Lady Eagles Open '08-'09 Season on Saturday
Nov. 12, 2008
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The 2008-'09 Carson-Newman Lady Eagles basketball team will look to change their pace under 8th year head coach Dean Walsh. With a wealth of youth and new faces, especially at the guard position, C-N will move to a more "up tempo" style than in previous seasons.
C-N, 15-14 a season ago, opens the regular season in the Eagle Club Classic on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Eagles will host Lander on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. and Lees-McCrae on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Both games are in Holt Fieldhouse as part of the Eagle Club Classic.
The Lady Eagles have already faced the toughest part of their schedule and could already be considered "battled tested," after dropping exhibition games at the University of North Carolina, 114-64, and to the defending national champion Tennessee Lady Vols, 135-55.
The tough trials in the preseason could prove to be invaluable to a squad that boasts 10 underclassmen, including eight true freshmen.
How the freshmen, as well as a pair of transfers, mix in with four returning starters will determine if Carson-Newman can make a push for the South Atlantic Conference title.
Another key will be close games. The Lady Eagles lost six games by three points or less in '07-'08.
While the Lady Eagles must replace posts Emily Mason and Tashea Ledbetter, six of last season's top seven scorers return, including all of the key contributors at guard.
Junior first-team All-South Atlantic Conference selection Shari Buford (Hampton, Ga.) will anchor the C-N post game.
The forward and two-year starter averaged 12 points and seven boards per game a season ago, and could benefit the most from an quicker pace because of her ability to run the floor.
Seniors Ashley Tipton (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Lindsay Eggleston (Buena Vista, Colo.) joins Buford at the forward spots.
Tipton came up three points shy of averaging double figures (9.9 ppg.) during her junior year. The second-team All- South Atlantic Conference selection is one of the nation's best three-point shooters, burying 48 percent (71-of-148) of her long-range tries last season.
Eggleston can post up and face up, and will pose match-ups problems for bigger defenders. She averaged five points per game last season, in just over 13 minutes.
Freshman Zoriah Williams (Calera, Ala.) will also factor in. The 5'10 forward gives Walsh another athletic option on the low block.
The Lady Eagles return all three of their key guards from a season ago, including two from injury. Senior Angela Volentine (North Platte, Neb.) and junior Ashley Kyle (Jefferson City, Tenn.) are combo guards that are expected to be full speed after both missed time with knees injuries last season.
Volentine, who had 32 steals a season ago, is a "do-it-all" guard that finished the season averaging 10 points and five boards. Kyle will move to her natural position at the two guard, and looks to benefit from a growing stronger and quicker in the offseason. She missed six games last season.
Senior Tykira McDaniel (Griffin, Ga.) gives the Lady Eagles a third veteran at the off guard sports. An athletic slasher, McDaniel averaged six points and two rebounds a season ago. She also led the team in steals with 33.
Sophomore Amber Blackwell (Duluth, Ga.) returns after appearing in 24 games as a freshman. She'll push to take the reins of a wide-open battle at the point guard spot. Three freshmen will fight Blackwell for the job.
Sha'Para Johnson (Shelbyville, Tenn.) and Lundyn Howard (Hixson, Tenn.) are a pair of quick and athletic freshmen that will push for the starting spot. Johnson is the bigger scoring threat, while Howard manages the offense and distributes the ball better.
Allison Whitenack (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the third freshman point guard who will push for time.
Junior college-transfer Liz Stringer (Parma, Ohio) will give the lady Eagles an experienced shooter at the shooting guard. She shot over 50 percent from behind the arc last season at Cuyahoga C.C.
Freshman Megan Hunter (Ashland City, Tenn.) will move to the off guard spot after scoring over 1,700 points in high school playing the point.
The Lady Eagles also added Tennessee Tech-transfer Mandy Mendenhall (Kingston Springs, Tenn.), who is expected to have an immediate with her ability to shoot the three, rebound, slash, and defend. She averaged 14.5 points in the C-N's two exhibition losses.
Freshman McKenzie Wampler (Lenoir City, Tenn.) could also play herself into the low post mix after scoring four points in the loss at Tennessee.
The Lady Eagles, in addition to a 16-game South Atlantic Conference schedule, will face West Georgia, West Alabama, Edinboro, Division-I UNC-Asheville, and possibly defending national champion Northern Kentucky in non-conference play.
