Feb. 16, 2007
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The Setting ? Iowa (12-14, 4-9) remains home to host Penn State (13-13, 6-7) Sunday. Tip-off is slated for 2:05 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youths and UI students will be admitted free. Iowa is in ninth place in the Big Ten standings and is two games behind seventh-place Penn State.
University of Iowa Community Day ? Sunday has been designated “University of Iowa Community Day” when the Hawkeyes host Penn State at 2:05 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. UI faculty and staff who present their current UI identification card will be admitted free and their guests will pay only $2, and as always the case, current UI students will be admitted free.
All University community members may enter any entrance. There they will register to win a variety of prizes ranging from tickets to the home games of the 2007 Iowa football team, 2008 UI men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling teams, rounds of golf at Finkbine Golf Course to $10 gift certificates to the Iowa Hawk Shop.
On the Radio ? Brent Balbinot and Shelley Till will call the action for the Hawkeye Radio Network. Hawkeye fans can listen to Sunday afternoon’s game on WHO 1040-AM in Des Moines, WMT 600-AM in Cedar Rapids and KXIC 800-AM in Iowa City.
The game can also be heard live over the Internet at hawkeyesports.com. Just click “Hawkeye All-Access” at the top right of the page. “Hawkeye All-Access” is a subscription service.
Iowa History ? Iowa has played 934 games since beginning basketball in 1974. Overall, Iowa’s record is 566-368 (.606). That includes a 281-140 (.667) mark in Big Ten games and a 257-78 (.767) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Scouting Penn State ? Penn State recorded a 66-57 victory over Minnesota Thursday night at State College. The Lady Lions started the second half on a 16-2 run and committed only four second-period turnovers en route to victory. Senior Amanda Brown netted 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, her 11th double-double of the season, to lead Penn State. Junior Kam Gissendanner scored 15 of her game-high 17 points in the second period.
The Lady Lions boast an impressive 11-1 home record, but are 2-12 away from State College, including an 0-6 mark in Big Ten road competition. Penn State’s last road win was a 52-44 triumph at Georgetown on December 17, 2006. The Lady Lions conclude their road portion of their schedule at nationally-ranked Ohio State next Thursday.
Like Iowa, Penn State is thin on numbers this season. Reserve freshman guard Meggan Quinn suffered a season-ending ACL tear in her right knee on Feb. 9 during practice.
The Lady Lions are led by Brown, Gissendanner and freshman Tyra Grant. Brown averages a double-double, ranking first in scoring (14.0) and rebounding (10.1). Grant ranks second in scoring (13.7) and first in 3-pointers (31), while Gissendanner ranks third in scoring (12.8).
Penn State ranks fifth in 3-point field goal defense (.320) and defensive rebounding (24.88) and last in 3-pointers made (3.54).
Penn State is coached by Rene Portland, who is in her 31st season (691-262, .725) as a head coach and her 27th year (604-233, .722) with the Lady Lions.
RPI Ratings ? Iowa ranks 90th, while Penn State ranks 71st in the RPI rankings published on February 12, on collegerpi.com/women. Iowa’s strength of schedule ranks 27th, while Penn State’s ranks 23rd. Currently, the Big Ten is the fourth rated conference behind the SEC, Big XII and ACC.
All-Time Series Record ? Sunday will be the 31st meeting between Iowa and Penn State, with the Lady Lions leading the series 19-11. Iowa holds an 8-5 advantage in games played in Iowa City.
The Lady Lions have won six straight over the Hawkeyes and have won the last two contests played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa’s last victory over Penn State was an 80-75 triumph on Feb. 16, 2003 in Iowa City.
Iowa, Penn State Notes ? Sunday will feature two of the conference’s top point guards in Iowa’s Kristi Smith and Penn State’s Brianne O’Rourke, both of whom are sophomores. O’Rourke ranks third in Big Ten assists (4.27), while Smith ranks fourth (4.08). Smith also ranks 14th in scoring (13.0).
? Iowa ranks third in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in free throw percentage and 41st in assists per game. Jenee Graham ranks 90th in the nation in rebounds per contest, Kristi Smith ranks 17th in free throw percentage and Megan Skouby ranks 25th in foul shooting and Wendy Ausdemore ranks 31st in 3-point field goal percentage.
