksmanship highlight the 08-09 Lady Lions. Six freshmen will join eight letter winners, as Coach Bechler enjoys the versatility of a team that has eight players that stand 5’10 or taller (including 3 guards). This height combined with an aggressive style of play should go a long way toward duplicating last season’s National Top-10 Rebounding Ranking.
Even though the Lady Lions have 8 returning letter winners, only Davis and Kaylin Carswell have played more than 30 college games in a Bryan College uniform. Junior guard Hillary Tipton and junior forward Amber Smith have explosive offensive ability and are two of the more talented players in the AAC, but have been hampered by injuries during their previous two seasons.
“I think we have a lot of potential”, said Bechler. “It looks like we have all the pieces to the puzzle. We have the talent at each of the positions and we have depth, as well. If we can stay away from injury, we’ll have a chance to be pretty good. We are excited about the season. Obviously, Katie is an extremely talented player. She is a do-it-all-type player that works very hard and has a good attitude. However, we are not a one man team. We have a number of other options on offense that will make teams have to play us honestly and prepare for more than just one player.”
Bechler will count on a number of perimeter players to share the load with Davis this season. Sophomore guard, Becca Morris earned a spot on the AAC All-Freshman Team last season. She is an explosive scorer with an extremely quick release on her shot. Tipton, who teamed with UT’s Cait McMahan to form one of Tennessee’s most talented high school backcourts, can shoot the three, score off the dribble, and is slated to be the team’s starting point guard. She has fully recovered from tearing her ACL in the 8th game of last season. Wendy Vork, a 5’11” wing player, was selected as a captain along with Carswell and Davis. She is a good athlete whose strength is the transition game. The 5’11” Carswell also captains the nationally-ranked Lady Lion volleyball team. When the volleyball season is finished, she will join the basketball team and embark on her senior campaign, where she is a sweet-shooting guard that can also use her size to take advantage of mismatches in the post.
Additionally, four freshmen guards will compete for playing time and should contribute to the Lady Lions’ season. Rebecca Sharpe is the prototypical point guard. She has good vision and a good understanding of the game. She had a 118-17 record during her four years of high school, including a 3A State Championship. Diamond Holbert is an explosive playmaker that is best in transition and when putting the ball on the floor. Sarah Barnett is a quick defender that can really run the floor. 5’8” Shea Thomas works hard and can score from the outside or by taking the ball to the basket.
The interior is manned by three key returners and two highly regarded freshmen. After finishing in the top-15 nationally in offensive rebounding, Jessica Southern returns for her sophomore season. She started all 30 games as a freshman last season. Like Carswell, the 6’1” volleyball standout, Amber Smith, will join the basketball team once her fall season ends. She averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. She has unlimited potential both on offense and defense. Lauren Copeland, a 6’0 sophomore, has nice post moves and a soft touch. She is a good scorer. Two local freshmen join the inside ranks. Anna Thomas is an incredible rebounder. She also demonstrated her athleticism last spring by qualifying for the State Finals in the 100m. 6'0 Sarah Newton is a strong post presence. She has good moves and is physically strong.