8B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
season in review
Women's basketball writers Taylor Bern and Andrew Wiebe reflect on Kansas' regular season and distribute awards.
Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
Danielle McCray 5-foot-11 sophore guard 14.7 foot, 7 rpg
After losing go-to scorer Shaguina
Mosley to graduation, all eyes were on McCray to lead Kansas. She responded by pacing the Jayhawks in scoring, rebounding and steals and was a Big 12 Honorable Mention sele
McCray
Top Freshman
Krysten Boogaard 6-foot-5 fresh man center
9.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg
The Regina, Saskatchewan native initially struggled but found her form during Big 12 play. After putting together a string of impressive performances, she faded down the stretch. Still, she was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie team.
Boogaard
Sixth Man
LaHelda Jacobs 5-foot-10 sophomore guard
5. 7 ppg, 2.7 rpg
Though she received her first start in the final game of the season against Kansas State, Jacobs served
as a change of pace off the bench for the majority of the season. Her athleticism and ability to get into the lane provided the Jayhawks a toio junior guard Ivana Catic.
Jacobs
Ivana Cyclic 5-foot-8 junior guard
3.9 ppg, 3.2 apg
Most Improved
Catic spent most of 2006-2007 on
the bench behind Mosley,
but rebounded to start 28
of 29 games and lead
Kansas with 92
assists while committing
62 turnovers.
Kansas of.
fense usually looked its best with Catic directing traffic.
62-61. Nebraska. Feb. 17
The last-second victory gave the Jayhawks three wins in four games and rekindled hopes of an NCAA berth. Playing in front of its biggest home crowd of the season, Kansas used a Danielle McCray free throw to move to 4-7 in conference play. McCray led the Jayhawks with 13 points and 10 rebounds while 3 others scored in double figures.
Biggest Loss
Biggest Win
65-61, at Texas Tech, Feb. 20
Only three days after its biggest win of the season, Kansas squandered a 12-point halftime advantage to lose its eighth conference game. The loss was the first of five straight to close out the Jayhawk's Big 12 schedule that left coach Bonnie Henrickson's team with four conference victories for the second year running.
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Freshman guard Chakeitha Weldon leads her fellow Jayhawks in a chant before Wednesday's game against Kansas State. Weldon recently tutored her anterior cruciate ligament during practice.
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Weldon recovers from injury
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BY ANDREW WIEBE
awiebe@kansan.com
Chakeitha Weldon's freshman season ended in a split second. Driving to the basket in practice on Feb. 5, Weldon jump stopped to avoid a teammate. Her knee twisted, and the intense pain that followed left her writhing on the floor.
"I was screaming at the top of my lungs," she said.
Weldon tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. But that didn't stop her from remaining an emotional spark plug for this young Kansas squad. Weldon continues to lead the Jayhawks in their spine-tingling pregame routine in the huddle, even doing so while on crutches in Manhattan, and tracks statistics during practice.
"She's the biggest cheerleader in practice," Henrickson said. "You can't say that about every kid. She is the sunshine for us every day."
After successfully undergoing knee surgery on Feb. 22, Weldon has been a fixture at the end of the bench during games.
Fortunately for Weldon, she has been able to rely on teammates and the coaching staff for support. Assistant coach Kyra Elzy suffered the same injury twice during her career. Fellow freshman Nicolette Smith and junior Katie Smith have also torn knee ligaments. Weldon said that having people close to her who were familiar with the injury and rehabilitation helped her stay positive mentally.
"It's unbelievable," Weldon said. "They've been very supportive and been there for me. I can't thank them enough."
Despite the devastating nature of the injury, Weldon can recover knowing she showed Henrickson what she can bring when she gets a chance to contribute. In the two games prior to the injury, she averaged 7.5 points and more than two assists per game in less than 20 minutes. Henrickson said Weldon's progress on the court should help her find motivation throughout the rehabilitation process. She will need it, as she will spend nearly every day with the training staff for the next five to six months.
"Her and the trainer are going to be new best friends," Henrickson said.
Weldon said she knew the process would be difficult, but the idea of rejoining her teammates on the court was enough to motivate her.
"I can't get down about it," she said.
"I just have to stay strong and stay positive for the team. Next season, that will make me stronger."
Henrickson said that she has admiration for Weldon's game, but that she admired the young point guard's mind-set most of all.
"She has every right to have a pity party and invite all of us," she said. "But she has not done that one minute since she got hurt. I just have great respect for her for doing that."
Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird
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