ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS —
With a steady influx of “Killer B’s,” the fortunes of the St. Mary-of-the-Woods’ women’s basketball team are once again on the rise.
Just two short years ago, the Pomeroys suffered the indignity of a two-win season. Last year, that scenario improved eight times over, resulting in a 16-win season.
SMWC also snapped a five-game losing skid last year in its annual intracity matchup with rival Rose-Hulman. The Pomeroys will oppose the Engineers at Hulbert Arena on Tuesday.
This year? Well, time will tell, of course. One thing is for certain, SMWC coach Deanna Bradley, now in her 17th season, is smiling a lot more than she has in recent campaigns.
A “B” a year the past four seasons has impacted the program greatly, The past two years, the Pomeroys added pair of talented players from arguably the best high school conference in Indiana, the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference.
Last year, Brittany Shaner arrived from Center Grove.
This year, Jordan Barton of Warren Central is on the scene. All those two have accomplished in a 4-2 start this season is to top the stat sheet for the Pomeroys.
Shaner (5-9 sophomore) is averaging around 15 points a game, shooting over 50 percent. Barton (5-11 freshman) is averaging nearly a double-double of abount 14 points and eight rebounds, also shooting over 50 percent.
“Both come from big conference schools … it’s good for us to get kids out of those programs,” Bradley stated. “We’re still a very young team, with five freshmen … six new players.”
Two other B’s, Chelsey Barron (5-5 junior) and Brooke Brown (6-1 senior), arrived prior to Brittany and Barton.
Barron is their point guard, averaging about eight points a game, five rebounds, and leads the team in assists. Brown, who has battled career-long chronic leg injuries, is a post presence with double-figures in assists and blocks despite limited playing time that varies from game to game.
“We have 11 players, the most we’ve had in a while,” Bradley noted. “We can actually practice 5-on-5, instead of 3-on-3 or 3-on-4. That’s made a difference.”
That extra firepower has helped the Pomeroys play well down the stretch in earning come-from-behind victories thus far, winning in the last 30 seconds and the last 11 seconds in two of their four victories.
“We have to go into each game and play hard … it’s that simple,” Bradley said prior to Monday’s home game vs. Principia College. “Only one game was not at the level we can play at. And it showed.”
The team’s other senior has also been plagued by injury throughout her career too. Abby McKee (5-11) is currently limited due to an ACL injury. “She is playing at about 70 percent,” Bradley said. Their other returnee is Whitney Allen (5-7 sophomore).
The balance of the team consists of a junior college transfer and four freshmen.
“We have four freshmen trying to find minutes,” Bradley stated. Those four frosh performers are Chelsea Weaver (5-11), Patria Hill (5-4), Kelly Zecher (5-11) and Olivia Wells (5-11).
“Weaver comes from a Shelbyville program that’s struggled recently. We’re wanting her to play more inside,” Bradley said. “Patria is a point guard. She’s learning the system and will help us down the line. Zecher is big at 5-11 and can shoot the 3. We just don’t want her to shoot it so often. She’s learning how to play in the post.”
The other freshman, Olivia Wells of Linton, is hoped to return in about a month due to a meniscus injury.
The junior college transfer is Jenni McLeish, who played high school ball at South Vermillion. Bradley admits she has been pleasantly surprised by her progress after playing the last two years at Lake Land College.
“She expressed interest to come here and play out of high school, but I didn’t think she was ready to play at this level. So we didn’t recruit her,” Bradley admitted. “She’s improved tremendously the last two years.”
“This team really works well together, all 11 players. That’s not always been the case the past few years,” Bradley said. “This group gets along together both on and off the court. That’s been a blessing.”
The Pomeroys wrap up a three-game homestand with a matinee game (2 p.m.) vs. Greenville College on Saturday. The team will play its next 13 of 14 games on the road, before ending the season with six straight home games.
The Pomeroys still plays their “home” games at the Clinton Recreation Center, commonly known as the former Clinton High School Gymnasium.
