2008-09 Women's Basketball Season Preview

The 2008-2009 Trevecca Nazarene University women's basketball is a young squad that could really have a battle to repeat last year's Fab Four run. With only one senior returning, the Trojan lineup is young but experienced after last season's success.

That lone senior is Jennifer Bognar has been a key contributor to the Trojans' both offensively and defensively since her arrival at Trevecca. A native of Nashville, Jennifer has a career average of 10.2 points per game, a statistic that is more  significant because she averaged less than 10 minutes per game during her freshman year; moreover,  her rebounding numbers have gone up in each season she has played.

2007-2008 Style of Play
The Trojans will continue their up-tempo style of offense because again the team is loaded with athletic guards. The high-paced offense will be accompanied by a high-intensity defense again. A year ago the Trojans forced more than 15 turnovers per game, including almost 11 steals per contest, an accomplishment that greatly contributed to their 83.4 points-per-game average.

That fast offense and intense defense is the formula that Coach Van Atta will use again for continued success this season.
"We want to make the other teams play our game," said Van Atta, "and our style of basketball is to pressure the ball, force turnovers, and run the floor. We have great athletes who make that style of play work well, and their play will only  get better this year."

Three-point shooting will also be a key for the Trojans this season. Returning sharp-shooters and an offense that took nearly 30 percent of its field goal attempts from behind the arc a season ago will be keys this season as well. Van Atta noted, "We have some great shooters. Our guards can really shoot the ball, and our post players can be dangerous from out there as well."

The team's lack of height in the post may appear to indicate weak rebounding skills; however, for the last couple of years, the Trojans have rebounded well from the guard spots. Last year the returning guards had a combined average of nearly 16 boards per contest; both K.C. Van Atta and Abby Lawson posted rebounding averages of nearly four per game. "Our guards have to rebound for us to be successful. Their aggressive attack of the glass, particularly on the defensive end limiting second chances, has been a big part of what we have been able to do here for the last several years," Van Atta explained.

Guards
A trio of juniors will lead the Trojans' guards this year: Abby Lawson, Christian Gibson, and Casey Atteberry. Lawson is dangerous offensively on the fast break, off the dribble, and at distributing the ball, and defensively she makes her presence felt both in pressuring ball-handlers and blocking shots. Gibson and Atteberry shoot the ball well and are equally dangerous passing or driving to the basket. K. C. Van Atta led the team in three-point field goals made last season, and Casey Pigue dished out 31 assists in slightly less than 10 minutes of play per game. Fans can expect Van Atta and Pigue to play more prominent roles in the offense and defense with the loss of two seniors. Chelsey Taylor played in only three games last season before suffering a stress fracture that resulted in her taking a medical redshirt, but she is back this season and should see time at a wing position for the Trojans. Entering the fold this season are Vanessa Pincheon and Shenita Gleaves. Pincheon will battle for playing time at the point-guard spot with Gibson and Atteberry, while Gleaves' presence will be felt more on the wing though she can handle the ball if needed.

Forwards
The forwards will be led by Anglica Sails, who took a huge step forward for the Trojans in the national tournament in Jackson last spring, and Coach Van Atta expects her to play a key role as a forward this year. She had a great tournament in Jackson and used her performance to springboard into a great summer. With her athletic ability and tenacity, she should be a big part of what Trevecca does at the four spot this season. Also in the mix will be Van Atta, one of the many players for the Trojans who can transition between the three and four spots in the lineup. Last year when K.C. was forced to go to the post because of some injuries, she showed her post-play skills, and her play in that position and in others gives the Trojans added flexibility.

Posts
In the post Bognar, now a three-year starter, will continue to be the Trojans' top option, but the return of Paige McFarlin should help the Trojans this season. Van Atta explained, "Without Paige in the lineup last year, teams more easily keyed in on Jen [Bognar]. This year we expect Paige to take some of that load off of Jen; if she does, that change should lead to more success for each of them." Jessica Spencer enters her third year with the program as well. A 6'2" red-shirt sophomore, Spencer is the Trojan's tallest option in the post, and Coach Van Atta anticipates her continued improvement.

Schedule
While this year's schedule does not appear to be as tough as last year's, at least on paper, it will still provide plenty of challenges for the Trojans and their youthful squad. The Trojans' slate includes nine opponents who made the NAIA Division-I National Tournament a year ago for a total of 11 games. The season opens on Nov. 1 with a game against the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) followed by a weekend tournament (Nov. 7-8) at Berry College in Mt. Berry, Ga. The Trojans then return home to host the Pops Duncan Classic, then the State Farm Music City Nazarene Tournament, which features Trevecca, Olivet, Southern Nazarene, and Point Loma-the four Nazarene universities who made the Division I National Tournament last year. The Trojans go to Georgetown (Ky.) on Nov. 25, then return home to start the always- difficult TranSouth schedule on Dec. 4 against Freed-Hardeman in a rematch of the Trojans Fab Four win from last March. Trevecca has four home and four road TranSouth matchups in both January and February, wrapping up the regular season at Cumberland University on Feb. 28.

With a youthful team and the difficult schedule set before them, the purple and white promise an exciting 2008-2009 season.