onupolarbears

2nd annual Run for the Roses Charity Event

2010-05-02T01:35:00.001-07:00

Sunday, May 2nd, we participated in the 2nd Annual Run for the Roses 5k run/walk held on the campus of Ohio Northern. This event is hosted by the ONU Athletic training staff and athletic training students in honor of two special ONU people who have battled Cystic Fibrosis.

Thankfully, the weather held out but the infamous Ada wind was in full swing. Here's the group before the big run on the green monster.

Above, Jeanne Bockey and Katie Mengos finish strong....followed by below, Katie Jones.

Erin Waehner closing in on the finish...(above) and below, Megan Porter and Morgan Dumbaugh always have enough energy to make faces at the camera!

Above, Britt Bogart and Joanna Snyder finish it out followed by Coach Durand closing in on the line

All smiles after when it's over!

As along as this event goes on at ONU, women's basketball will always be involved. This event is a great way to give back to the campus community and for such a great cause. My goal is when our athletes leave here, they continue to get involved in races for charity. When they see the big picture, they start to recognize that it truly is a blessing to be able to run/walk when so many persons don't have that opportunity.... It helps gain perspective about what we take for granted sometimes and that we can all do more to help those around us.

Great job ladies...Coach Terrell

For more information on this event, please visit: www.onurunforroses.com

Spring time with the Polar Bears

2010-05-02T00:46:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's Coach Terrell and I have been on a serious hiatus with my blog updating duties! Now with my recent foot surgery and being away from the office, I have made it my mission this week to catch up all our friends, family and future polar bears on what has been happening with ONU Women's Basketball.

Let's go back aways....Our season came to a close with our loss in the conference tourney semi-finals to Capital at the end of February.

Both Coach Durand and I were pretty devastated with the ending of our season. This group, albeit young, did not finish our season with our best game. Certainly credit goes to our regular season champs, Capital, but as coaches, it's hard to lose. And, it's especially hard to lose when you don't play your best game. Regardless, we had a good season with our bunch and have so much to look forward too in the future. We give our team the month of March off and away from the coaching staff - it's a much needed break for all parties! It affords a chance to recoup our bodies and minds and approach the springtime with more energy emotionally and physically.

We put a closure to our season with our annual banquet which also serves as a launching pad into the spring....we celebrate our season, but then step forward with fresh perspective into the Springtime of what we want to accomplish next year. Today, I am recapping our banquet:

Here's the coaching staff with Captains Brittany Bogart, Kara Dysert, and Heather Armbruster (below right)

Here's the captains minus the coaching staff...both Coach and I would say that is a better pic! We tend to avoid the camera action!
Here they are all dressed up! It's nice to celebrate our season and fun to see the ladies in something other than basketball sweats! Besides honoring our season, special recognition was awarded to:

Most improved: Allie Drewes
Captains: Britt Bogart, Kara Dysert, Heather Armbruster
OAC 2nd team: Jeanne Bockey
OAC Honorable Mention: Kara Dysert
OAC Conference tournament team: Morgan Dumbaugh
Unsung hero award: Katie Mengos and Brittany Schroeder

Community Service - A staple in our program...

2009-12-30T14:50:00.001-08:00

Once again around the New Year, we were able to travel to Lima South Middle school and conduct a basketball clinic with the 7th and 8th grade teams. This is our chance as a team and program to give back to our community through the game that has given our players so many opportunities. We have worked in this partnership with Lima South for the last 4 years, and each year, we are reminded how great it is to help someone else, especially with the game of basketball! We have our players put together the plan for the clinic and implement the skills, drills, and games. Each member is responsible for doing her share to make the event a success. I was really proud of our team for working so well together on this project, but most importantly, for working so well with these middle schoolers. Everyone had a great time and a lot of laughs!

Erin Waehner, Jo Snyder and Kara Dysert work some ball handling drills (above)

Left, Steph Hicks had the passing drills down, and Katie Jones, Heather Armbruster and Britt Schroeder offer some guidance.

Above, we are getting ready for some full court ball handling, while below, Britt Bogart cheers on her basket, along with Lauren Cassell and Allie Drewes and Kara Dysert during the lay-up competition (s).

This was my favorite part of the morning as it required our team to actually demonstrate a proper defensive stance...below, our middle schoolers get a little appreciation of the effort involved in staying low!

After our session is over, we answer questions as a team. Here, Coach Durand offers insight into our program and what it takes to be successful in college. Our basketball team did an excellent job representing Ohio Northern University, and our Women's Basketball program. I believe our team are excellent role models to these youngsters.

Our staff has maintained this relationship with Lima South Middle school because we believe in community service. And, we believe that it's a win-win situation. Our players also get a whole lot from this experience too. When it's all said and done, there are a lot of laughs and an appreciation of a game that can always bring people together.

All Smiles....Lima South Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Girls Basketball and Ohio Northern University Women's Basketball

Holiday Happenings for the Polar Bears...

2009-12-30T14:28:00.001-08:00

We are back into basketball mode after a nice break following our Defiance home victory on December 22nd. We came back to campus on Sunday, December 27th to prepare for 2 tough non-league games this week against Adrian and Wittenberg. It's been nice to focus on basketball as well as enjoy time together as a team. One annual event we do over the Holiday break is our basketball Christmas party....this year's theme for the Dirty Santa game was to find a gift which starts with the letter "N." There was some creativity. Below Brooke Hayden shows off the New Balance shoes (signed by Men's Basketball Coach John Rhodes) that Kara Dysert contributed as her "N" gift...needless to say Brooke was not all that happy about her gift, nor did anyone feel the need to "steal" it from her as the game went on!

Some more pics from our party... Jo Snyder, Steph Hicks, Erin Waehner and Brooke Hayden (below)

Above: Jeanne Bockey, Katie Mengos and Morgan Dumbaugh
Below: Lauren Cassell and Brittany Schroeder

Team shot above...Overall, there was really good food and a whole lots of laughs. In fact, the ladies wanted me to display a picture of the gift I received during the game on this blog posting... And, well, it's best that I refrain :) I think I won't live that down for awhile! Happy Holidays!! ~ Coach Terrell

TOP 5 FALL QUARTER GPA

2009-11-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

Fall quarter GPA's are in - Congrats to OUR TOP POLAR BEARS:

1. Brooke Hayden
4.0 GPA
Engineering

2. Joanna Snyder
4.0 GPA
Math Education

3. Katie Mengos
3.72 GPA
Pharmacy

4. Stephanie Hicks
3.52 GPA
Chemistry

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES !!!

Turkey Day Reflections

2009-11-25T11:26:00.001-08:00

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY REFLECTIONS....

For as long as I can remember, my family has always got together at my grandma's for Thanksgiving dinner.
I am very thankful for my family, friends, being able to continue my basketball passion, and of course my dog, Jake :)

Jeanne Bockey

Junior

Education Major

Team Potluck 2009 - Kick off to our Season!

