Lions on the prowl

Barry Faulkner

The days when Vanguard University’s women’s basketball team could lay

low and surprise people are long gone.

Despite losing six four-year seniors from last year’s NAIA

Tournament semifinalist, Coach Russ Davis’ Lions enter tonight’s

season opener at San Diego State as the No. 4-ranked team in the NAIA

preseason poll. And, though Davis is anxious to encourage modest

expectations, his excitement over a talented crop of newcomers

betrays such misdirection.

Even the uncertain status of injured junior Jennifer Wilcox, an

All-Golden State Athletic Conference performer who led the team with

11.1 points per game and was second with 7.1 rebounds per contest,

isn’t enough to dissuade Davis.

“I don’t want it to sound like we’re the Lakers, but we have a

chance to be pretty good,” said Davis, whose previous seven seasons

have brought four conference titles, including last year, and five

trips to the NAIA Tournament. Vanguard had never been to the national

tournament before the arrival of Davis, a former girls coach at

Estancia High. “As long as we stay healthy, we can compete with

anyone in the country.”

Wilcox, battling a bulging disc, can’t be counted upon, but Davis

believes the remaining nine-player rotation gives him plenty to work

with.

“Any one of the nine are going to start throughout the season,” he

said.

Leading the newcomers is junior UC Irvine transfer Lisa Faulkner,

a gifted point guard, as well as blue-chip freshman Kelly Schmidt, a

6-foot forward with prolific potential.

“Faulkner is pretty good,” Davis said of the 5-5 standout, who

averaged nearly 36 minutes, as well as 8.5 points and 6.5 assists at

UCI last season. “In one scrimmage with our alumni, she hit seven

straight three-pointers. And, in the first 20 minutes, she had 12

assists and one turnover.”

Schmidt, a four-time all-state performer at Ironwood High in

Glendale, Ariz., posted 36 points and 17 rebounds in another

scrimmage, said Davis, who beat out Division I programs for her

services.

Lindsay McClellan, a 5-7 freshman guard out of Tempe, Ariz., was

ranked as high as 47th nationally by one recruiting service, said

Davis, who loves McClellan’s athletic ability.

Lacey Mills, a 5-6 junior guard, made 81 three-pointers for last

year’s 28-10 squad and, along with 6-0 sophomore Cecilia Josefsson

(61 three-pointers last year) could help Vanguard break its own NAIA

single-season record of 8.4 three balls per game.

Lacey Burns, a 5-11 freshman out of San Clemente High, has also

been impressive and Davis delivered high praise to 6-3 freshman

Rachel Besse, out of Soldotna, Alaska.

“In just three months [Besse] has improved as much as any player

I’ve had in 23 years of coaching,” Davis said. “She has really long

arms and she can be dominating, defensively.”

Freshman Anna Dittenbir adds depth in the backcourt, while

sophomore Crystal Lenderman (torn Achilles’ tendon) and freshman

Jessica Pasquale (torn ACL) will be forced to redshirt.

“It’s the most talented team I’ve ever had, athletically,” said

Davis, who pinpoints The Master’s, ranked No. 5 in the NAIA, as the

top GSAC competition this season.