A few retreat pics...

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

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

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

(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

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?

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

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