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Women cagers plan an ‘up tempo game’

Practicing essential free throw shooting skills, junior Leslee Rogers goes to the line as junior transfer Katie Miner looks on at the returning Leopard. The women’s basketball team starts its season Tuesday against La Sierra University in the Supertents. / photo by Rosie Sinapi
Practicing essential free throw shooting skills, junior Leslee Rogers goes to the line as junior transfer Katie Miner looks on at the returning Leopard. The women’s basketball team starts its season Tuesday against La Sierra University in the Supertents. / photo by Rosie Sinapi

by Lori Cruz
Staff Writer

“Our defense is going to be our offense,” were the words of Jennifer Manfredi, assistant coach of the women’s basketball team, in describing the team’s game plan for the new season.

Head Coach Julie Kline and Manfredi both promise an “up-tempo game” with “none of the past boring stuff,” added Manfredi.

The team will open its season Tuesday night against La Sierra University at home with five returners and five new players.

The returners are sophomores Laura Czingula and Aundraya Ross, junior Kelly Perkins and the two senior co-captains, Leslee Rogers and Tiffany Hall. Hall is the only player on the team to play all four years.

Manfredi added that “all the returners really picked up their game.”

“Laura returned very strong, in great shape,” said Kline of Czingula. “With one year of experience under her belt, she is going to be pretty unstoppable.”

Rogers was a pre-season All-American pick and one of the top five scorers in the nation last year.

“She is a complete player, and she is going to be a major player,” said Kline.

Another key player for the team will be freshman Jennifer Spring.

“She is going to be an immediate impact player for us. She is very quick with great court sense, and she has a great attitude,” said Kline.

“She is our sleeper player,” said Manfredi of the freshman.

Other newcomers to the team are freshman Jamie Corley and sophomore transfer Tamara Loyd. Junior Stacy Bakkedahl is a transfer from Chaffey College and junior Katie Miner is a transfer from Golden West College.

“I coached Katie in high school [at Wilson High in Hacienda Heights] and I’m excited to coach her again,” said Kline. “She’ll have an impact in the conference immediately. Everyone knows who she is.”

“The new girls are talented,” said Hall.

“They have a lot of potential. They’re playing well, but there is still a lot of room to grow,” said Rogers.

“Stacy [Bakkedahl] is a 6’3” center. We have not had anyone over six foot in the past two years. She’ll add some height and experience to our team She is only going to get better,” said Kline.

“All the girls are working really hard,” said Manfredi. “The new girls are picking up so quickly. They are talented as a whole and they are committed to doing this.”

“We have team unity. Our team work ethic is great. We work hard at it,” said Hall.

Kline is in her fourth year of coaching the team, in addition to her duties as softball coach and assistant professor of physical education. She said she now has a team personnel that fits her strategy.

“I expect to run our multiple offenses, change up defenses and look for the fast breaks up and down the court,” she said.

Rogers added that the team has a “quick game with a lot of speed.”

“At the coaches meeting, everyone wanted to know who we have,” said Manfredi. “Everyone is worried about us. We’ll let our actions speak.”

Kline said that of all the years she has been here, this is the most difficult schedule she has seen.

“We are playing some top-ranked teams in the conference. The conference is very balanced and on any given night, any team can beat another team,” Kline said.

“Every year [the competition] changes. Any team can be a contender. It depends who has the most heart,” said Rogers.

Kline and Manfredi both said that with all the local players on the team they expect to see a lot of parents at the games.

“It is important to the girls to have the support,” said Manfredi.

“We get more and more support every year. I think it will be very strong this year. That is exciting to me and important to the girls,” Kline said.

Seven students who played last year did not to return this season.

“Some of the girls just couldn’t commit again. They were not problem girls. They finished the season and never quit,” said Manfredi.

“Basketball just wasn’t a big priority for them. They had other personal commitments,” said Kline.

“The girls that came back are the ones who really wanted to play,” added Hall.

Lori Cruz, Editorial Director
Lori Cruz
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Rosie Sinapi, Editor in Chief
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