2009-11-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I am way behind on blog updates, so now that I have some time to breathe this Thanksgiving break, I am going to get everyone caught up to speed on women's basketball happenings!

Who are some of these faces? I was able to snag a few family shots...

top right: Caroline, Joanna, Laura & Ed Snyder.

bottom right: Margret, Lauren & Jeff Cassell.

bottom left: Brittany and Dave Bogart.

These pics are from November 7th's family potluck. Every fall before we kick off our season we invite all friends and family of our program to our Black and Orange day potluck. This event accomplishes several things. First, it's a chance for Coach Durand to go over program expectations. This is important as it keeps everyone on the same page. Secondly, it's a chance for our families to be together (see a few of the lucky mug shots above!)With this being said, our parents have a chance to get to know other families in the program. This was exceptionally important this year because we have soooo many new people in the program! Finally, it's a chance to eat really good food - especially the dessert portion of the table. Thanks to all of our parents who helped make this event happen!

Sophomore Spotlight - Captain Kara Dysert

2009-10-19T11:44:00.001-07:00

Hello. My name is Kara Dysert. I am writing to give you a little background about me, my family and experiences, and why I am Ohio Northern.

My parents are Ken and Bridgette Dysert. My dad graduated from Ada High School where he played basketball. He is the Lima city President for Citizens National Bank. My mom is from Indianapolis. She is a social worker at St. Rita's Medical Center. I have a younger brother named Brandon who is a student at Rhodes State College. My family moved to Ada the summer before my freshman year.

I graduated from Ada High School in 2008. I feel that my greatest accomplishment academically in high school was graduating with a 3.98 GPA-I had one B in four years. My greatest accomplishment in sports was breaking the all time rebounding record my senior year. I am especially proud of this because my dad holds the rebounding record for the boys and my goal was always to bypass his mark. I am also the second leading scorer at Ada. I was the first for awhile until Morgan Dumbaugh (my teammate now) broke my record her senior year. I received numerous awards in high school-the best being named 3rd Team All Ohio my junior year.

Playing college basketball has always been a goal of mine. I visited several schools throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan before deciding on ONU. I chose ONU because of its academic reputation, small class sizes, and because I wanted the opportunity to play in the fiercest DIII conference in the country, the OAC! Also, my parents have been my biggest supporters and it was important to me that they be able to watch me play. My first year at ONU was a learning experience. I think the game is a lot faster and way more physical. I also had to learn how to balance my time so I could maintain my grades and still give it my best in basketball. We were a young team but had several highlights like key wins over Capital and BW last year. I was also named OAC Freshman of the Year. This season, I want us to place at the top of the conference. We definitely have the players to do so. We are even younger than last year, but we are so motivated, competitive, aggressive and UNITED! We are the POLAR BEAR NATION!

When I'm not studying, practicing or working, I like to hang out with my friends, watch movies and sleep. One thing that some people might not know about me is that my nick name is "Bear". How fitting for an ONU Polar Bear! I have been called this ever since I can remember. I have a huge collection of stuffed bears. My favorite one is an old brown one with a mis-shapen head and faded fur named..."Bear"! He has attended every basketball game I have ever played in from 4th grade through my first year at ONU. .

Academics - our first priority!

2009-09-22T06:17:00.001-07:00

ONU was once again rated by the US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT as one of the premier institutions in the Midwest. This distinction is certainly impressive, and with the women's basketball program, we pride ourselves on living up to the expectation of excellence. Academic success is our program pillar, and as a staff, we have put together a game plan to achieve our goal of a 3.2 Team GPA every quarter. This is what we call our ACADEMIC MENTORING PLAN:

Here's how it works:
1. All new persons in the program are assigned a coach (Coach Durand or Coach Terrell).

This person meets with that coach every other Friday during fall quarter (5x on a 10 week quarter). These meetings involve checking planners, going through course syllabi, talking about the transition to our university as well as problem solving for areas that might be causing the student-athlete trouble. It's a great opportunity to offset potential problems, but it also gets the athlete in the office to talk with coaches! Typically, our new people start off quiet - that does not last long though :)

2. All new persons in the program are assigned a PEER mentor within the program:

We partner new people with a veteran in the same major or a like major. This is their "peer mentor." That mentor is responsible for that person - they have to set up distinct study times for the week based on arranging schedules. We ask that they get 4 hours of time together a week (2-2hour blocks)
We put them with a peer because of 2 reasons - first, that person has gone through what that new person is going to experience, especially in the like major, and secondly, it makes that mentor take on leadership responsibility. They are responsible for reporting to the coaching staff any concerns, the days that they are meeting, etc. This is a great way as a team to emphasize that we are all in this together and it's our responsibility to each other to make sure we are being the best students we can be.

3. We do grade checks/reports that go to faculty 2x / quarter

Having this game plan and implementing it consistently has brought us success academically. We are proud of our 100% graduation rate, but we are also proud to be leaders in the classroom on campus. It's expected to always be the best in everything we do. Typically, we don't have too many issues - our students come in with high expectations of themselves to achieve academic success. But, from the coaching staff standpoint, we make sure we are all on the same page about our priorities.

From our Spring Quarter (2009) our top 3 GPA student-athletes were:

Ericka Holcomb - Business / Psychology Major

Heather Armbruster, Pharmacy

Stephanie Hicks, Chemistry

A few retreat pics...

2009-09-13T15:01:00.001-07:00

Here they are! Sophia from the Golden Girls is also an honorary member...I am so excited to know that Jess Armintrout loves the Golden Girls - reruns of this show are the best!

Katie Jones and Jeanne Bockey are working on a team activity above while Liz DePalma shows off the golf grabber she borrowed from her Grandmother's golf bag...seems strange, however, we voted to make that our team symbol for the year. There's a story to it, but she showed off it's ability to grab Megan Porter's Ipod here

Britt Bogart and Megan Porter working on team activitiese while the grilling team (Kara Dysert, Allie Drewes, Brooke Hayden & minus I am told Lauren Cassell who was busy taking the grill orders) work to get the burgers and dogs cooked - we will continue to refine our grill skills, but we all survived Kara Dysert as the honorary Grill Master....

Team discussions were centered around our summer reading assignment, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," by Patrick Lencioni - it's a great read for any organization and I highly recommend it! Here our teams work to come up with some ground rules we will use for our organization this upcoming year

Here she is...Natti the wonder dog with the face that can work a crowd...here, she bellies up to the bar and scams popcorn and chips from this spot, then worked her way around the basement during the game for other treats!

Below is a shot of the projection system in the Dumbaugh's basement - Tressel and the Bucks were not as fortunate as Natti was but we enjoyed hanging out and watching the game together

The key to our team is through their stomachs! Amy and Neal Dumbaugh cooked up a terrific breakfast Sunday to send us on our way - thanks!

