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Wednesday, August 23, 1978
University Daffy Kansan
Lynette Woodard
Staff photo by BARB JENSEN
woodard, KU's first woman All-American, enters her sophomore season after leading last year's conference in scoring and rebounding. Returning experienced players and several recruits are expected to give the Jawahresl lither best player depth ever.
Depth to aid women cagers
By NANCY DRESSLER Associate Sports Editor
Marian Washington hopes to have something on this year's University of Kansas women's basketball team that has eluded the Jawahars in previous seasons.
The new dimension is depth, and head coach Washington expects to have it in abundance with several recruits and coaches whom them will try out for the team later this fall.
"I've got my fingers crossed, but it appears that we will have the most depth we've ever had here, barring any injuries," Washington said.
There are many reasons for optimism. These include returning players Lynette Woodard and Adrian Mitchell. Woodard comes off a successful freshman season capped by All-America honors, the first accomplishment by a KU woman athlete.
MITCHELL WILL enter her fourth season with the Jawnacks. Last season, the two players gave KU a one-two scoring and rebounding attack by combining for an average of 45 points and 25 rebounds a game.
Several recruits who will join the list of law enforcement officers in the lawyards the edge in bench strength.
They are Pat Mason, a 5-8 freshman guard-forward from Washington, D.C. She was all-metro last season in her senior year and averaged 19 points a game.
ONE RECRUT MAY be sidelineled even before beginning her college career. She is in the running for the forward from Tecumseh, Roenbaud played for Shawnee Heights High School, winners of last year's 4A state championship, and was selected to the all-state team in class 4A.
Shyra Holden, a 4-2 freshman center-forward from Wichita, is expected to give KU strength inside and probably will be the tallest player try to make the team this season. She played against Woodard during his ep career at Wichita South High School.
But a back injury could force her to sit out this year.
Also joining the 'Hawks will be a junior
a lot of potential," she said. "If we can hit the bad times head on, we'll be all right."
Added scoring punch from the guard position, combined with depth and a number of returning players with several seasons' experience, are what Washington hopes will carry KU to another winning season and the national tournament.
Other returning players who will try out include C莉娅 Burnett, the team's third leading scoring last season, averaging 10 points a game, V. C. Sanders, a senior guard who is coming off knee surgery, and Karen Jamison, a senior guard.
"We had to play six or seven players for 30 or even 40 minutes of a game (last season)," she said. "If these recruits can give the team a break, they will be valuable to us."
transfer from Hutchinson Community College. Kathy Patterson, a 5-4 guard, is expected to add outside shooting ability and quickness to the lineup.
Washington said she hoped the new players would give the Jayhawks enough confidence.
KU AGAIN WILL rely on its demanding style of play that utilizes a running offense and a pressure defense. Such a strategy will require the depth this year's team promises.
"When more people can come in, this allows us to maintain our level of play."
The style of play seemed to work for the 'Hawks last season as they posted a 22-11 season record that included two tournament victories and a second place finish in the Big Ten.
The Jayhawk team missed a shot at the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women's national tournament by finishing fourth in the Region VI tournament.
"We've got the depth and the talent," Washington said. "The key will be the maturity of the players. If we don't handle it, we won't make it. If we do, we'll be all right."
But looked ahead, Washington is eyeing the coveted national realistically for the next year.
*Last year, we didn't have the depth for nationalists, said I’m thinking about it.*
TO BECOME A national caliber team, Washington said, players will have to show maturity, a characteristic that has yet to show itself in sufficient quantities.
Without maturity, we're just a team with
"I'm anxious to see."
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