HE'S A LEFTY
So Friends men’s basketball coach Dale Faber walks up to the podium to speak at the KCAC’s media day on Wednesday at Friends and … well, you probably can guess how it went. Here’s the first words out of his mouth.
FABER: I’d like to go ahead and accept the 2009-2010 KCAC coach of the year award. It worked for Obama, so I figured it’d work for me.
The whole thing seemed like it it went by very quickly, mainly because the coaches were on top of things — TRANSLATION — nobody, comment-wise, went off the reservation, which can make these things seem like they last an eternity. Sunflower Slate even got a shout-out from new Southwestern men’s coach Matt O’Brien, who it turns out is a big Entourage fan like myself.
Here’s how it went down, giving you the team, last year’s record and finish and where they’re predicted to finish this year, by the coaches, media and yours truly:
MEN
ZAK VANLOOY
FRIENDS (2008-2009: 13-17, 8-10 T-6th/Coaches poll: 2nd, Media poll: 2nd, Adame poll: 1st) – Before the season started last year, everybody knew Friends was going to be bad. Point blank. Some recruits had fell through because of eligibility issues, yada, yada, yada, no size, not a lot of skill … and they still almost pulled a .500 in league play, which I think is a testament to Faber. This year they’re loaded. 7-footer Zak Vanlooy redshirted last year because of academics, Brett Steven transferred in from WSU, Avery Richardson from Southwestern and they’ve got Mike Hyde whenever he’s done scoring touchdowns for the football team. Oh, and just so you know, Faber is “having a hard time getting this whole MyFace and SpaceBook thing figured out.”
TIM SWARTZENDRUBER
MCPHERSON (08-09: 14-14, 8-10 T-6th/Coaches poll: 5th, Media poll: 5th, Adame poll: 7th) – A true wild card, and I may have to end up eating my words on this pick. Tim Swartzendruber as a coach in the KCAC is a scary thing, because he knows talent and you wonder if in a couple of years, because of him, they might be in the mix every time this thing comes around. I’m just thinking Year 2 is a little too soon in a league where you need program guys to develop over time, then win.
OTTAWA (08-09: 19-14, 10-8 5th/Coaches poll: 8th, Media poll: 7th, Adame poll: 6th) – The Braves, most likely, are going to struggle this year. Andy Carrier, who is in his 20th year as their head coach, acknowledged as much in his speech. And he won me over. Said he’s not going to try and do it with juco guys and transfers just so they have a shot at winning right away. Said he tried it before and it didn’t work. I totally agree. It’s a formula for disaster at this level. Carrier might be the most well-respected coach in the KCAC.
DAVID KING
SOUTHWESTERN (08-09: 15-14, 8-10 T-6th/Coaches poll: 6th, Media poll: 1st, Adame poll: 2nd) – Let me just qualify my pick by saying IF DAVID KING GETS RIGHT. The dominant big man in the whole league (and a Maize product) took the summer off to rehab some injuries and then sprained his ankle recently. He put on some weight, which he’ll need to work off, so I’m guessing we won’t see the true DK until mid-season. Losing Avery Richardson hurts, but it’ll hurt even more to have to play against him.
STERLING (08-09: 21-10, 14-4 1st/Coaches poll: 3rd, Media poll: 2nd, Adame poll: 3rd) – Sterling coach Dean Jaderston made the best point out of any of the coaches regarding the league race: 14 or 15 wins and you’re probably the champ. So true. Sterling’s got the best proven backcourt in the league with Zack Goodrich and Chad Friess … as a sports writer you always wonder what you’d pay money to see. I’d pay to see Goodrich — a first-team pick a year ago — and Friess go against Friends this year. That will be a BATTLE. Losing big man Jonathan Woods is going to have to be a replacement-by-committee type deal, though.
KANSAS WESLEYAN (08-09: 19-12, 13-5 T-2nd/Coaches poll: 4th, Media poll: 6th, Adame poll: 8th) — The ‘Yotes lost a lot of talent, not only because their eligibility was up (Trey Sims, Eric Hammond), but also a couple because of whatever else ails you.
TABOR (16-12, 11-7 4th/Coaches poll: 9th, Media poll: 8th, Adame poll: 5th) — I like the Bluejays, and I like coach Micah Ratzlaff, who reminds me a lot of Garden City C.C. coach Kris Baumann, one of Sunflower Slate’s all-time faves. And I like freshman Ryan Chippeaux, a 6-foot-7 forward from Goddard. You read it here first: Chippeaux can be one of the best players in the league in a couple of years. No doubt about it.
BETHANY (2008-2009: 9-21, 4-14 9th/Coaches poll: 7th, Media poll: 8th, Adame poll: 9th) – So the Swedes have senior CJ Littlejohn, a two-time first-team all-KCAC guy the last two years. He’s good, with 16.7 points per game, yeah, but 2 assists? And you’re a 6-1 guard? Come on, bro. Coach Clair Oleen gave one of the strangest speeches I’ve ever heard, period.
