2007-08 Women's Basketball Media Guide - Lynn University

Women’s Basketball Preview
Coming off its most successful season in a decade, hopes
are higher and expectations have been raised for the Lynn
University women’s basketball team. But changes are
abound with the departure of four seniors and the arrival
of a new coaching staff. The reigns of the Fighting
Knights have been handed over to a new regime, led by
head coach Nikki Sullivan. Her task is to pick up where
LU left off and take the Blue and White to greater heights.
“My expectations are to win a conference title and go to
the national tournament,” said Sullivan, who, having
starred at Rollins College, is no stranger to the Sunshine
State Conference. “We’ve changed the mentality. Not
that it wasn’t good before, but I’m taking things a step
further. I need to build off what [former head coach] Pam
[DeCosta] did so we can get to 20-plus wins in a season.”
In an effort to better prepare itself for the SSC season and
a tournament appearance, Lynn will take on an ambitions
non-conference schedule. The Knights take part in four
tournaments before New Years, host two 2007 NCAA
Regional teams in Wingate and Georgia College & State
and travel to powerhouse Delta State.
“Our conference is tough,” Sullivan adds. “The top-tier
teams have reloaded and the teams chasing them have
brought in some serious talent, so everyone has gotten a
lot stronger. But I believe our chances will be contingent
on how we do with our out of conference schedule. If we
can get momentum in our favor heading into January, we
could be a surprise team in the league.”
The success will also depend on how well the seven
returning players and six newcomers integrate with each
other as well as the new coaching staff. Position battles
will unfold as their will be a logjam at nearly every spot.
“In all my years coaching I have never seen a team work
this hard,” said Sullivan. “We’ve got some good players
and more importantly great kids. They’ve really bought
into what we’re doing. I know I’m taking over a team that
ran the ball last year but we’re going to run it even more
and try to score in transition off our solid defense. I’d like
to create a better defensive team and I think we’ve done
that by bringing in some new players to compliment the
ones we already have.”
Backcourt
LYNN UNIVERSITY FIGHTING KNIGHTS Women’s Basketball MEDIA GUIDE
Probably the deepest area on the team, the Knights boast
seven guards. Led by Jade Williams, the Knights should
be extremely quick on the perimeter. The junior point
guard was third in the SSC in assists (3.6), fourth in steals
(2.6) and was one of the top free-throw shooters (70.8%).
But look for Vanessa Black, an SSC All-Freshman team
selection a year ago, to see playing time at the point
because of her playmaking ability and dead-on shooting.
Crystal Ahmed’s knack for getting into the lane and
finding the open player should also help her push for
action.
The two-guard play should see much improvement as well
with the addition of Division I transfer Carly Golden and
the enhanced offensive game of Krystal Perry. Golden is
a pure shooter with great range and accuracy while Perry,
a defensive stopper already, has made strides in the offseason
with her shooting touch. Tack on the senior
leadership of Courtney Fowler and three-point threat of
freshman Cara Dolci and the Knights backcourt is sitting
pretty.
“We are loaded at the point,” Sullivan said. “The three
girls are all different in their styles so it’s up to us, as
coaches, to mix and match to get the most out of the back
court. Vanessa can flat out shoot and makes people
around her better. Jade can shoot off the dribble,
penetrate and create chances while Crystal is without a
doubt the quickest player on our team, which will bring
a new dimension to our defense. Carly will be the scorer
this team was missing last season from the two-guard and
I’ll be looking for Krystal to continue being a defensive
presence but also to score in transition.”
Frontcourt
An area the Knights have retooled the most is inside the
paint. Sullivan brought in four new players to compete
with returners Bailey Eiland and Liz Roth. At the head of
R-JUNIOR, JADE WILLIAMS
the class will be junior transfer Rachel Brockman. The 6foot-3
Indiana native will command attention from
opponents with her shooting touch in the key and from
beyond the arc. Eve Skardzinska, a 6-foot-2 junior
transfer, gives the Knights another bona fide player to
command the post. Freshmen Natalie Basore (6-foot-1)
and Hana Musilova (5-foot-10) could also find minutes as
they adjust to the college game.
“I’m really pumped about our post players,” Sullivan said.
“The players we brought in are what this program was
missing the last few years. Eve is going to surprise people
with her quickness to the basket and ability to shoot the
three and Rachel can do it all: shoot, pass and run the
court. We have nice depth with Bailey, who’s impressed
me with her shooting and who I think can be a player who
grinds out tough rebounds, and Liz, Hana and Natalie.”
Season Outlook 5