Team Retreat 2009

2009-09-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Follow Through!

There it is - the mantra for the year for ONU Women's Basketball....it stemmed from great discussions this past weekend about accountability and what that word means for our team this year. Our team certainly has some key returners, but honestly, there are 11 new faces to our program- wow! Lots of getting to know each is in the works! So, this weekend was a start and we all agreed that building trust will take some time as we all get to know each other better, but that living up to this mantra will be the cornerstone for our success this year...

Our team retreat this year was at Morgan Dumbaugh's family's house - what a treat! They have a beautiful house, lots of space, and perhaps, the highlight to all of us dog lovers- Natti, the wonderdog. She knew how to work the system for food (see the pic of Nattie bellied up to the table for popcorn and chips!) Anyway, we are thankful to have the opportunity to crash there for the night. Those folks that are Ohio State Buckeye fans especially appreciated the opportunity to watch the game on the huge projection system - it was amazing! Still did not change the outcome, of course, but remember, you could be a Michigan State Spartan fan -ugh! (is it basketball season yet?) :)

Although we are in the very initial stages, the time spent with our team was revealing. I learned several items -perhaps most noteably is that Kara Dysert needs to work on her grilling skills-but in all seriousness, that our team is hungry for success...that they have expectations, not excuses....that they are ready to make a name for themselves and our program...that they recognize what makes a team functional versus dysfunctional and are willing to do what it takes to not make it the later... I can't tell you how happy that makes a coach! I believe I learned a lot, that of course I still have more to learn, but that most importantly, this bunch will be the group that will follow through! Get it girl!

Coach Terrell

2009 Fundamental Camp

2009-06-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Camp season has come and gone and we all survived! Our team did an exceptional job instructing our campers - in fact, both Coach Durand and I agree that our counselors were the best group we have ever had in the 5 years we have been running our camp! They were diligent, positive, and served as terrific role models! As coaches, we love having our team back, especially for our incoming freshmen. For them, it gives them an opportunity to be on campus more, mix with our returning players, and really, begin to relax and come out of their shell a little! We are still working on a few, though :) But, it has served as a great opportunity for our team to be together and blend together which is most important! We are so excited about the people we have in our program that camp made us want to get started right away! But, summer break is certainly needed and we know our team is working hard at achieving their personal and team goals for the summer! In fact, I am confident many of our players will do the "chill drill," brought to us by top-notch Riverdale High School Coach Maryann Holderman (above center). She was a guest speaker again for us this year, and as always, did an exceptional job detailing what it takes to succeed in basketball as well as providing some key fundamental drills for any level...every year she shows us a new drill or two which I love!

Here's a few more pics from camp- Morgan Dumbaugh, my apologies as I did not get a good shot of you :) Above and left, one of our now two 'Katies' on the team - Freshman Katie Jones (Gibsonburg HS) instructs her Michigan Wolverines team. Her team gave it their all, but like Henton's Purdue team, their shining moment came a the Mock Olympics! Above and to the right, Captain Britt Bogart, or otherwise known as the coach of the MSU spartans (along with the only Michigan native (besides me )of Allie Drewes (further down).

Left, Captain Heather Armbruster instructing. In her spare time, she is working on the Ab Ripper from P90X - whew , along with her ball handling skills - she's got a handle on the ball besides the fact that she is a lethal shooter!

Above right - Megan Porter's Minnesota Golden Gophers were tough to stop all week - until she met her fate against Dysert's OSU Buckeyes! Megan is always all smiles!

Left - our only Indiana native, Ericka Holcomb appropriately coached the Indiana Hoosiers with Morgan Dumbaugh (Ada, OH).

Above right - Lauren Cassell is helping teach the backdoor cut. Lauren was our ballhandling demonstrator along with teammates Heather Armbruster and Katie Mengos - great job with those demos!

Left- Kara Dysert (a.k.a. Dessert) takes her Buckeyes through some shooting work. She, along with Heather, are going to be benchmarks of how to survive P90x :)

Above and right, Steph Hicks had the best team in the WNBA division in her Houston comets, defeating Lauren Cassell's team's pretty substaintially in the championship game - we shall keep the score off the blog. Plain and simply, Hicks team was amazing - was it the coaching? Hmm...

And, onto some new persons to the program! Allie Drewes, a native of Michigan and co-coach with Britt Bogart's MSU Spartans, works on some passing. Allie is our project to get to speak more :) Someday that statement will haunt me!

Below, Alexis Henton (North Olmstead Falls HS) is trying to get her team's attention - her Purdue team held their own for the most part throughout the week, but perhaps had their best outing at the Mock Olympics!

Left, Joanna Synder (Fort Recovery HS) shows off her passing form while our second Katie - Katie Mengos (Miami East) provides some key 1-on-1 teaching moments. Missing from the camp pictures, Morgan Dumbaugh- sorry!

Ladies, thanks for an excellent camp and for those who worked our shoot-out-- thank you too!

As always, it's a great time to be a Polar Bear!

Coach Terrell

Run for the Roses Cystic Fibrosis Charity Event

2009-05-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

(left - pre run; above - after!)

On Sunday, May 3rd, we participated in ONU's first annual Run for the Roses Cystic Fibrosis Charity event as a team. The event was put together by our ONU athletic training staff and student athletic trainers in honor of 2 special people from the ONU community who have been affected by this condition. We were happy to give our energy for such a good cause as this. As we try to remind our team, we like to be known for more than women's basketball on campus - it's about service to others, to our campus, and our community. These are pillars in our program mission and philosophy. And, in the case of this event, it was such a candid reminder of what we need to remember - to be grateful on a daily basis for our health and opportunity to participate in athletics. We are definitely on the participant list for 2010 too!

Since then, our spring quarter is officially over - meaning exams and stress! Graduation has come and gone from this past Sunday, and now Coach Durand and I are getting ready for our Girls fundamental camp and HS team shootout in June. Time really does fly! But it will be good to see our athletes again in a few weeks. It's always strange when it winds down for the year to not have them in and out of the office! Until the next one, take care!

~Coach Terrell

End of the Season

2009-03-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

It has been 3 weeks since the season has ended so I have had some time to reflect on this year's team and season. First, I want to congratulate our 3 seniors, Emily Culbertson, Tricia Fuller, and Alisha Rinehart. From a win - loss standpoint this season did not go the way they wanted but, they have been a big part in our program's turnaround and success over the past 3 years. Alisha broke the all time scoring record that has stood for 25 years, quite an accomplishment. She is also the all time leader for free throw %, free throws made and free throws attempted. Emily broke the all time records for career assists, steals and started every game of her career. All three have been an integral part of our program the past 4 years and we will certainly miss them!