BETHEL (08-09: 3-25, 1-17/Coaches poll: 10th, Media poll: 10th, Adame poll: 10th) – Here’s the thing about going 1-17 in KCAC play: if you go 2-16 this year, good job! They’ve got some eligibility issues, to say the least. Could be another rough year.
SAINT MARY (19-11, 13-5 2nd/Coaches poll: 1st, Media poll: 3rd, Adame poll: 4th) – Makes you wonder what the coaches know that we don’t. They lost POY Carvelle Taylor, right? Okay, ’nuff said.
WOMEN
RHYS PIHL
BETHANY ( 2008-2009: 13-17 overall, 7-11 KCAC T-6th/Coaches poll: 8th, Media poll: 8th, Adame: 6th) – Sophomore Rhys Pihl didn’t take long to adjust to the KCAC last year, and by not long I mean she finished the year with averages of 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The first-team all-KCAC pick could be one of the 5 best players in the league (if she’s not already), but she’s gonna need some help. Cool note on Bethany coach Jim Campion — he was an assistant football coach at Bethany in 1990 under Dr. Ted Kessinger.
HANNAH BLACKBURN
BETHEL (08-09: 13-16, 6-12 8th/Coaches poll: 4th, Media poll: 6th, Adame poll: 5th) — I think the Threshers could surprise people if depth and injuries don’t become an issue. First-team all-leaguer Hannah Blackburn brings back her 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and Amanda Hiebert averaged 13 ppg last year. If junior Angela Wood finally lives up to her potential (she hasn’t so far, sorry it’s true) and Dodge City C.C. transfer Samantha Askew can hold her own in the post, watch out.
JESSICA HALSIG
FRIENDS (08-09: 18-12, 10-8, T-4th/Coaches poll: 3rd, Media poll: 5th, Adame poll: 3rd) – For somebody who I thought was on the hot seat last year, Friends coach Gayla Soyez put together a really nice season. She’s recruited well the last couple of years, and has a star shooting guard back who likes to play defense in Tavi Polley-Davis (12.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.0 spg) although … they’re bringing in a one-year left, DI transfer in forward Jessica Halsig. I say this because they tried this two years ago with Liz Barton, who transferred in from Colorado State. And that didn’t work. Barton had a nice year but I think it screwed up the team’s chemistry. We’ll see how this works, but I think the Falcons will be pretty good regardless.
KANSAS WESLEYAN (08-09: 27-6, 16-2 T-1st/Coaches poll: 5th, Media poll: 3rd, Adame poll: 4th) – Last year was the greatest season in KWU history, with a nobody-saw-it-coming run to the KCAC title and the national tournament. It won’t happen again this year. The ‘Yotes just lost too much firepower.
MCPHERSON (08-09: 3-21, 1-17 10th/Coaches poll: 10th, Media poll: 10th, Adame poll: 10th) — Here’s the thing about going 1-17 in league play … if you go 2-16 the next year, then good job! Wait, didn’t I just say that?
OTTAWA (08-09: 9-20, 8-10 5th/ Coaches poll: 6th, Media poll: 4th, Adame poll: 7th) — This is one me and the media disagreed upon. I trust myself. How tough is Valley Center product Kylie Covey? She’s coming back off her third ACL tear. Man.
TYLAR HARTFIELD
SOUTHWESTERN (08-09: 18-10, 13-5, 3rd/Coaches poll: 2nd, Media poll: 2nd, Adame poll: 2nd) – This is hard for me to say because I always adhere to the philosophy of nobody’s bigger than the team, but losing Tylar Hartfield meant the difference between contending for a KCAC title and NAIA tourney berth for The Jinx last year. Hartfield was one of the best freshman in the league two years ago and a dominant post player, but tore her ACL before last season. She’s back and it makes all the difference. Losing Kara Beal hurts, but they’ve got plenty of talent coming in. Coach Dave Denly is the AD now, and said he didn’t get too much of a preseason because of it. Don’t think I would have admitted that, even if it is true.
MEGAN PATRICK
STERLING (08-09: 27-6, 16-2 T-1st/Coaches poll: 1st, Media poll: 1st, Adame poll: 1st) – The thing that separates the Warriors every year is depth, and this year is no different. Coach Lonnie Kruse, in his 29th year, said this is “what we could classify as a rebuilding year.” Yeah? Really? Here’s what that means — three underclassmen all-KCAC honorable mention picks coming back in sophomore 6-footers Megan Patrick and Cathryn Wiebe, along with 5-11 Brittany Gasper. Patrick is a star in the making, so watch out.
TABOR (08-09: 10-20, 7-11 T-6th/Coaches poll: 7th, Media poll: 7th, Adame poll: 8th) — I saw 6-1 sophomore forward Gina Hullet play in the state tournament a couple of years ago and she’s a pretty nice player, however, she’s playing volleyball right now… get the picture?
Next week, The Jayhawk. And that means Steve Eck.
-TA