It's been just eight months since the Valpo women's basketball team last took the court at the Athletics-Recreation Center. A myriad of changes have swept through the program since that home finale versus Detroit on February 28th.
Dani Franklin (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/George Washington) was later named the Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League in addition to Sixth Player of the Year. Classmate Jasmyn Walker (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) was still putting the finishing touches on a rookie campaign that concluded with 250 rebounds, a number that equalled the sixth-most in team history and the most ever by a freshman.
The Crusaders bid farewell to longtime point guard Jessica Carr. Junior college transfer Sharon Karungi also played her final game for the Brown and Gold.
The game itself is bracing for the winds of change after the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee passed a litany of fundamental modifications over the summer.
Two 20-minute halves have given way to four ten-minute quarters. Teams will reach the bonus once its opponents have committed five fouls in a given quarter. 1-and-1 free-throw scenarios have been eliminated in favor of two shots for all common fouls. Teams will now have the option to advance the ball to the frontcourt in the final 59.9 seconds of the game.
Indeed, it's a new game.
And it's a new year for head coach Tracey Dorow and her team.
Seven of the thirteen eligible players on the 2015-16 roster are underclassmen. And while youth does not necessarily translate to inexperience - as Franklin and Walker can attest - five players will be making their Crusader debuts this fall.
Meredith Hamlet (McBain, Mich./McBain), Hannah Schaub (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center), Amber Lindfors (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), and Allison Schofield (McCordsville, Ind./Heritage Christian) comprise the freshmen class while Imani Scott-Thompson (Akron, Ohio/Firestone [Dakota College at Bottineau]) enters the fray after a potent junior-college stint in North Dakota.
A healthy amount of upside, size, and athleticism accompany an intriguing Crusader frontcourt. After a lingering injury caused her to experience an up-and-down 2014-15, Haylee Thompson (Hailey, Idaho/Wood River [Utah State]) is at full health and is perhaps the most improved player from last season. Though not the tallest player on the roster, Thompson's lenghty wingspan is a definitive feature on the defensive end of the court. She has asserted herself as a cogent post option for the Crusaders.
Lindfors, a true 6-foot-4, provides Dorow with height this program hasn't seen in several seasons. The freshman flashes signs of great presence on both ends of the court, and projects to be a top shot blocker. How quickly - and consistently - Lindfors imposes her will should serve as a barometer for the 2015-16 Crusaders.
Those familiar with last season's team could not help but notice the contributions from then-freshmen Franklin and Walker. Franklin was named both the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 13.0 PPG in just 22.4 minutes per contest. She's due for an uptick in minutes and her ability to take care of the basketball tended to get overlooked amongst her shooting prowess. Franklin committed just 22 turnovers in 628 minutes (one per 28.5 minutes) on a team that averaged 16.7 turnovers per game a season ago. Franklin's threat as a multi-faceted scorer gave opposing defenses fits last year, and she projects to have another standout campaign.
Walker is a metronome of production in the post. She racked up nine double-doubles in 2014-15 as part of a 10.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG rookie season. Over the team's last six games, she averaged 13.2 points and 12.2 rebounds. A year stronger, Walker added range to her game in the offseason. If she can come close to duplicating her .442 field-goal percentage from the perimeter, the sky is the limit for the Michigan native. Her toughness, advanced athleticism, and vocal leadership form a rare combination for a sophomore.
Speaking of leadership, it will prevail with the backcourt of Lexi Miller (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia) and Abby Dean (Carmel, Ind./Carmel).
Miller was a dependable guard, averaged .333 percent from three-point land last season while tallying a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Miller will provide experience and leadership within a young offense. Dean, who has started 27 games each of the last two seasons, is an experienced, consistent player, who provides athleticism on both ends of the court.
Making waves this season are the freshmen guards, Schaub and Hamlet.
Schaub, Valpo's one true point guard, brings quickness, court vision, and scoring abilities that haven't been seen by a true freshman in some time.
Meredith Hamlet, a guard who has the ability to score from anywhere, will be an exciting addition to the Crusader lineup. Her knack for scoring will hopefully lead the Crusaders into uncharted territory. Her sister, Annemarie Hamlet, (McBain, Mich./McBain [Oakland]), who is also a threat from the outside, has been tabbed as the hardest worker on the Valpo roster.
Scott-Thompson is a dead-eye shooter from three-point range as evidenced by her 41.4 percentage mark last season at Dakota College of Bottineau. Her tenacity and ability to rise to the occasion is unmatched. She is projected to be a top scorer for the Brown and Gold.
Georgi Donchetz (Savage, Minn./Burnsville), who was hampered by injuries last season, has shown promise during the preseason. She is a high-motor player who carries length on both ends while being an outside threat offensively. Jessi Wiedemann (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) missed 23 games with a back injury last season, but is poised to contribute in 2015-16 at multiple positions. Allison Schofield (McCordsville, Ind./Heritage Christian) adds a winning demeanor as well as an outside threat to the Valpo backcourt.
The 2015-16 season begins with exhibition play against Purdue Calumet on Saturday, Oct. 31st at 1:30 pm CT.