As I think about this past season believe it or not I usually smile. It may seem crazy because we did not have the kind of season, from a record standpoint, we would have hoped for. I smile because I really enjoyed the players on the team. The newcomers really blended well with our returning players, attitudes were great for the most part and everyone tried to do what was asked of them. Don't get me wrong, things were difficult at times. We had 2 devastating injuries to Britt Bogart and Heather Armbruster. Two players who returned with some experience. We lost a lot of close games that could have gone our way and that was frustrating. The non-conference part of our schedule was really spent getting to know one another. We had a lot of close games that I really believe we would win if we played them later in the season. Our conference was extremely tough as usual. We started very strong winning our first 3 OAC games which included national power Baldwin Wallace. The girls really came together in this game and played good for 40 minutes. I think we opened a few eyes winning this game. In the middle of the conference season, just after Christmas we were lucky enough to participate in the Land of Magic Classic in Florida. This was an absolutely great tournament. We started out staying and playing in Daytona Beach. Our hotel was right on the beach and was beautiful. The temperature was 80 degrees everyday. Needless to say I wondered if I would be able to get the girls to think about playing basketball. To their credit we came out on day 1 of the tournament and beat a good Albion team out of the MIAA. It was a hard fought contest and I thought our team really matched their physical play and did a nice job of playing within our system. Unfortunately, we were not so lucky on day 2. Our shooting % vs. Clark (out of Mass.) was absolutely dismal. We were actually down 23 at half. I have to give our team credit however because we came all the way back to get the game within 2 in the second half with a chance to tie. Unfortunately we did not win but it took a lot of guts to come back the way we did.

The second part of the conference season was difficult. I thought the grind of the season was starting to wear on our freshmen. Again, we were in every game but could not seem to put 40 minutes together. I'm proud to say we were able to beat the top four teams in the OAC at least once. We had heartbreaking losses to Wilmington. The first time we played them we lost in overtime by 1 point and the second time we played them we lost in double overtime by 2.

Overall, I think the season was a great learning experience for our players and our coaching staff. Hopefully, we can take the experiences our young players received and turn our win loss record around next season. With hard work, new additions, and players who are healthy the future looks very bright! I'm excited to see how much we can improve.

Why choose ONU?

2009-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

As you finalize your academic and athletic plans for the future, we want to help you answer the question, “Why ONU?” We get that question a lot when potential athletes look at Ohio Northern University and our women’s basketball program in comparison to other schools. If you find yourself asking that same question, please read why our current players made the decision to come to Ohio Northern.

Ohio Northern University is an environment where we are proud of our university and proud to be a part of the academic and athletic tradition that has started long before you or I have been around. Hopefully this gives you a little more insight in answering the question, “Why ONU?” I hope it pushes you to give me a call and say, “Coach, I’ll see you in September; I WANT TO BE A POLAR BEAR!” - Coach Durand

#32 Sophomore Heather Armbruster, Akron, OH - Pharmacy (WBB Captain)
“I decided to attend Ohio Northern University because I could not pass up everything it had to offer. Here at ONU I am able to pursue my career of choice, pharmacy, at an excellent institution as well as be a member of a basketball team that competes in one of, if not the toughest, conferences in Division III. In addition to the opportunities, its close, faculty-student relationships, friendly environment, and beautiful campus fulfilled everything I was looking for in a college or university.”

#21 Freshman Kara Dysert, Ada, OH - Exercise Physiology; 2009 OAC Freshman of the Year

“I chose Ohio Northern University for its outstanding reputation involving academics, its small class sizes and for the opportunity to compete in one of the toughest conferences in the nation...the OAC!”

#30 Junior Brittany Bogart, Toledo, OH - Nursing (WBB Captain; left)

" I came to Ohio Northern because I loved the small campus atmosphere and it just feels like home here at Northern. ONU offers great academics along with strong athletic programs. Ohio Northern was the perfect fit for me!

#24 Sophomore Brittany Schroeder, Leipsic, OH - Middle Childhood Education
“I chose ONU because it is a small University which is what I am used to. The professors know you by name and the classes are small. It is also close to home so my family can come and watch me play.”

#12 Freshman Lauren Cassell Dayton, OH - Mathematics Education
“ONU is the perfect school for me because it is academically recognized, allows me to maintain a personal relationship with my professors, and has a highly competitive women’s basketball team. While the campus may appear sheltered and boring there is always something to do on top of the multitude of organizations you can be apart of. I chose ONU because I wanted a personalized education and to feel as though I was important (something that is hard to get at a bigger school). As far as basketball is concerned I immediately felt as though I would be joining a second family. I was meant to be a Polar Bear.”

#54 Freshman Stephanie Hicks, Wadsworth, OH - Chemistry
“I chose ONU for many reasons. The beautiful campus, excellent academic and athletic reputation, and the surrounding community of Ada were all big factors in making my decision. What really won me over though was the idea of a more personal class setting. All of these things and more made me feel that Northern was a perfect fit.”

#25 Freshman Jessica Armintrout, Shelby, OH - Exercise Physiology
“I loved the campus because everyone is so friendly and welcoming. The team made me feel like this was a second home.”

#40 Freshman Sara Scheerer, Norwalk, OH - Pharmacy
“I chose ONU because of the premier Pharmacy program, small campus atmosphere, and the immediate sense of feeling at home as soon as I visited."

#14 Freshman Megan Porter, Dayton, OH - Middle Childhood Education
“I chose Ohio Northern based on the distance from home, academics, and athletics. I felt the distance from Dayton to Ada was the perfect distance to keep me away from home, but easy enough to go back if necessary. The academics at ONU are highly respected, and the small class setting allows me to get individual help if I am struggling in a certain course. The ONU women's basketball team is a family in its own. The girls are accepting and truly a wonderful bunch of girls. It feels like home at Ohio Northern.”

#33 Freshman Ericka Holcomb, Bloomington, IN - Marketing / Psychology
“I wanted a team that was close on and off the field, and that’s what ONU had. The atmosphere at ONU is great; people are friendly, dedicated, interested, and committed to academics.”

ONU Senior Day

2009-02-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

We lost a hard, tough game v. Mt. Union on our Senior Day Saturday. This was a tough game in many ways; certainly because it was not the outcome we wanted, but also because this was the last home game for our 3 seniors (Tripod) Emily Culbertson, Alisha Rinehart and Tricia Fuller.

These 3 have done good things for our program. Although this season is not what we envisioned from a record standpoint, these 3 have been a vital cog for all 4 years, none more important than this one in providing structure and leadership for our young team. In spite of the reality of their time here being almost over, we like to take our senior day as an opportunity to celebrate our student-athletes like our tripod that make it for four years - that is a tough task, and after our game, we make our celebration about them, and rightfully so. Above, our captains Brittany Bogart and Heather Armbruster begin the highlights by introducing the infamous mock awards.....

