Lions poised for NAIA championship run

With five starters back from a team that won a fourth straight Golden State Athletic Conference title, was ranked No. 1 in NAIA Division I all season and reached the NAIA Tournament semifinals on its way to a 31-2 record, the similarities between last year’s Vanguard University women’s basketball team and Coach Russ Davis’ 2006-07 edition are clear.

Perhaps an even bigger reason for optimism, however, is the apparent differences between last year’s team and this unit.

“We have more experience and more depth,” said Davis, who also said the Lions have a new ultimate goal for his team.

“Everyone talks about us winning the national title,” Davis said. “But our No. 1 goal is spiritual growth. If we all grow spiritually, that’s going to enable us to be successful on and off the court.”

The Lions did just about everything on the court last year but win the much-anticipated national championship. They finished the regular season unbeaten and made their fifth straight NAIA Tournament appearance. They ranked third in the nation in scoring (83.2 points per game), third in scoring defense (54.4 ppg) and were tops nationally in scoring margin (an astonishing 28.8 points per game). They also led the NAIA in field-goal percentage (48.6).

But after being upset by The Master’s in the GSAC Tournament semifinals, the Lions saw their national title dreams end with a stunning 69-59 loss to Lubbock Christian in the semifinals of the NAIA Tournament in Jackson, Tenn.

Kelly Schmidt, the NAIA Player of the Year last year who has thrice earned All-American laurels and twice been the GSAC Player of the Year, is one of four senior starters intent on finishing the job this season, Davis said.

“I think that [Lubbock Christian] loss helped us in a lot of ways,” Davis said. “We weren’t ready [to win a national title]. “We learned a lot about our team during that game and I think we were all able to come back and look ourselves in the mirror. The girls worked hard over the summer and they are all committed.”

Schmidt, a 6-foot forward who is the school career scoring leader, averaged 20.7 points (fourth best in NAIA Division I), 7.3 rebounds and shot 57.8% from the field (seventh best in the nation) last season.

Junior Jessica Richter, a 5-10 guard who transferred from Syracuse before last season, averaged 20.5 points (tied for fifth nationally) and 5.1 rebounds.

Schmidt and Richter, a first-team All-American last season, return as the leading one-two scoring combination in the NAIA.

Rachel Besse, a 6-3 senior, earned second-team All-American honors by averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds as a sophomore. She shot 59.8% from the field to rank fourth nationally.

Seniors Lacey Burns and Tiari Goold round out the returning starters, though Davis said the lineup could change this season, based on matchups with opponents.

Goold, a point guard who transferred from BYU before last season, led the NAIA in assists (8.2 per game), two full assists more than her closest competitor.

Goold received honorable mention in All-American voting.

Burns, a 5-11 sharpshooter, averaged 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds and, according to Davis, is one of the two most improved players on the team.

The other player noted for her improvement is 5-8 guard Joy Butler, a redshirt freshman from Calvary Chapel High in Downey.

Butler and Jaclyn Blied, a 5-8 true freshman guard out of Troy High, are the top newcomers.

Lindsay McClellan, a 5-7 junior, returns after redshirting last season due to a knee injury.

Melissa Cook, a versatile 6-0 junior, and Andrea Jacobson, a 6-3 senior backup center, are additional weapons who are proven contributors off the bench.

“[Butler] gives us great defensive intensity and [Blied] can really shoot the three-pointer,” Davis said. “Instead of going about eight deep like we did last year, I think we can go 10 or 11 deep this year.”

Davis said that depth will allow him to be more aggressive defensively.

In addition to Burns, Davis said the other returning starters have all made strides in their game.

“Our seniors are hungry,” Davis said. “This is their last year.

“Richter has improved in a lot of different areas, which is scary for our opponents,” Davis said of the athletic slasher who exploded for 30 points in the Lions’ 64-60 exhibition win at Oregon Monday night. “She’s shooting much more consistently from the outside and she is playing under control better.”

Davis said Besse, who struggled in the NAIA Tournament last season, is playing with more energy, particularly on the defensive end.

“And Kelly is Kelly,” said Davis, who has long marveled at the consistent production and effort displayed by, arguably, the greatest player to ever wear a Vanguard jersey.

Davis also said Cook, who returned early from ACL reconstruction to contribute last season, is finally back to 100%.

“[Cook] would start for just about any other program out there,” Davis said.

Davis beefed up the schedule, hoping to give his team every chance to prepare itself for the postseason.

In addition to Oregon, the Lions had exhibition losses against Division I hosts New Mexico and Arizona State.

Also, the Lions return to the Rotary Classic, beginning tonight. It’s a virtual preview of the NAIA Tournament hosted each November by Union University, the reigning NAIA Division I champion which shares the preseason No. 1 ranking with Vanguard.

Vanguard opens the Rotary Classic against No. 25-ranked Lambuth (Tennessee), tonight. It will then face No. 7-ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tennessee) Friday, before taking on Union Saturday night.

Davis, who entered his 11th season with a 258-76 record that improved with a 95-42 season-opening win over Holy Names on Saturday night, believes the GSAC may be the toughest it has been during his tenure. The conference also includes No. 4-ranked The Master’s, No. 12 Point Loma Nazarene, and No. 14 Azusa Pacific.