Looking ahead...

[Bleeding Orange]

Now, I don't want to go looking too far ahead in the future here. Indeed, this current season is absolutely spectacular and next season promises to be even better! 8)

For some reason today, probably as a result of one of my asthmatic hazes, I started thinking about after next year, and by that I mean how we are going to replace three phenomenal players. I'm talking about, of course, Liz, Ali and Carin. Because I've only been able to see two games this year, I'm not too sure if we have players on the roster currently (freshmen, specifically) who might be able to step up and be dominant in the current stars' respective roles? Let me tell you how hard it is to judge bench players from the radio!

If not, and I suppose even if we do, do we have any current recruits that may be able to step up and take that role on, or will next year's recruiting class be critical? I don't know much about Sara Clapper, but from what I've read she sounds like an Ali Mann-type player, but I really know almost nothing about her.

I just thought that the speculation might be kind of fun while we try to kill time in between games!

[Jacobs4Heisman]

It's not just those 3 -- we'll have to replace Megan and Amber as well. Those 2 are very important pieces.

I think we'll be OK. Obviously we have a great team this year, and next year's team could be top 15-20 in the country. After that, well who really knows. Achter will provide great point guard play and senior leadership. She'll be a first team all-MAC guard. I think Jazz will be a fantastic player for us the next three years. Goldsberry is a terrific shooter and actually does a lot of other things well too. I think she can be a really good, second team All-MAC type wing player for us. I think Mckinney will be a beast in the post her last two years once Ali and Liz are gone. She has great feel around the hoop. Whit Taylor will provide a great shooter off the bench once she gets a better feel for the offense.

But you are right -- this year's and next year's recruiting classes are pivotal. This year's group of girls all sound like fantastic players, especially Clapper, but you can never really tell until they get on campus. It's silly to think we won't take at least a small step backwards after all the firepower graduates, but I think we'll be fine.

[Falconboy]

Now, I don't want to go looking too far ahead in the future here. Indeed, this current season is absolutely spectacular and next season promises to be even better! 8)

For some reason today, probably as a result of one of my asthmatic hazes, I started thinking about after next year, and by that I mean how we are going to replace three phenomenal players. I'm talking about, of course, Liz, Ali and Carin. Because I've only been able to see two games this year, I'm not too sure if we have players on the roster currently (freshmen, specifically) who might be able to step up and be dominant in the current stars' respective roles? Let me tell you how hard it is to judge bench players from the radio!

If not, and I suppose even if we do, do we have any current recruits that may be able to step up and take that role on, or will next year's recruiting class be critical? I don't know much about Sara Clapper, but from what I've read she sounds like an Ali Mann-type player, but I really know almost nothing about her.

I just thought that the speculation might be kind of fun while we try to kill time in between games!

I really don't like thinking what we'll do after Honneger, Man, Horne and Thorburn and Flynn leave but we'll see how it goes. I'd like to see us improve upon our overall athletism even more than what we have over last 2 years. I hope we get to see more of Whitney , she can play some D and has a good 3 shot. Clapper is supposed to be one of if not the best shooter in the state this year , I guess that means regardless of divsion.

Our power foward size doesn't appear to much bigger altough we have brought in 3 6'0'ers but they all appear to project at small forward. I'm not sure on Jessica Mekenzie in the low post. She's nowhere near what Ali's skills where as a freshman on the inside, she's looks like a decent player just not a dominating one by any stretch, but we'll see.

We also have a 6'3 center coming in by the name of Hannah Baker. She's a possible redshirt. If she does I wonder what our post depth at the 4 and 5 spots will look like with Lause gone and with us bringing projected 3's Breske , Clapper and Bugher. Then again maybe Bugher is a 4. But we dont' have much depth at a true center postion after Liz next year. But if the forwards we have at backup are great outside shooters and can run the floor extremely well maybe we get by without true backup centers, assuming again if Baker redshirts.

Overall I think we are absolutely loaded next year with our fab 4 being seniors and with us replacing Lause and McDowell with even better athletism and talent. Next season could be real interesting. But first let us take care of business with this one.