BSU women's basketball returns 11

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Oct. 29, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

A year ago, an experienced BSU women's basketball team finished 5-22 and tied for last in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Fast forward a year, and a more mature Beavers squad, bolstered by arguably the best recruiting class ever, has hopes of contending with the league's best.

So says head coach Doreen Zierer, who returns for her ninth year at the helm.

The Beavers will again be led by scoring leader Erin Walker, who averaged 13 points a game, an Jennifer Ohme, who averaged almost 10 points a game.

Also returning are forward/center Katie Olson, Beaver volleyball standout Peggy Hammel, center Christine Schulze and center Denise Schinkoeth -- all starters on last year's squad.

The talented team will be joined by junior college transfers Lisa Raitz and Sarah Carrier, and some highly touted freshmen in Maggie Schwalm, Jordan Welsh and Jodi Haugen.

Raitz is a junior college transfer out of Mississippi-St. Louis, and Schwalm, Welsh and Haugen were all-state performers in high school -- Welsh being from Wisconsin and the other two from Minnesota.

The 1997-98 Beavers, composed of six sophomores and seven freshmen, were victims of immaturity and injury -- a combination producing some disappointing results in a league that is known to be tough.

Bemidji hung with many of the NSIC's best, and nobody will debate that. But it was the maturity of completing a win that was lacked.

In eight of their 12 conference games, they were within two points or had a lead with six minutes to go, but they only managed three wins, but they only managed three wins in those situations.

"I trace that inability to our inexperience," Zierer said in an interview last spring.

In addition, Schulze, a 6'3" starting center, battled a stress fracture the entire season, and guard Andrea Fischer played the last half of the season with a broken hand.

"I don't think either player fully recovered from her injury," the coach said in the same interview, "and their limited contributions hurt us a team."

New horizons

Because of their athleticism and experience, Zierer said she wants her team to run, run, run this year.

Not a big change from the coach's philosophy in the past, but a big change from last year when the Beavers needed to control the momentum of games to be competitive.

"Last year we had problems score," Zierer said, "so we had to slow things down and protect the ball."

Not this year.

Zierer said all 11 returnees focused on strength and conditioning in the off season, and it has produced some tangible results.

"The most exciting thing now is to see their confidence, fitness and skills," she said. "Everyone of our 11 returnees have come back a lot better this year. I think they came back unbelievably improved. We want to take advantage of that. Our goal is to score 80-85 points a game."

Zierer's other plans include switching her team's look depending upon her opponents.

With several talented guards and forwards, yet some height at the forward and center positions, she has the luxury of starting a small, perimeter team or a bigger, inside team.

Starting cast

Early in the preseason it looked like Ohme, a two-year starter, would retain the point guard duties and Walker would start as the shooting guard.

Carrier and Welsh, a true freshman, looked to have the lead at the forward positions.

And Hammel, Haugen, Schulze, Olson and Schinkoeth will complete the starting five on any given night -- depending upon which direction Zierer goes, big or small.

With the amount talent available, there is a chance that several Beavers will average double-digit points, Zierer said, and that shows the team's depth.

She will have her first opportunity to witness her team in action Friday as both BSU basketball teams host their annual "Green and White" games, starting at 7 p.m.

The women will play their first game Nov. 13 versus Lake Superior State at BSU Gymnasium.