? Only two points separates Wendy Ausdemore (339) and Kristi Smith (337) through 26 games.
? Wendy Ausdemore has made two or more 3-pointers 18 times this season, including in 11-of-13 Big Ten contests. Additionally, Kristi Smith has drained at least one triple in 11 of the last 12 games.
? Iowa is 100-12 when leading at the half in seven years under Coach Bluder. Iowa is 82-14 when holding opponents to 69 points or less, including a 34-1 mark when opponents score 59 points or less.
? Iowa is 11-0 when having a higher field goal percentage, 10-3 when opponents shoot less than 40 percent from 3-point range this season. The Hawkeyes are also 10-3 when having more assists.
? The Hawkeyes have lost all five of its games against ranked opponents this season (No. 5 and No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 Purdue, No. 20 and No. 21 Michigan State).
? Krista VandeVenter has grabbed 615 career rebounds and ranks 11th in Iowa career rebounding. She is 38 rebounds from tying Shanda Berry (653) and cracking the top ten.
? Kristi Smith ranks third in Iowa’s single-season sophomore rankings for 3-pointers made with 39. Classmate Wendy Ausdemore ranks second with 54.
? Wendy Ausdemore (.971) and Kristi Smith (.884) rank 1-2, respectively, in Big Ten free throw percentage.
? Iowa is 4-4 in games played on February 18, including winning its last three.
Jensen Receives Drake Double D Award ? Iowa Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen was one of four former Drake student-athletes to receive the Drake Double D Award Saturday night in Des Moines. The award is presented annually to Drake letterwinners for achievements in their chosen fields or endeavor and/or community service since leaving Drake. The Double D Award is the highest honor Drake bestows on its student-athletes. Since its inception in 1968, the Double D honor has been presented to 221 former Drake letterwinners.
Jensen graduated from Drake in 1991 with a degree in public relations, while earning her Masters in Higher Education in 1996. She is one of only two Drake players to have their number retired in the Knapp Center. Jensen ranks fourth on Drake’s all-time scoring list, third in field goal percentage and fifth in steals and rebounds. As a senior in 1990-91, she led the nation in scoring (29.6) and was named Academic All-American National Player of the Year by GTE/CoSIDA. Jensen was also named the most valuable player in the Gateway Conference, while earning honorable mention all-American accolades by Kodak.
Ausdemore Receives Academic Honor ? Wendy Ausdemore earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine District VII academic all-America recognition on Feb. 8. Ausdemore, who was the only sophomore named to either the first or second team in District VII, has a 3.83 cumulative GPA and is majoring in pre-business.
Skouby Sidelined ? Starting center Megan Skouby is questionable for Sunday’s game vs. Penn State after breaking a bone in her non-shooting hand (left) during practice on Feb. 3. The sophomore played in 51 consecutive contests, including 40 starts before suffering the injury. Skouby dressed and participated in pre-game warmups Thursday, but did not play.
Skouby ranks first in team scoring (14.4), blocked shots (32) and second in rebounding (5.1). With Skouby sidelined, Iowa’s competitive roster has dwindled to eight players.
Last Meeting ? Five Penn State players scored double figures en route to a 78-71 victory over Iowa at the Bryce Jordan Center on January 28, 2007. The win was the Lady Lions’ sixth straight over the Hawkeyes.
Iowa took command of the game early on the shoulders of Megan Skouby and Wendy Ausdemore. The duo scored 16 of Iowa’s first 20 points.
The Hawkeyes built a 15-point advantage (34-19) with 6:01 left in the first half. However, Iowa’s double-digit lead evaporated by halftime as the Hawkeyes missed their last seven field goal attempts of the half and Penn State took advantage of Iowa’s scoring drought, closing the half on a 17-0 run and taking a slim two-point advantage (36-34) into the half.
A Kristi Smith 3-pointer at the 13:27 mark of the second half gave the Hawkeyes its only lead of the second half (50-49). The Lady Lions responded by going on a 22-9 run to give them their largest lead 71-59 with 4:42 left. Iowa trimmed the deficit to five in the final minute, but would get no closer.
Junior Kam Gissendanner scored a team-high 18 points to lead the Lady Lions to their ninth home win of the year. Senior Amanda Brown posted her ninth double-double of the season, collecting 14 points and 12 rebounds. Brianne O’Rourke tallied 15 points, Tyra Grant contributed 12 and Rashida Mark added 11 for the home squad.
