News
Email
Print
Starting Over
Appalachian State hopes to make a move in the Southern Conference
ASU’s only returning starter is Brittany Mixon. She’s also the team’s lone senior.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 14, 2008
Appalachian State has hit the reset button on its women's basketball program, beginning this season with a new coach and a lot of new players.
Hopes are that the changes will eventually translate into more wins for a program that has had just one winning season in the last 11.
Darcie Vincent, who replaced Adrienne Shuler at the helm in April, turned around a program at Slippery Rock and then built a Division II power at California (Pa.). She has a new challenge now.
"Everything we're doing is brand new," said Vincent, who brings a tough approach that includes longer practices. "They're not used to going hard for two or three hours."
Times are apparently changing, but it might take some time for the Mountaineers.
"Ten of our 12 players are freshmen and sophomores," Vincent said.
Depth isn't expected to be an issue. But Vincent said that, although there is a fair amount of athleticism and speed, her team will take it slow at least until players can adapt to a system that will, at some point, focus on forcing tempo and mistakes.
Four starters are gone from last season's 8-22 team, including top scorer and defender Whitney Tossie.
Brittany Mixon, a 6-3 forward, is the only returning starter and lone senior. She is the top returning scorer (8.7 ppg) and led the team in rebounding last season (6.5 rpg).
"She's 6-3 and is capable of doing some great things in this league," Vincent said. "She moves extremely well for her size, and she has good shooting range. The biggest challenge to her, with just one season remaining, is learning a new system."
Sade Means, a freshman guard, might be the top newcomer.
"She's a phenomenal one-on-one player, a tremendous athlete," Vincent said. "She's left-handed so that offers a little bit of difference and twist to things at point guard, and she's a tremendous defensive player."
Two other freshman -- post player Catherine Williams and wing Canesha Edwards -- could make the starting lineup.
Filling out the top tier are two sophomore guards and long-range threats, Frances Hernandez and Sam Rameriz.
"Our goal is to make our mark in rebounding and defense," Vincent said. "I want our team to be the best defensive team in the conference, if not this season then next season. We do have a goal of leading the league in rebounding this season, because that we can control, and you can achieve that with desire.
"There are going to be games, having such a youthful team, when we have 30 turnovers or shoot 28 percent. And there will be times our defense breaks down, and we give up too many points. But rebounding is just two things -- you hit somebody and then go get the basketball. That's the one focus we have right now. We do that, and we'll put ourselves in position to have a chance to win some games."
Chattanooga, which has won SoCon titles seven of the last eight seasons, is the favorite.
The Mocs were 29-4 and unbeaten in the SoCon last season. Shanara Hollinquest, a 6-0 forward who shot a conference-best 58 percent, is the top returning player.
Western Carolina, which won a school-record 25 games last season under Coach Kellie Harper, could contend with the return of Brooke Johnson, a 6-4 center, and Lauren Powell.
Davidson (19-11) has the SoCon's top returning scorer and rebounder. Mercedes Robinson averaged 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds last season.
Kristen Boone will return for her senior season at UNC Greensboro, which slipped to 7-24 last season. Boone, who has a career scoring average of 11.2 points, sat out last season because of an injury.
Elon (12-20) has a new coach in Karen Barefoot, who was 70-44 in four seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne and spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Old Dominion.
Email
Print