Above left, our Tripod address the crowd with awards in hand. To recap the infamous mock awards, above and to the right, Emily gets the "roadrunner award" because she is lightening fast; Tricia (below), well, has always been called "man hands" and so her award was rightfully named (say yes to Seinfeld episodes). And of course, Alisha ( I don't have a shot of this one), could probably have several awards, but Kara Dysert gave her the "biggest flopper" award...self explanatory.

So, in spite of the tough loss, I think it's important to still have a little perspective about what this is all about. As our seniors addressed the crowd yesterday, what helped me gain perspective was when Alisha mentioned that this was her favorite year of all 4 years because this team is as close a team as we have ever had. In spite of the obstacles, they have all grown, individually, and most importantly, as a team.....

With Alisha, she set the single season scoring record on Saturday surpassing a record that stood here at ONU since 1984. Not to mention, Alisha never started a game until her senior year, always playing behind All-OAC guard Jenny Markle. She embraced this role, and for 3 years served as our spark-plug off the bench. What I have been most impressed with Lish this year, is the fact that she has worked on her outside shooting. Every night before a game her and Kara Dysert stay after practice and shoot (there's a lot of smack talking) but this extra shooting has made Alisha more versatile and I believe 1 of the toughest #2 guards in the league. This is the type of growth that I am proud of....she has tried to make her self more than 1 dimensional in order to help this team....

Tricia has served as a role player for her time here. She has never received the notoriety that Lish and Em have received, and that is tough because she will do things that don't show up on a stat sheet. But as coaches we always need these players on our rosters - the ones who are willing to hustle, get a loose ball, get a key rebound or maybe step into a role on a scout team. Tricia has done this, and handled herself accordingly this year and I believe recognizes more this year what team really means....sometimes, it's difficult to be the one that doesn't always get recognized, but we all have choices in how we choose to handle our situations, and I give Tricia credit for growing personally and recognizing how her team needs her and also needs her to embrace her role.

Lastly, of the tripod, is Emily Culbertson. Em's had a tough year on a lot of levels, but none tougher than the last 8 days. Nonetheless, in spite of her personal tragedy, Em has demonstrated heart and character and flat out, been an inspiration. She has done things in the last 2 games that made me step back and say, wow, "Em is back, and watch out!" She set the all-time ONU assist record on Saturday along with tying the all-time steals record. She is the best on the ball defender in the OAC and is getting her confidence back at the right time going into tournament. Emily has grown more personally in this last week when faced with adversity than I think she even realizes; I am very proud of her.

As we go into the tourney as a clear underdog, both Coach Durand and I beleive we are the scariest #8 seed in the tourney....we have beaten the top 3 teams in the league, gone nose-to-nose with everyone else, and over the last 2 games really feel like we have been finally playing the type of ball we are capable of playing...just at the right time. Capital is such a formidable opponent - even more so at their place - but we have been saying this phrase all year: THINGS COME FULL CIRCLE.....In spite of the adversity, the heartbreaking losses, we beleive that we can do good things in this tourney come Tuesday....and on Tuesday, with the start of a new season, we believe now more than ever, it's a great time to be the Polar Bears.....All the best, Coach Terrell

Conference Season Update

2009-01-20T07:23:00.000-08:00

The first half of the conference season has ended as of last night. The Polar Bears posted a 5 and 4 record for the first half. I believe, for a young basketball team in an extremely difficult conference, this is quite an accomplishment. While I was disappointed last night with a loss to a very good Muskingum team on the road, I think our team has made great progress since the beginning of the season. We have improved our defense and rebounding significantly and I believe our team has embraced the idea of what "team" really means. We have stuck together and been tough in each of our conference games. The OAC is as strong as ever with many teams still having a chance to be the regular season champion. For us to be successful in the second round we must continue to stick together, rebound the ball and play stingy defense. On the offensive side of the ball we have to take better care of the ball and do a better job of executing our offense. I am confident this group will continue to work hard and improve. I believe if we follow our "Do Work" motto we can finish in the upper half of the OAC and have at least one home game for the conference tournament. When tournament time comes around anything can happen. :) Go Bears!

Coach Durand

Florida Trip

2009-01-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

We are capable of wearing more than sweats! Here the team is getting ready for a team dinner night in Daytona (left) and New Year's celebration in Orlando (below)

The view from the Daytona Beach Hilton was hard to beat...we had beach side to enjoy the sunrise and sunset from our balconies....Megan Porter, Ericka Holcomb and Britt Bogart take in the view!

All good things come to an end as you see a group here in the airport....we went 1-1 on the tourney....we wanted the 2-0, but hopefully we can learn and continue to get stronger and better as we get ready for the OAC match-ups that await us when we get back....this trip is definitely something we will consider again as the warm weather in December and the great memories were pretty special! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lima South Middle School Community Service Project

2008-12-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Over break we conducted a basketball practice for the middle school team at Lima South Middle school. This is the 2nd year we have done this project to help reach out and provide service to our local community. Our women's basketball team was responsible for creating the practice plan, dividing up responsibilities, and teaching these young ladies some important fundamentals for the game...not to mention, fielding questions from these girls after our practice about basketball - the commitment, the frustrations, and lessons that can be learned from playing the game.....not only was I impressed with our team's answers to their questions, but also with their genuine concern in trying to offer help and advice for these ladies that need positive female role models....It was truly a "win-win" situation for everyone and an experience I hope we continue! ~ Coach Terrell

"Tis the Season for Giving....

2008-12-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

Every year we adopt a family from Ada for Christmas... Our girls split into teams, pool their resources, and take a night to go shopping for their family member. This is a great opportunity to step back and think about our blessings as well as take time to think of someone else in need....Last year, our senior, Erin Brand was wearing a women's basketball sweatshirt while working at the local drive through in town....the customer in the car saw her sweatshirt and disclosed that it was his family that we had helped. He literally had tears in his eyes when he described how much it meant that we had adopted his family for the Holidays....that moment really resonated with Erin and I know when she shared that with her team last year, and this year's team, it really hit home about what we can each do for others to make their day just a little bit brighter....

This Sunday, we made our team dinner night a chance to wrap and organize the gifts before we send them out this week, which you can see the gift wrapping going on in some of the shots....not everyone has gift wrapping skills, though! We also had Coach Durand's chicken and biscuits and other fine foods (Lauren Cassell makes a mean brocoli salad and Lish Rinehart added her cheesy potatoes to the table, but I think the award may go to Kara Dysert's mom Bridgette with her dessert....I am not sure the name of it, but it was hit!). After the dinner and wrapping gifts we were also lucky enough to have a guest speaker come in and talk to several of our ONU athletic teams about the mental side of sport....he did a great job of motivating our girls to stay positive and really believe that you can achieve anything....a very fitting message for us and the goals we have for this year! GO BEARS! ~ Coach Terrell

Season update as of December 10, 2008

2008-12-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

We are five games into this basketball season so I wanted to give some thoughts on how things are going thus far.....