Iowa junior Krista VandeVenter netted a game-high 20 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and 8-9 from the foul line. The native of Osseo, MN, also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, to register her first double-double of the season and seventh of her career.
Skouby scored 19 points, while Ausdemore and Smith each netted 12. All 12 of Ausdemore’s points came in the first ten minutes of the contest when she was 4-5 from 3-point range; she missed her last seven shot attempts from the field.
Iowa out-rebounded Penn State by eight (40-32) and pulled down a season-high 19 offensive rebounds in defeat.
Last Time Out ? Four Illinois starters scored in double figures en route to a 74-69 come-from-behind victory over Iowa Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game was part of a men/women doubleheader after the Northwestern at Iowa men’s game, originally scheduled one day earlier, was postponed due to severe weather and dangerous driving conditions.
Iowa led by as many as 12 points in the first half on the shoulders of Wendy Ausdemore, who netted 18 of her game and career-high 29 points in the first period. The Illini closed the gap to five (34-29) by halftime.
A Lori Bjork 3-pointer at the 10:07 mark of the second half gave Illinois its first lead of the game. The last 10 minutes of the game featured nine ties and four lead changes.
A pair of Ausdemore free throws gave Iowa a two-point advantage (67-65) with 1:32 remaining. Following an Illinois timeout, the Illini found Bjork on the baseline, who drained her fourth triple of the game to give Illinois a one-point lead (68-67). The Illini expanded their lead to five by the end of the contest. Illinois shot 37 percent from the field in the first half, but was able to convert a number of high-percentage shots in the second half and shot at a 62 percent clip in the second stanza.
Illinois exploited Iowa’s lack of depth in the post as it scored 38 paint points, 24 in the second half. Illinois’ post duo of Danyel Crutcher (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Jenna Smith (15 points, 10 rebounds) both posted double-doubles. Bjork finished the contest with 20 points to lead Illinois in scoring, while Lacey Simpson added 18 points and seven assists.
Iowa’s Kristi Smith contributed 11 points and a team-high six assists, while Krista VandeVenter pulled down 10 rebounds.
Both teams excelled at the free throw stripe as Iowa shot a season-high .933 (14-15) and Illinois converted .824 (14-17).
The win was only Illinois third in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 23 tries.
Hawkeyes Approaching Big Ten Record ? Iowa is quietly approaching a Big Ten single-season record. The Hawkeyes are currently shooting at a .789 (404-512) clip at the free throw line, which ranks fifth nationally. The Big Ten Conference single-season record is .783 (390-498) established by Michigan State in 2002-03.
Iowa’s 2003-04 team (.769) and 2005-06 squad (.760) currently rank fifth and seventh, respectively, in Big Ten single-season free throw percentage rankings.
Coming on Strong! ? Wendy Ausdemore has been terrific in Iowa’s last two contests, posting career numbers. The sophomore poured in a career-high 27 points on 9-15 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line at Wisconsin on Sunday. Four days later, Ausdemore bested her career highs by netting 29 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, including 3-5 from behind the arc, and a perfect 8-8 from the foul line.
Ausdemore’s offensive explosion has vaulted her to sixth in Big Ten Conference scoring (15.5). The native of Neola, IA, also ranks first in league free throw percentage (.971, 33-34) and second in 3-pointers made (2.08) and 3-point field goal percentage (.500, 32-64).
Tough Sledding ? Winning on the road has been a difficult task for teams during Big Ten Conference season. Not including the top three teams (Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue) in the league, Iowa and Illinois have the highest number of road victories with three, followed by Wisconsin (2), Minnesota (2) and Indiana (1). Penn State, Michigan and Northwestern have not recorded a Big Ten road win yet this year.
Smith Lighting it Up Behind the Arc ? Kristi Smith has been shooting lights-out from 3-point range lately. Smith sank 13 triples in Iowa’s first 14 games, but since has drained 26 in only 40 attempts (.650) in the last 12 contests — she made all four attempts from behind the arc vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.591) and fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) in conference games.
For the season, her 3-point field goal percentage (.506, 39-77) ranks second-best in school history. The 5-6 guard shot .415 (22-53) last season from behind the arc. Additionally, her free throw percentage of .865 (90-104) ranks fourth-best in Iowa single-season history.
