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.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Why choose ONU?
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)
#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.”
#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.”
#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.”
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.”
“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."
“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.”
“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.”
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