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2009-11-21

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Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, July 03, 2009 10:02 AM

Lady Braves basketball signs 5 new players

By The Herald Staff

The Ottawa University women’s basketball team signed five players, including two Frontier League standouts, for the 2009-10 season.

The local players are Ottawa High School’s Kristen Hendrickson and Gardner-Edgerton High School’s Lauren Buckles.

The others are Park University transfer KiAngela (KiKi) Smith and two all-state products from Colorado, Stacy Post and Jamee Leichtle.

Hendrickson, a 5-foot-6 guard, earned four letters in volleyball and basketball for the Cyclones.

“She has been able to be around our returners the past month and is becoming more comfortable with her new teammates each week,” Ottawa basketball coach Bruce Tate said. “Kristen is a quiet but very competitive player. She’s a solid ball player, with a team first attitude that will play on both ends of the floor. She is an unselfish player and will only take shoots within her game. Her ability to score from the perimeter and get to the basket will be an asset to our system. Kristen is a winner on and off the court. She has represented the Ottawa community well during her high school career and I expect her to do the same for OU.”

Hendrickson plans to concentrate on her general studies before deciding on a major.

Buckles, a 5-6 guard, earned two letters in basketball and track.

“She was high on my list since last summer watching her play in our high school summer league. Lauren has tremendous upside with her game. She is a hard-nosed kid, who rarely takes a possession off on either end of the floor,” Tate said. “Her jump shot and release is college ready and her ability to knock down the three ball is huge for what we want to do. Lauren is a great Christian young lady, with tons of character. She is an outstanding fit for our program and track and field team.”

Buckles plans to major in elementary education.

Smith, a 5-6 guard, appeared in 20 games as a freshman, starting nine, for the Lady Pirates. Smith averaged two points and 1.8 assists per game. She shot 30 percent from the floor and 40 percent from behind the three point line.

“I’m pleased that KiKi has decided to join our program. I lost her to Park University coming out of high school, but was fortunate enough to get when she decided to transfer. KiKi has a very high basketball IQ.

“Her ability to be a floor general, handle the basketball and make plays for everyone around her will be a huge asset for our team,” Tate said. “She gained much experience starting the second half of the season for Park as a freshman. KiKi will make immediate impact to our team and be a joy to coach the next three years. She has a fun-loving personality and will be a great addition to our program and campus community.”

Smith plans to major in exercise science.

Post, a 5-8 forward, earned four letters in basketball, volleyball and track for the Eagles. She led Wray to back-to-back state championships (2007-08, 2008-09) and a state runner-up in 2006-07 on her way to scoring 1,245 career points. As a senior she participated in the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports All-Star game in both basketball and volleyball and was part of the “Show” All-Star Game. Post was a three time all-conference selection and earned first team 2A All-State as a senior.

“Stacy is an exceptional addition to Lady Braves basketball program. She had a tremendous career at Wary. Stacy is a winner. She has two state championships, earning MVP honors of the state tourney her senior year, with her only loss coming to now current teammate Kristen Hendrickson and the OHS Cyclones,” Tate said. “Stacy is a very versatile player with her ability to play inside and out will be a huge benefit for our team. She has a motor that will continue to run and is able to control the paint with scoring and rebounding. Stacy will make an immediate impact to our team and in our conference. Her team first attitude and character will be nice to have on our campus.”

Post plans to major in sports and recreation management.

Leichtle, a 5-4 guard, earned four letters in basketball, two in track and one in softball for the Commanders. She was a four-time first-team all-league selection and earned honorable mention all-4A as a senior on the basketball court.

Leichtle was the second leading scorer in 4A and was seventh in the state of Colorado as a senior, averaging 21.5 points per game. She was selected to play in the Colorado Coaches of Girls’Sports (CCGS) All-State Games and played in the Colorado High School Activities Assocation (CHSCA) 53rd Annual All-State Game.

“She brings a big game in such a small body. Jamee will be an exciting player to watch and grow in our program. She has that combo guard game I like, with her ability to handle the basketball extremely well, distribute and score,” Tate said. “Jamee is a solid little ball player. Watching her play, one can tell she loves to play the game and being one of the top scorers in the state of Colorado speaks volume about her game. Jamee will make an immediate impact to our program. I expect her passion and character to be an asset to our campus community.”

Leichtle plans to major in psychology.

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Lady Braves basketball signs 5 new players

By The Herald Staff

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.