While Bradley would like to have a better balance of home vs. away games, she sees the current schedule an advantage in helping this team achieve its goals.
“This give us a chance to play several more games on college floors instead of our high school-length court,” Bradley stated. “This will help us in our goal to get back into the [USCAA] National Championships.”
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Related Photos
-
Tall order: St. Mary-of-the-Woods forward Brooke Brown (32)tries for a bucket past the defense of Principia's Lindsay Sydness (40).
-
Spread defense: Brittney Shaner (14) pressures Principia guard Emily Wheeler (4) in first half action Monday night.
-
Position: Pomeroy Jordan Barton (24) jockeys for position with Principia's Dani Corbitt after a free throw attempt on Dec. 6.
Discussion
Influx of new players has Pomeroys on rise
- Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
-
-
A time for firsts: SMWC seniors have national title aspirations
Even though St. Mary-of-the-Woods College has won eight national titles in softball in the last 16 years, seniors Sara Goelz and Jessica Jonas are among the many current Woods players who have not been part of a national championship team.
-
Federal audit says SMWC should return $42M in student aid
A federal audit says St. Mary-of-the-Woods College should return $42 million in loans and grants made to students between 2005 and 2010, something the college plans to challenge.
-
This underdog has its day
It’s been an up-and-down regular season for the St. Mary-of-the-Woods College women’s basketball team, but it concluded on a definite uptick.
-
The mane attraction: Woods students learn about careers in equine world
A horse can be a powerful therapeutic tool, something Chris Marks knows firsthand.
“I’ve seen children with autism speak their first word to a horse,” causing their parents to “dissolve in a puddle of emotion,” said Marks, chairman of the Equine Studies program at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
-
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
-
SMWC topples Rose-Hulman
After a sluggish first half for both teams, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College found enough offensive rhythm in the final 20 minutes to outlast host Rose-Hulman 51-41 in the 19th annual Clabber Girl Trophy women’s basketball showdown Tuesday night inside Hulbert Arena.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: SMWC’s Runyon wins USCAA cross country title
Blinding snow and freezing temperatures couldn’t stop Saint Mary-of-the-Woods junior Stephanie Runyon, an education major from Noblesville, from becoming the 2011 U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association women’s national champion in cross country Friday.
-
Trimmed roster may benefit SMWC
“Less is more” is a statement with many, many meanings, attributed to many, many sources through the years.
-
Dottie King becomes 16th president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
As the mother of six children, Dottie King learned early on the importance of setting priorities and achieving the right balance between family, education and work.
-
Pomeroys battle to second at national championship
Eight times, St. Mary-of-the-Woods has captured some form of a national championship in softball.
-
Shearing Time
You’ve probably never seen a haircut quite like this.
Alpacas, remarkably sweet-looking members of the camel family, were getting their annual shearing last week at the White Violet Center for Eco Justice at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. -
SMWC puts up fight in tourney
St. Mary-of-the-Woods downed Judson 6-2 Sunday morning in the semifinal round of the 2011 USCAA national softball championships, earning a trip to the best-of-three title series.
-
BREAKING: St. Mary-of-the-Woods College names Dottie King as 16th president
Dottie L. King, Ph.D. has been appointed the 16th president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, the board of trustees announced today.
-
Ex-Wildcat finds new home at Woods
Many people find “the path of least resistance” as a preferable way to proceed in life. After all, less risk is involved with a sure thing.
-
NEW: St. Mary-of-the-Woods College announces academic changes
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College announced today a refocus of its academic programs. An afternoon news conference is under way at SMWC, which posted a notice about the changes on its website, www.smwc.edu.
-
Marian holds off Rose women’s second-half charge
Marian University relied on a strong defensive effort to hold off a second half Rose-Hulman charge and earn a 61-52 women’s basketball victory Saturday afternoon.
-
Influx of new players has Pomeroys on rise
With a steady influx of “Killer B’s,” the fortunes of the St. Mary-of-the-Woods’ women’s basketball team are once again on the rise.