Smith Joining Iowa Point Guard Elite ? Kristi Smith’s numbers are resembling a previous Hawkeye point guard who was an honorable mention all-American honoree, Cara Consuegra.
Smith has amassed 188 assists so far her first two seasons, 82 her freshman year and 106 this year. The native of Thornton, CO, scored 206 points her freshman campaign and 337 so far this season for a total of 543.
Consuegra started her career with 94 assists her freshman year and 153 her sophomore season. She netted 97 points as a freshman and 309 as a sophomore for a total of 406.
Did You Know? ? Kristi Smith is the first Hawkeye freshman or sophomore to amass more than 100 assists and 300 points in a single-season.
The feat has been accomplished 10 times by a total of six players throughout their respective careers. Listed below are the players and the year the achievement was accomplished:
Player (Year) StatisticsKristi Smith (2006-07) 337 points and 106 assistsJohanna Solverson (2004-05) 359 points and 136 assistsCara Consuegra (2000-01) 347 points and 191 assistsCara Consuegra (1999-00) 394 points and 138 assistsLaurie Aaron (1991-92) 344 points and 123 assistsSteph Schueler (1990-91) 339 points and 122 assistsJolette Law (1989-90) 424 points and 122 assistsJolette Law (1988-89) 445 points and 132 assistsMichelle Edwards (1987-88) 621 points and 140 assistsMichelle Edwards (1986-87) 564 points and 123 assists="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
Quoie Out ? Freshman Zoraa Quoie is from Woodbury, MN, and has been declared academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. She will remain in school and attempt to regain her academic standing for the 2007-08 campaign. Quoie will be able to practice with the team, but will be unable to play in games or travel with the team. The 5-6 guard played sparingly in three games, averaging 2.0 points, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assists.
Inside-Outside Threat ? Wendy Ausdemore can score both inside and outside the 3-point arc. The 6-2 sophomore has made 64-134 (.478) of her two-point attempts and 54-131 (.412) from behind the 3-point arc.
No Sophomore Slump ? Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby have cracked the top-five in sophomore records for 3-pointers made, assists and blocks, respectively.
Ausdemore’s 54 triples rank second among sophomores. She needs only six to tie record-holder Lindsey Meder’s mark of 60 established in 1999-2000.
Smith’s 106 assists rank her third amongst Hawkeye sophomores. The record is 153 shared by Cara Consuegra (1998-99) and April Calhoun (2002-03).
Skouby’s 32 rejections rank third. She is eight blocks from tying Toni Foster (1990-91) for second place. Tangela Smith (1996-97) is the record holder with 69. Furthermore, Skouby has 79 career blocks, which rank eighth-best in Iowa career annals. She needs only three more to equal Jerica Watson’s total of 82 for seventh place.
Solverson Update ? Senior Johanna Solverson will sit out the remainder of the 2006-07 season and apply for a sixth year of eligibility.
Solverson, a fifth-year senior, suffered a second tear of the anterior cruciate ligament on her right knee during a Game Time League contest last June in North Liberty. Solverson sustained her first ACL injury in July 2005 in a “pick-up” game in Chicago.
Solverson played in all but one game her first three seasons. The only game she missed was vs. Kansas State on December 12, 2003 due to an ankle injury. One of Iowa’s most versatile players, she boasts a career average of 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.02 assists and 1.67 steals in 94 games.
During the 2004-05 campaign, Solverson became only the second Iowa player to amass over 350 points, 125 assists and rebounds and 70 steals in a single season (Michelle Edwards). She averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.12 assists and 2.12 steals in 33 contests.
The native of Lake Zurich, IL, ranks ninth in Iowa career assists (284), 12th in steals (157), 20th in rebounding (408) and 29th in scoring (802).
Double Trouble ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith really raised their level of play during conference season. In conference games only stats, Ausdemore ranks first in free throw percnetage (.971), second in 3-point field goal percentage (.500) and 3-pointers made (2.46), sixth in scoring (15.5) and 10th in field goal percentage (.489). Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.591), second in free throw percentage (.884), third in assists (4.62), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0) and assist/turnover ratio (1.43), 11th in scoring (14.2) and 15th in field goal percentage (.426).