We were hit right away with 2 key injuries with captains Brittany Bogart and Heather Armbruster. Britt we expected to take over the center position and that plan did not quite shake out, but the really good news is that she will be back hopefully by the end of this month. The other player who has been injured is Heather Armbruster. Heather is one of our smartest players and our best outside shooter. Unfortunately for Heather and us it looks like she may not be able to play this season. These injuries have left us with a lot of inexperienced players having to step into roles we were not anticipating right away....that is a double edged sword. The new players are getting a lot of exposure, but they also have a lot to learn about playing at this level....

Although we are currently 2-3, I am very happy to say we have been in and led at some point, in every game we have played. I am also really happy with our game to game improvement. Each and every game thus far we have improved in one or more areas. We won our first OAC game vs. Marietta last Saturday in convincing fashion. It is great to start off our conference season on a positive note! This gives us momentum for another tough OAC stretch this week.

Our team is continuing to work hard each and every day and if we continue to work we will keep improving. I've enjoyed this team thus far because they want to learn and are willing to do what the coaches ask to get better. Overall, I believe we are moving in the right direction and I have confidence we will continue to get better. I predict by the end of the season we will be the team no one wants to play! Go Bears!

Head Coach Michele Durand

Thankful is so many ways.... by Brittany Bogart

2008-11-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

Since Thanksgiving is approaching I would like to share what I'm thankful for. I'm very thankful to have the opportunity to attend Ohio Northern University. I'm getting a great education and my professors are amazing. I'm very thankful for the friends that I have made here. There is no doubt that we will remains friends forever. I'm also very thankful for getting the opportunity to play college basketball especially here at Northern. The girls are coaches are like a family to me. The coaches do an amazing job and I'm so thankful that they have given me this opportunity. I'm also very thankful for my health. Being healthy for as long as I've been playing is something that I'm really thankful for. Basketball has always been a big part of my life and I don't know what I would do without it!

The opportunity to attend college and play college basketball would not be possible without my family and friends. They have no idea how thankful I am for the great opportunity. They support me in everything that I do and that means the world to me!

Brittany Bogart
Junior
Nursing

Countless Blessings...by Heather Armbruster

2008-11-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

As Thanksgiving approaches, I have begun to reflect on everything God has blessed me with throughout my life, especially over the past year and a half. Out of all the different choices I had to decide between in selecting a college, I am extremely thankful that I ended up here at Ohio Northern University. I have been given a wonderful opportunity to pursue the profession of my dreams, pharmacy, in an outstanding academic institution. Although at times my studies can be difficult, I am grateful for all of my professors and the staff at ONU who are always there for support and to lend a helping hand. Furthermore, I am thankful for all of the people I have met around campus. I have been truly blessed with amazing friends, who I do not know what I would do without!
If those blessing were not enough, I am also very grateful for being able to be a part of Ohio Northern University’s Women’s Basketball family. I call it a family because that is truly what we are. Between my coaches and teammates I can honestly say that I have a home away from home. They are all extremely compassionate, encouraging, and so much fun to hang out with! Our memories are endless. (I love you guys!) Nevertheless, I am thankful for more than just the people in our basketball family. Having the opportunity to be a part of the basketball program itself is another entity for which I am grateful. I am happy to be a part of a team that works hard, truly loves the game of basketball, and competes against some of the best competition in Division III, which makes stepping onto the court each night that much more exciting!
So far, my all-around experience at Ohio Northern University has been amazing, and I consider it a true blessing from God. The team to which I belong and the friends I have made have become parts of my life that I cannot fathom living without. However, none of this would be possible without my family. The sacrifices my parents have made in addition to the love and support I receive from both them and my sister are blessings so immense that I do not know if they can be repaid. Therefore, I want to also thank them for everything they do! They mean the world to me!

Heather Armbruster

Sophomore

Pharmacy

Coach Durand - thankful in many ways

2008-11-11T11:31:00.001-08:00

Since we are getting so close to Thanksgiving I thought I would let everyone know what I am thankful for... you can see the pictures of the beautiful new floor in King Horn Center. We had a very generous donor give us the money for a brand new floor. It will be dedicated on Dec. 20th and named after our former men's basketball coach Joe Campoli and his wife Margaret. The floor is state of the art and a great addition to our facility. In addition to our new floor we also renovated our locker room in the summer of 2007 (pictures above). Our alumnae together gave $50,000 so we could get the locker room done. Our current players love the new space. It has a state of the art stereo system, a big flat screen tv, and beautiful cherry wood lockers. I am thankful our alumnae cared so much to give back so that future players could have a premier space.

I am thankful for Sara Terrell, my assistant coach. Coach Terrell puts her heart and soul into the program. She does everything from helping to plan practice, scout opponents, and recruiting to name just a few things. Our program would not be where it is today without her dedication.

Finally, the last seven years have been the best of my coaching career. I am thankful for the players, past and present, who have been a part of this program. Each and everyone of them has touched my life in one way or another. Many of them have gone on to be successful in their careers and have started families of their own. This year's team is young but is working hard and there is no doubt they will leave their mark. I am very lucky to be a part of the Ohio Northern Women's Basketball family.

Coach Durand

Black and Orange Day - a chance for our families to meet each other

2008-11-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

The infamous food line - this is always the best part for our players! Below, Tricia Fuller gets us started on family introductions....as they get older they have absolutely no fear to speak in front of a group as Tricia demonstrates here! Below, Susan Fuller and Tricia enjoy some good food...

Above, the Armbruster family (Rob, Shannon, Heather and Mary are all smiles) along with Britt Bogart with mom Tina and dad Dave....

Some newcomers to our program are Ericka Holcomb and mom Kimra, and grandma (Nanna) along with the Dysert family (Kara, Bridgette and Ken) and the Lauren Conley Crew of Kelli, Katie, Ray and Lauren

.
Black and Orange day is a day that we invite our families and supporters to an inter-squad scrimmage followed by a team potluck. We started this 6 years ago as a means for our families to truly connect and get a sense of what student-athlete belongs to what family, etc. Also, it gives Coach Durand and I a chance to go over our program philosophies, mission statement, and expectations. We have really found this event to be helpful, especially for new families to the program.

The scrimmage is absolutely awful (spoken as a true coach), but the bigger concept is the fact that our families need to get to know each other. In fact, one of the neat things is watching each class of families grow closer throughout the years, much like what our student athletes experience.

We appreciate our parents and all they do for our program. The top-notch student athletes we have here at ONU are a direct result of their parent/guardian support they receive at home....thanks for all the great food, the laughs, and the support as we embark on another terrific year of polar bear women's basketball! Coach Terrell

First 2 weeks of practice....

2008-11-03T06:21:00.001-08:00

We have made it through the first 2 weeks of practice....and, both Coach Durand and I are happy with how hard our team is working....we really do feel this is probably the best group as far as really putting it out there every day to get better and absolutely work hard at their game.

