Drovers Welcome Large Recruiting Class, Another Shot at National Tourney Berth

At some point in nearly every coach’s career, he or she must deal with filling several vacancies because of graduation or a number of other reasons. USAO women’s basketball coach Jay Niehues faces that dilemma as his Drovers prepare for the start of the 2004-05 season.

The Drovers tip off their season tonight at 6 p.m. against the Langston Lady Lions in USAO Fieldhouse. This weekend, they travel to Bethany for two games in the Southern Nazarene Classic – at 4 p.m. Friday against McPherson, Kan., and 4 p.m. Saturday against Oklahoma Wesleyan.

“It’s hard to say how we’re going to be this season,” Niehues said. “With 12 new girls, I’m not really sure what to expect. Everyone’s learning the system, and I think we’ll get a better idea over the next week or two.”

Niehues and assistant coach Jeff Duke welcome the largest recruiting class in their tenure at USAO. In the off-season, the Drovers signed 12 new players including seven players with at least one year of college experience.

USAO graduated six players from a team that went 15-13 in the 2003-04 season. The Drovers finished 8-10 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the SAC tournament, where Oklahoma City University ended their season for the third straight time.

 One of the potential difficulties for the Drovers, Niehues said, is team chemistry.

“Everyone seems to be getting along pretty well together,” he said. “Developing a good chemistry through the season will be a key for us to compete for a conference championship and a spot in the national tournament.”

The Drovers made their first-ever national appearance in 2002-03 – advancing to the Final Four – and are anxious to make a second trip to Jackson, Tenn.

“Making the national tournament will always be a goal for us at USAO,” Niehues said. “It’s a long journey to get there. You have to take steps forward, and hopefully not take any backward. I hope we can learn from some of our past mistakes.”

With so many new faces, the Drovers will rely heavily on their returning players for them to achieve their goals.

Returning for USAO this season will be Karole Roberts, Kayla Lawrence, Christina Brown and Nicole Sherman.

Roberts, a 6-foot senior forward from Dallas, was second on the team in scoring and fourth in rebounding last season – her first since a serious knee injury in the 2002-03 campaign. She also led the team in field goal and free throw percentage.

Last season, Roberts averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 51 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. She also finished with 28 steals and 28 blocked shots.

“We expect big things from Karole this season,” Niehues said. “She has a good inside presence to score and rebound. She had good numbers last season, and there’s no reason that she shouldn’t do as well or better this season.”

Lawrence, a 6-1 junior center from Wiley, Colo., averaged 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in a reserve role last season. Niehues said he expects Lawrence to have a bigger role this season.

Another who spent quality hours in the gym this summer, Niehues said, is Brown. The 5-6 junior guard from Chatanooga averaged 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds, while finishing third on the team at 30.8 percent from 3-point range.

Sherman, a 6-0 junior forward from Tulsa, snatched 1.3 rebounds and just under one point per game as a reserve.

Of his 12 new players, Niehues expects four of them to make an immediate impact on the Drovers’ lineup in 2004-05. Among them are Christal Merriweather, Katie Sterling, Stephanie Russell and Nikki Yager.

Merriweather, a 5-6 senior guard, transferred to USAO from Union, Tenn., University. She helped lead Union to the NAIA Final Four and the TranSouth Conference championship. Along the way, she was named first-team All-American and most valuable player in the TranSouth conference.

“Christal has a chance to be one of the top point guards in the conference and the NAIA,” Niehues said. “She can do it all – score, handle the ball, and pass. On top of that, she is a great defender.”

Sterling, an athletic 5-6 junior guard from New Orleans, earned All-Conference honors and helped lead Delgado Community College to a conference championship. Sterling will likely compete for a starting job, and is a good defender, Niehues said.

A 5-7 junior wing from Tulsa, Russell hit 120 3-pointers last season at Clarendon, Texas, Community College. She earned All-Region and All-Conference honors, and was named a Kodak All-America honorable mention.

Yager, a 6-1 sophomore center from Oologah, should provide the Drovers a good force in the middle. She transferred to USAO from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and helped lead Oologah to the state finals and a conference championship.

Other recruits include freshman Gabrielle Alleyne, Brooklyn, N.Y.; junior Candrease Barnett, Grand Prairie, Texas; freshman Keeley Clinton, Brooklyn, N.Y.; sophomore Kelli Keeble, Minco; freshman Ashley Taylor, Jackson, Tenn.; and, freshman Kayli Whitlock, Noble.