STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton women's basketball team will begin their 2010-11 campaign on Saturday Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. in Wisdom Gym against Texas Wesleyan.
The TexAnns are coming off a 23-7 season in 2009-10, where they finished second in the Lone Star Conference South Division with a record of 9-3. They advanced to the LSC Tournament, but left after a second-round defeat to Northeastern State. Tarleton also received an at-large bid to go to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, where they lost to eventual National Champion Emporia State.
This season, the TexAnns will look to go even further after returning a large portion of last year's squad.
At the guard position, the Tarleton returns a couple of veterans, but will also mix in some newcomers. Junior Shelby Adamson (12.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will return as the TexAnns' leading scorer last season, and hopes to pilot Tarleton from the shooting guard position. Senior Sonya Sundberg (7.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg) started in all 30 contests for the TexAnns' last season and will be the starting point guard from day one.
Other returning guards that will be expected to contribute are junior Lisa Parker (2.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and junior Tara Towns (3.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg), both of whom saw considerable minutes last season off the bench. The freshman guards will include Brianna Bledsoe (5-7, Stephenville), Kimber Koonsman (5-8, Meridian) and Jordyn Johnson (5-9, Pflugerville). The TexAnns also get back sophomore Tomika Lynce, who is coming of a redshirt season due to injuries. Depth will be a major advantage for Tarleton this season at the guard position.
As for the forwards, the TexAnns return just one player that saw time last season at the small forward position in junior Morgan Stehling (10.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg). Besides Stehling, who is a major scoring threat and not shy to shoot from behind the arc, Tarleton will benefit from junior Jenna Harris, who is coming off a redshirted season, and freshman Crystal Atwood (5-10, Georgetown), both of whom can play multiple positions for the TexAnns.
A strong aspect of Tarleton's offense will be the play of their post players. The TexAnns return a pair of influential seniors in Brittnie Haley (11.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg), who is coming off her first injury free season, and Kelsey Benford (3.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), who will be counted on to start at the No.5 position. Tarleton will also look to freshman Kiara Wright (6-0, Pittsburg) to come off the bench for some productive minutes for the TexAnns. Head coach Ronnie Hearne and his staff have the option of using Atwood and Harris in the post as well.
Tarleton hopes to have a strong start to the 2010-11 season on Saturday, while the men's team will follow at 7 p.m. against Arlington Baptist. Come out and show support for the Texans and TexAnns this season, and we will see you at the game.