Our current sign in the locker-room reads:
Today, ask yourself if you are ready to:
1. Give 100% effort
2. Be focused
3. Provide encouragement
4. Improve your game
5. Do work

In spite of the nagging injuries and some shuffling of personnel, we are hanging in there...trust me, there is A LOT to do and we really feel that the countdown is on... This weekend we will get to scrimmage Bluffton then Kenyon the following weekend, then it is tip off time....so, much to be done and the time is ticking...but, if we can do those 5 listed items, we believe good things will happen. It's a great time to be a Polar Bear!
Assistant Coach Sara Terrell

Tri-Pod

2008-10-10T09:44:00.002-07:00

Along with everything the girls have said...

Deciding to come to ONU was a decision based on academics and the overall atmosphere, but what made sold me the most was the people I met as a recruit, mainly the basketball team. Just like Lish and Tricia said, the team we have here is like a family away from home. We are there for each other no matter what, and do whatever we can to make everyone feel welcome. I have friends on many of the opposing teams we play and they all have made a point to let me know that they wish they had as much team chemistry, on and off the court, as ONU’s basketball team does. That is what makes the game so fun here.

Most people look at ONU and Ada as small, boring and in the middle of nowhere town. It is far from being a boring town! We always find things to do, whether it is going to other sporting events, eating at some of the restaurants (both old and new) or just hanging out being goofy with the team.

As for basketball, I am proud to be a part of the turn around of ONU women’s basketball. Over the past 3 years here the program has improved and we plan to keep that tradition going. I know a lot of recruits ask us what we think about the coaches… Coach Durand and Coach Terrell are apart of our family as well. They are serious about basketball but they join us in some fun as well – karaoke, team dinners/cookouts... Our team would not be as close as we are now if they were not apart of the program. We also would not be as successful as we have been. I know the other girls would agree with me on that too.

****************************

Emily Culbertson
Senior

Sport Management Major

2008-10-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

Hi my name Tricia Fuller (far right in the picture) and I am a senior Criminal Justice major, as well as a member of the "Tripod". As seniors the three of us have seen alot in terms of team growth, both on and off the court. Like Alisha mentioned, we are a big family, that most other teams are jealous of. Certainly we have our differences, but that is what makes our team so much fun. Different personalities make our team fun and somewhat unpredictable, but definately unique. We are a support system that will be behind any teammate from freshmen to senior, which is important especially for the freshman making a big adjustment. When I was a freshman the upperclassman made the college transition easier, as I hope I am doing for the freshman now. As for on the court, our team has made huge steps since I started roughly 3 year ago. Each year I have been here we have gotten better, and shown the Ohio Athletic Conference that we are one of the teams to be respected in our league. Being a part of the teams that have brought back the winning tradition to ONU has made me really proud, and I hope my last year here will bring back something ONU women's basketball hasn't seen since right around my birth; an OAC chamionship.

Tripod Blog

2008-10-09T19:21:00.001-07:00

Seniors Alisha Rinehart, Emily Culbertson & Tricia Fuller

Hello all!!! My name is Alisha Rinehart and I am currently in my Senior year as a Polar Bear. I am from Lima, Ohio and I major in Psychology. Coach wanted the three seniors on the team to write a little about ourselves, but for me its all about my team. I play with an amazing group of girls, even including the freshman that are just joining us this year :) Since the moment I set foot on ONU's campus I knew this was the place and team for me. Ada is a cozy "village", with growing food choices, a place where you make your own fun, great faculty with one-on-one attention, and a group of 20 women I call my best friends... THE Ohio Northern Women's Basketball team.

The past four years have only confirmed that feeling. The girls I play with are my family, it is my home away from home. They are the people I turn to for anything, and whom turn to me for the same. When making my decision on college I had a wide variety to choose from, but ONU caught my eye. The reason for this was the girls and coaches. Most schools have the same basic majors, a team you can play on, and a piece of paper you get when your done. Only ONU has these girls though. I can only tell you this so much before you have to come experience it for yourself, so to any recruits reading this the Polar Bear family would love to have you visit and possibly one day be apart of something so much bigger than yourself. The program is only going up and someday you could be a part of the change at ONU. Myself and the other members of the "tripod" look forward to meeting all of you!

2008 Team retreat in Mt. Vernon, Ohio

2008-09-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

2008 TEAM RETREAT

Dave & Emily Culbertson - the two that make this all happen! Ethan, the new addition to the Culbertson crew, sports the OSU gear with Junior Britt Bogart

Bowling is always a good time....We assembled 3 teams - Black, Orange or White and each team designed their "bowling shirts." The black team was stuck with Coach Durand and Coach Terrell (below) but we were the secret weapon in the end when the scores were tallied!

T-shirt judging....Orange came out victorious!

White (with Alisha Rinehart trying to sell their design) and the Black team describe why they should win the bowling t-shirt competition.

After bowling it was time to get to work on our assigned summer reading " The Ultimate Gift," by Jim Stovall. This lead to some good break out sessions and sharing about each other and goals for our upcoming season.

After the talks and dinner, it's time for karoke (coaches and newcomers were certainly in the mix). Dancing is also always involved....

Upperclassman serenading the youngsters....

When it's all over, it's bonfire time....

As we sat around the fire, we determined our team motto for the year:

DO WORK!

It's time to get to work for 2008-09 as we are looking forward to another great year of Polar Bear Basketball!

Our top bears for Spring quarter GPA

2008-09-04T06:38:00.001-07:00

OUR TOP BEARS!

Heather Arbruster (Akron Hoban HS) and Erica Shoenberger (Riverdale HS) set the mark for top GPA after our Spring 2008 academic quarter. Heather came in at a 3.9 GPA and Erica a perfect 4.0. Way to go!

Our academics are a big priority here at ONU. We have 2 program goals: 1. Achieve a 3.0 or higher team GPA every quarter 2. Achieve national ranking for our team GPA. To help us get there, we have in place a program we call "AMP" or the academic mentoring program. Here's what we do:

FRESHMAN:

Every 2 weeks meet with Coach Durand or Coach Terrell to do grade checks
Every 4 weeks, obtain actual documentation from professors regarding course work - this is then submitted to the coaching staff
During the fall quarter, they are paired with an older teammate in a like major who becomes her peer mentor. The mentor is responsible for arranging a study time that the 2 or 3 get together to work on coursework. Study sessions occur bi-weekly for 2 hours. This does 2 things - it puts a freshman with a peer teammate who understands what she is experiencing and secondly- it puts our mentor in a leadership role. We are all responsible for helping each other achieve our academic goals!