Jackson Five ? Iowa has had five players score 20 points or more in a single game this season. Wendy Ausdemore and Kristi Smith have accomplished the feat a team-best five times, Megan Skouby three times, Krista VandeVenter twice and Stacy Schlapkohl each once. The Hawkeyes have had a player score 20 points or more ten of the last 14 games.
Smith Leads ? Kristi Smith has done a great job leading the Hawkeye offense as point guard. Smith ranks second in team scoring (13.0) and free throws made (90) and first in assists (106).
Smith has led the team in scoring nine times, including scoring 20-plus points a team-best five times, led the team in steals 14 times and assists 11 times.
The native of Thornton, CO, has been on fire during conference play. She ranks high in eight statistical categories in league games only rankings: first in 3-point field goal percentage (.591), second in free throw percentage (.884), third in assists (4.62), fifth in 3-pointers made (2.0), assist/turnover ratio (1.43) and minutes played (35.69), 11th in scoring (14.2) and 15th in field goal percentage (.426).
Road Warriors ? Iowa has compiled a 7-6 record in games away from Iowa City this season. Last season, Iowa was 6-9 in road games. The Hawkeyes are 5-8 in home contests this year. Iowa concludes the regular season with three of four contests at home.
Freebies ? Iowa has made free throws when it counted — in the last five minutes of games. The Hawkeyes are 106-130 (.815) in the last five minutes, 50-64 (.781) under two minutes and 48-60 (.800) under a minute to play.
Iowa has made 404-512 from the foul line this year. The Hawkeyes’ 78.9 percent shooting from the free throw line is tops in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. Iowa opponents are only 325-465 (.699) from the charity stripe.
The Hawkeyes are well on their way to shattering the school free throw percentage record of .769 (433-563) established in 2002-03.
Home, Away Comparisons ? Iowa has a higher free throw percentage on the road than at home. The Hawkeyes have converted 82.0 percent (210-256) of its road foul shots, compared to 75.8 percent (194-256) at home. Iowa averages 6.4 more points per game, 4.3 more assists and 2.9 more rebounds at home than on the road. Here are the home and away comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSHome .430 .394 .758 37.2 18.0 16.3 70.4Away .414 .395 .820 34.3 13.7 17.7 64.0
Wins, Losses Comparisons ? There are big differentials in the stats between Iowa’s wins and losses. The Hawkeyes score an average of 10.0 more points and shoot 6.5 percent better from the field in their victories. Iowa averages 6.8 more rebounds and 3.2 more assists in wins than losses. Here are the wins and losses comparisons:
FG% 3-PT% FT% REB AST TO PTSWins .457 .413 .788 39.4 17.6 16.1 72.6Losses .392 .381 .791 32.6 14.4 17.8 62.6
Behind the Arc ? Iowa is the only Big Ten team with three players who have drained over 30 triples this season, Wendy Ausdemore (54), Kristi Smith (39) and Lindsey Nyenhuis (30) — all of whom are sophomores.
As a team, Iowa ranks fourth in Big Ten 3-pointers made (5.04).
Graham Steps Up ? With Iowa’s leading rebounder (Krista VandeVenter) sidelined for the first seven contests, Jenee Graham stepped up and filled the rebounding void. She has grabbed double-digit rebounds 11 times and has been Iowa’s leading rebounder in 14 games. Graham corralled a career-high 14 rebounds against Indiana State and Louisiana Tech.
Graham averages 4.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.12 assists. The native of Bolingbrook, IL, ranks fourth in Big Ten rebounding (8.2). The junior also ranks second in Big Ten assist/turnover ratio (1.53). Graham equaled a career high with seven assists and no turnover vs. Michigan on Feb. 8. Graham has dished out four dimes or more 13 times this year.
Graham led Iowa in scoring for the first time in her career when she netted a career-high 14 points vs. Northern Iowa.
Big Ten Rankings ? Iowa ranks first in Big Ten free throw percentage (.789) and 3-point field goal percentage (.395), third in assist/turnover ratio (0.93) and fourth in 3-pointers made (5.04). Individually, Jenee Graham ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (1.53) and fourth in rebounding (8.2). Wendy Ausdemore ranks fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.412) and 3-pointers made (2.08). Megan Skouby ranks third in free throw percentage (.858), sixth in scoring (14.4) and seventh in blocks (1.45). Kristi Smith ranks first in 3-point field goal percentage (.506), second in free throw percentage (.865), fourth in assists (4.08), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.22), 10th in 3-pointers made (1.5), 13th in field goal percentage (.451) and 14th in scoring (13.0).
