Basketball again gets Lions’ share

Chris Yemma

The list of accomplishments for the Vanguard University women’s

basketball team runs deep to top a notable 2004-05 athletic year for

the school’s women’s programs.

Coach Russ Davis’ basketball team steamrolled opponents all the

way to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division I tournament, before

falling to eventual national champion Union of Kentucky.

The Lions won 32 games and lost only four on their way to becoming

Golden State Athletic Conference champions, as well as staking claim

to the GSAC postseason tournament title.

Senior point guard Lisa Faulkner shared NAIA Player of the Year

honors and was joined on the NAIA All-American team by sophomore

teammate Kelly Schmidt.

Davis, who came to Vanguard after coaching the Estancia High girls

and is now 227-74 in nine seasons with the Lions, was named NAIA

Coach of the Year.

The 5-foot-4 Faulkner, who after the season was named an assistant

by Davis, was a coach on the floor for the Lions. She led the NAIA

with 10.7 assists per game and also chipped in 12.6 points and 3.8

rebounds per contest to become a two-time All-American.

Schmidt, a 6-0 forward, averaged 22.9 points (second-best among

NAIA Division I players), 8.2 rebounds and shot 57% from the field.

She, too became a two-time All-American.

Schmidt was the GSAC Player of the Year and Davis earned Coach of

the Year honors in the conference.

Faulkner and 6-4 sophomore center Rachel Besse joined Schmidt on

the All-GSAC squad.

Besse averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and nearly two blocks per

game and also shot a conference-leading 53.3% from the field in GSAC

competition.

The Lions began the year 17-1 before they suffered their second

loss. The first loss came to Union in just the third game of the

season.

Vanguard defeated Edward Waters College of Florida in the first

round of the NAIA tournament, then topped Carroll from Montana in the

second round. But an 82-77 quarterfinal loss to Union ended their

season one win shy of their second NAIA final four in three years.

The tennis team had the program’s most successful season ever.

Though upset as the No. 2 seed in the semifinals of the NAIA

tournament, the Lions finished 25-4, captured their first NAIA Region

II championship and posted their second consecutive undefeated GSAC

campaign.

It’s 25 wins were one more than the previous school record set in

2004.

The squad was led by All-American Olga Hlushchanka and team

captain Alena Votavova, both of whom graduated.

The up-and-coming volleyball team made an impact during the fall

season, compiling a 25-14 record and going 11-9 to finish fourth in

the GSAC. The 25 wins are a school record.

The team lost to Concordia in the consolation match of the NAIA

Region II tournament, as seniors Lacey Roberts, Sonrisa Peace and

Livia Peace concluded their college volleyball careers.

Making the program’s first postseason appearance since 1994, the

Lions were knocked out of the championship bracket by top-seeded

Fresno Pacific.

Junior setter Marissa Cothran, a Newport Harbor High product,

earned All-GSAC recognition, the first Lion to do so since 1994.

The cross country team finished 19th at the NAIA championships,

led by senior Jenny Thune, who placed 29th to earn All-American

status. Thune’s finish marked the first time since 1990 a Vanguard

woman has placed in the top 30 at the NAIA championships.

The cross country squad finished fourth at the GSAC finals with

Estancia High product Liz Huipe, a junior, and Thune finishing fifth

and sixth, respectively, for the Lions.

Thune also produced an All-American performance by finishing

fourth in the 1,500 meters at the NAIA track and field championships.

At the GSAC track and field championships, Thune won the 800 while

senior Debby Chop topped the field in the 100. Senior Christol

McDonald finished second in the 800, and all three were named

all-conference.

The Lions’ softball team finished 25-25. It finished sixth in

conference with an 8-16 mark.

Sophomore shortstop Rachel Bomgren hit .383, while senior Ashley

Mauro hit .369 and led the team with four home runs and 41 RBIs.

Sophomore Heather Durham had 31 RBIs and hit .315, while sophomore

pitcher Jennifer Olvera went 7-5 with a 1.11 ERA and 86 strikeouts in

82 1/3 innings.

The Vanguard soccer team was led by sophomore Stacia Hoover, who

received honorable mention for NAIA All-American honors after being

named All-NAIA Region II and All-GSAC.

Senior goalkeeper Kim Becher was also first-team all-conference

after posting four shutouts and a 1.26 goals-against average.

Sophomore Heather Hutton and junior Heather Tape both totaled six

goals to lead the Lions, who finished 7-9-2.