A little piece of heaven

2008-08-12T11:48:00.001-07:00

Lower falls in the "grand canyon" of Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)

Jackson Lake, Wyoming (Part of the Grand Teton National Park)

If you have not heard of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you should add it to your list of places to visit in a lifetime....I ventured out there last week for my last hoorah and simply found there was not enough time to soak in all of the outdoor wonder....my adventure started in Salt Lake City, Utah - yes, the lake is huge, then went north to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a quintessential old western town at the southern edge of Yellowstone National park. From there, I ventured through the Grand Teton National park before ending up in yellowstone, across the border into Montana, and back to Jackson...Almost 1000 miles in 5 days, but very well spent. I am posting a few pictures of the Grand Teton National Park as well as a pic of the lower falls from the "grand canyon" of Yellowstone...the only way to really see this particular wonder was to traverse 330 steps to the bottom of the canyon. Which of course meant, 330 steps back to the top. Not to fear, I was fine, inspired by the visions of our team running those steps for a workout! I kept thinking that stadium steps could be a lot worse as this experience added a new twist to a stair workout! It was beautiful though- these falls are famous for rainbows reflecting off the yellow stone of the canyon and are worth the huff and puff of getting to and from the landmark. This was one of a few hikes I was able to do, along with taking in some up close looks at tons of wildlife, such as buffalo, bald eagles, moose, deer, and elk. In fact, I came very close to hitting wildlife in my rental car - not good! My last leg took me to Denver, CO to see a college teammate which allowed us a chance to reminisce about the good old days - that would be the 90's :)

~ Coach Terrell

Meet the Staff - Head Coach Michele Durand

2008-07-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

I am beginning my eighth year at Ohio Northern. Prior to coming to ONU I was the head coach at Bluffton University for 11 years and an assistant coach there for 1 year. Coaching women's basketball has been a dream job for me. I love basketball and working with young people so it has been an ideal situation for me. I have especially enjoyed my time at Ohio Northern. I have the opportunity to work with wonderful people at a place that is 100% supportive of athletics. What I especially like about ONU is the commitment to academics and athletics. The athletes here are successful in the classroom and on the court/field.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I especially love animals. My dog Samantha (Sam) is pictured above. She is 15 years old now so she is not as active as she used to be but she has been a wonderful companion. She has been with me most of my coaching career. I'm not sure what I will do without her. In addition, I like spending time outdoors especially on the golf course. I am not a good golfer by any means but I enjoy the challenge. Reading a good book is also something I enjoy when I get the time.

Fundamental Camp 2008

2008-07-07T18:35:00.001-07:00

Every summer we conduct a girls basketball camp for 5 days/4 nights on campus in June. Almost all of our athletes work the camp which makes for some good stories....

The "TRIPOD" is infamous.....

Camp counselors during our awards ceremony

Right: Lauren Cassell (Vandalia Butler) hands out her team awards

Below: Emmy Culbertson takes a break from coaching for a pic

Left: Marissa Steppe (Troy Christian) takes a break with her team while Britt Bogart (Above / Northwood HS) questions a call during a game

Summer Reading Lists....

2008-07-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

One other ground rule for the team retreat is that all team members have to read an assigned summer reading. Here are some examples you may want to read sometime.....

Past readings:
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Words from the Heart by Robin Roberts

Summer 2008:
The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

If you are not a big reader, the Ultimate Gift was made into a movie; the Last Lecture is something you can watch on youtube. Either way, any of the above could potentially cause you to stop and think just for a minute; perhaps even change your life....happy reading!

Annual Team Retreats

2008-07-07T14:48:00.001-07:00

Each September we embark on our annual women's basketball team retreat...the ground rules are simple: it has to be off-campus, there has to be a lot of activities, and finally, a whole lot of laughs! This is a great weekend for our team to open up and get to know each other as well as take the first steps in laying the groundwork for our season....we have found this weekend to be such a huge part in cultivating a community of hard work, teamwork, and goal setting

Heather Armbruster (Akron Hoban) shows off her winning bowling form....

Getting energy out....Tricia Fuller (Lakota West), Alisha Rinehart (Lima / Perry) and Megan Cevasco (Copley) show off their moves

Above: Coach Durand leads our team discussion in the Culbertson "party barn; " our captains lead an activity outside....

When the sun goes down, the DJ inspires the moves....

Bonfires and marshmallows are a must!

A little singing from the chorus!

Las Vegas

2008-07-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada

We try to take a team trip every 2 years. Here's a team shot at the beautiful Bellagio Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. The Bellagio is famous for their floral displays during the Christmas season; each display details a certain theme for the Holiday season.....funny thing was that the theme was actually polar bears - how fitting for our team picture!

This year you will find the polar bears in Florida, with stops in Orlando and Daytona Beach!

Meet the staff.....Assistant Coach Sara Terrell

2008-06-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

I have been at ONU now going on 8 years.....the reason I stay is because I really do get to work with great students and staff - we just have tremendous support here! When I am not busy here at ONU, I enjoy staying in shape with running, lifting, biking, etc. I especially like long walks Bailey (8-year old Shitzu)... In the summer you will find me outdoors doing everything - I love being active, and most of my vacations involve hiking in a mountain range somewhere in the country. I enjoy spending time too with family and friends when I can as well as I have been very blessed to have special people in my life support me in so many ways. I take a lot of heat for being born in Michigan and living here in Ohio, but my sport loyalty, besides ONU of course, is with the Michigan State Spartans and men's basketball coach Tom Izzo!

Campus activities

2008-06-23T17:02:00.001-07:00

Above: ONU has the infamous "tundra" which gives us a great reason to purchase a brand new Winter wardrobe! Hey, we all need a reason to shop! Besides, it helps us look good when making snow angels or having some spirited snow ball fights!

Right: Mud volleyball is a right of passage in the fall when we get back on campus. For the record, Mal (left in photo) was on crutches before the game!

Left: Our "TRIPOD," a.k.a. Tricia Fuller, Alisha Rinehart and Emily Culbertson display their love and support for ONU Women's Volleyball and head coach Kate Witte!

Serving our community - ONU walks all night for the American Cancer Society

2008-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

Tricia Fuller, Courtney Overstreet (Row 1), Emily Culbertson, Jenny Markle and Kelsey Schrock (Row 2) take a break from their early morning walk on the tundra. As a team we raised over $2,000 for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life while enjoying ourselves in the wee hours of the morning!

Community Service Projects

2008-06-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Senior Erin Brand (Yorkshire, Oh) works on some ball handling skills with some eager campers as part of our community service project at Lima South Middle School, Lima, OH.

Smile! After an afternoon of hardwork, we had time to take a few group pics!

ONU Women's Basketball - We're building something great here!

2008-06-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is my very first posting for our new ONU Women's Basketball blog.....we are creating this blog so you can catch an inside glimpse of why we think Ohio Northern University and our Women's Basketball program is something special! When you hear from me, head coach Michele Durand or from our players, I am confident you will see the secret to how we are building something great on our campus....This is because we believe success is a product of recruiting good people, upholding a clear philosophy, and plain and simply, creating an atmosphere of team unity and respect...welcome to our family...Assistant Coach Sara Terrell