Attendance Rankings ? Iowa ranks 34th nationally in attendance, averaging 3,460 fans. Iowa has ranked in the top-25 fifteen of the last 17 seasons.
All-Big Ten Recognition ? For the second straight year, Iowa has been picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten by the media and coaches. Individually, Megan Skouby was named to the pre-season all-conference team by the media and coaches. Skouby is the only sophomore to be recognized; the team is comprised of three seniors, one junior and one sophomore.
Hawkeyes Honored ? Sophomores Wendy Ausdemore and Megan Skouby were named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament team. Skouby was recognized as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Ausdemore Ties Record ? Wendy Ausdemore tied a Carver-Hawkeye Arena record by an Iowa player when she made five triples vs. Quinnipiac. The sophomore was 5-7 (.714) from behind the arc against the Bobcats. For the season, she is 54-131 (.412) from 3-point range. She ranks fourth in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made.
Trifecta ? The Hawkeyes had three sophomores recognized on the WBCA Classic All-Tournament team. Wendy Ausdemore, Megan Skouby and Kristi Smith all earned all-tournament laurels. Skouby was honored as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Skouby averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks in the two contests. Smith averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 rebounds. Ausdemore averaged 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Hi-Octane ? The 171 combined points in Iowa’s 88-83 win over Indiana State on Nov. 15, was the highest scoring game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena since a 94-83 loss to Minnesota in 2001.
Hawkeyes Win WBCA Classic ? Iowa opened the season with two quality road wins, defeating Missouri State (79-70) and Kansas (63-49) to capture the fifth-annual WBCA Classic in Kansas City, MO.
Gunning For Seven ? Iowa has posted a winning season each year Coach Bluder has been on the Hawkeye sidelines. The Hawkeyes have strung together six straight winning seasons since the 2000-01 campaign, earning an NCAA Tournament berth four times. The school record for consecutive winning seasons is 11, established 1984-1994.
20-Year Anniversary ? This season marks the 20-year anniversary of Iowa’s first Big Ten regular season championship. Iowa’s 1986-87 team finished the league campaign 17-1 and shared the title with Ohio State. The squad advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Louisiana Tech. Michelle Edwards earned all-America honors, while Franthea Price was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Bluder Hits Milestones ? After garnering her 300th Division I victory in Iowa’s regular season finale vs. Indiana last season, Bluder reached two additional coaching milestones in 2006-07. She coached in her 700th career game and 200th on the Iowa sidelines, both during conference play. The Marion, IA, native has coached in 708 career games (481-227, .679) and 210 contests (125-85, .595) on the Hawkeye sidelines.
In her first six years at Iowa, Bluder guided the Black and Gold to four first division finishes in the highly regarded Big Ten Conference. Iowa’s 56 league wins the last six seasons rank as the fourth-highest total in the Big Ten behind Purdue (75), Penn State (69) and Ohio State (64). She has coached five Hawkeye players to all-Big Ten first team status, three to the second team and three that were named to the all-freshman team.
No Senior Starters ? For the first time under Coach Bluder, Iowa does not have a senior in the starting lineup. Iowa’s starting lineup includes three sophomores (Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby) and two juniors (Jenee Graham and Krista VandeVenter).
The last time Iowa did not have a senior starter was the 1999-00 season (two juniors, three sophomores). Iowa has had at least two senior starters every year under Bluder, except the 2002-03 season (center Tracy Schrupp).
Home Grown Hawkeyes ? Iowa’s 2006-07 roster features four players from the state of Iowa (Wendy Ausdemore, Abby Emmert, Stacy Schlapkohl and Nicole VanderPol). The Hawkeyes also have two players from Illinois (Jenee Graham and Johanna Solverson) and Minnesota (Krista VandeVenter and Zoraa Quoie). Iowa’s 12-person roster also features players from Colorado (Kristi Smith), Kansas (JoAnn Hamlin), Michigan (Lindsey Nyenhuis) and Ohio (Megan Skouby).
Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series ? Iowa currently leads the third annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series 11-4 with only three events remaining. Iowa was victorious in women’s soccer (1-0, OT), football (27-17), wrestling (24-6) men’s basketball (77-59) and women’s swimming (181.5-117.5). Iowa State won volleyball (3-2) and women’s basketball (80-74).
The nine-sport series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, two points are awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
Hawkeyes Traveling Overseas in May ? The women’s basketball team will be traveling overseas for 11 days to Greece, May 23-June 2, to play exhibition games.
Blogging ? Hawkeye fans will be treated to behind-the-scenes information this season as sophomore Wendy Ausdemore and junior Abby Emmert will have their own blogs, which will be posted on the women’s basketball page of hawkeyesports.com. The duo will share their thoughts on practices, games, road trips, and everything else surrounding the program.
Hawkeyes Ink Two ? Kachine Alexander and Kelsey Cermak signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Iowa.
Alexander, a native of Minneapolis, is a three-time all-conference honoree. She earned the Best Defensive Player Award at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School her freshman and sophomore years. Her team was three-time conference champions and won the Minnesota State AAA Championship in 2006. The 5-9 forward was named state tournament MVP and earned honorable mention all-state honors her junior year. She averaged 12.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.0 assists in 29 starts her junior season.
Cermak, who hails from Norwalk, IA, is a two-time first team all-state honoree and a three-time first team all-conference and all-district selection. She was the Norwalk High School MVP her first three years. The 6-1 guard holds her school’s single-season record for steals (90). She averaged 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 26 starts on a team that won the Iowa state and conference championship her junior season. Cermak averaged 18.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 steals her sophomore campaign. Norwalk placed second in its conference her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Hawkeye Newcomers ? Iowa’s only freshman is Zoraa Quoie, from Woodbury, MN. Quoie was named to the Miss Minnesota Basketball Senior All-State team her senior season. She was also named to the Star-Tribune third defensive team as a senior. Quoie was a 2005 and 2006 all-conference selection and earned 2004 and 2005 honorable mention all-state laurels. Quoie holds her high school’s record for single-season steals.
Also on the roster this year is JoAnn Hamlin, who transferred from Kansas State. Hamlin cannot compete due to NCAA transfer rules, but can practice with the team and will have three years of eligibility remaining starting in 2007-08. Hamlin played in 33 games last year, with 31 starts at center for the Wildcats. The 31 starts were the fifth-most in the nation among freshmen. She scored in double figures 15 times, reaching the 20-point plateau four times. Hamlin averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds, had a total of 22 blocks and 26 steals.
Iowa Information on the Web ? Statistics and play-by-play accounts of all Big Ten Tournament games will be available live on the internet. The statistical program allows viewers to read the play-by-play action just moments after it takes place, and to view all individual and team statistics while the game is in progress.
The program can be accessed through hawkeyesports.com and then clicking on the `Gametracker’ link.
“Hawk Talk with Lisa Bluder” ? Catch “Hawk Talk with Lisa Bluder”, the radio call-in program Monday nights featuring Iowa Women’s Head Coach Lisa Bluder, on KXIC-AM 800 in Iowa, WHO-AM 1040 in Des Moines and WMT-AM 600 in Cedar Rapids from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Fans can call toll-free at (877) 464-2957. The show originates from Bob’s Your Uncle restaurant on the eastside of Iowa City.
Big Ten Tournament Tickets on Sale ? All-session and single-session tickets for the 2007 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Xbox 360 are on sale. All-session tickets are $65, while single-session tickets are $12-$16. Tickets can be purchased at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (317) 239-5151.
More than 21,000 hotel rooms exist throughout the entire Indianapolis metropolitan area. Contact the Big Ten Housing Bureau at indy.org/bigtenwomens for hotel pricing information.
The tournament returns to Indianapolis for the 12th time in 13 years and has attracted more than 30,000 fans for each of the last five events. The 2006 tournament attendance of 38,638 and session average of 7,728 were both event records. In the past 12 years of Big Ten Tournament play, the conference has welcomed more than 353,000 fans. Six different league representatives have become tournament champions. Purdue leads all teams with five titles followed by two championships for both Iowa and Penn State and a single title for Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State.
On the Horizon ? The Hawkeyes will play its final regular season road game at Purdue on Thursday before returning home to host Wisconsin in the regular season finale.