-
Woods soccer goes 1-1, earns national honors
St. Mary-of-the-Woods returned from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association soccer finals with a 1-1 record and a host of national honors.
-
Six St. Mary-of-the-Woods teams compete in national tournaments
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College athletics celebrates the end of a phenomenal year during the 2009-10 season as six teams competitively competed in national tournaments.
-
Rosselli, other Valley talent leads Woods into national softball tourney
The St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball program is no stranger to national tournaments.
The Pomeroys claimed some form of a national championship in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, the last several sanctioned by the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). -
St. Mary-of-the-Woods plans Saturday commencement
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College will celebrate its 169th commencement Saturday. Graduation activities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the traditional baccalaureate mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
-
Woods, Rose softball teams split doubleheader
Rose-Hulman and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College split a softball doubleheader that featured the longest athletic contest in history between the two schools on Friday night.
-
Ring Day a much anticipated event at The Woods
Ring Day is a much anticipated and special day for most students, but for two St. Mary-of-the-Woods External Degree students in particular it was an especially great experience this year.
- Injury bug bites: St. Mary-of-the-Woods basketball trying to get and stay healthy A myriad of injuries have plagued the St. Mary-of-the-Woods women’s basketball team in recent seasons, forcing the Pomeroys to compete on numerous occasions with just seven, six and sometimes only five players able to play.
- The Woods appoints new vice president for development St. Mary-of-the-Woods College President David G. Behrs has announced the appointment of Serafina I. Spatola as vice president for development.
- St. Mary-of-the-Woods takes fourth in national tournament
- The Woods celebrates 168th commencement More than 140 students are expected to participate in St. Mary-of-the-Woods College’s 168th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday.
- Untold Stories: Film takes unique look ‘Inside Iraq’ At 7 p.m. Monday, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College will present “Inside Iraq: The Untold Stories,” which will include a film showing and discussion with the director of the film, Mike Shiley. The presentation, which will be in the Cecilian Auditorium of the SMWC Conservatory of Music building, is part of the College’s Four-Star series, and it is being co-sponsored by the SMWC Student Activities Committee. The presentation is free and open to the public.
- TH to promote ‘Crossroads of Higher Education’ at Statehouse Terre Haute may lie near Indiana’s western border, but business, education and government leaders want state lawmakers to know that the city that bills itself as the “Crossroads of America” is also the “Crossroads of Higher Education.”
- St. Mary-of-the-Woods College announces budget measures The downturn in the economy is taking a toll at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, where donations to its Annual Fund are down 40 percent, or about $250,000, over the same time last year, college President David Behrs said in a letter to faculty and staff.
- More Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Headlines
-
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Obama Honors Fallen Troops at Arlington Cemetery
Man in Crane at Texas College Says He's Armed
Raw Video: Deadly Explosion at Minn. Paper Mill
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Romney Promises World's Strongest Military
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Obama Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veterans
Beryl Knocks Out Power in Florida
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Romney Campaigns Ahead of Claiming Nomination
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
Raw Video: Memorial Day Aboard Intrepid
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Los Angeles Bar Bans Bachelorettes
Hamster Plays Dead
Beyonce Shows Off 60 Pound Weight Loss at Concert
Drunk Women Breaking Into Houses: A New Trend?
LeAnn Rimes Rocks Short Shorts
Gordon Ramsay Carried Off Field
Man Dies Getting Lap Dance
Kim Kardashian Claims Items Stolen from Her Luggage
Bear cools off in Calif. family's pool
Ep. 3: Chopped Desserts
Air Force dad surprises family at baseball game
Justin Bieber Wanted for Questioning for L.A. Scuffle
J.Lo and Marc's Friendly Reunion
Jet makes emergency landing after debris falls off
Cynthia Nixon Ties the Knot
Woman, 80, Falls Out of Skydive Harness Mid-Jump
Keira Reveals Engagement Ring
