UD Basketball 2008-09 Season Review

In their second season under coach Jennifer Fleming, the young Crusaders finished with 6 wins and 19 losses as a first year associate member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC). Their final game of the 2008-2009 season came on February 27th with a close loss in the first round of the NEAC post-season tournament at the hands of Keuka College, the eventual champions. Had they won, the Crusaders would have advanced to the second round of the tournament and a possible berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. It would've been the first time in UD's history that a women's basketball team had earned a spot in the tournament.

Throughout the Crusader's season, they were led in scoring by sophomore forward Cara Sczepanski (Highland Village, TX/Marcus H.S.) who averaged 18.2 points per game and finished ranked 44th in the NCAA D3 final stats. Sczepanski was recognized for her outstanding play by being named to the second team of the women's basketball NEAC All-Conference team and to the first team of the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) All-Independent team. She was also the NEAC Student Athlete of the Week 3 times. Behind Sczepanski in scoring was sophomore forward/guard Joirdan Cole (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch H.S.) who scored an average of 10.7 points in the Crusader's 25 game season. Cole also garnered AD3I honors, being named to the second team of AD3I's All-Independent team.

The season was highlighted by the thrilling win over UC-Santa Cruz 52-50 in the Crusaders' last home game of the season on February 21st. Additionally, earlier in the season, a win over the Brooklyn Bears featured 4 players scoring in double digits and 2 players meriting double doubles.

Coach Fleming, who guided the Crusaders to a 14-13 record last season, had to work with a very young team that lost all of its upper-classmen players to graduation. Sczepanski, Cole, guard Bethany Roessler (Phoenix, AZ/Xavier College Prep), forward Meagan Johnson (Plano, TX/Carrolton Christian Academy) and forward Meghan Frost (Slidell, LA/Northshore H.S.) were sophomores, while guard Christina Rampellini (Trophy Club, TX/Northwest H.S.), guard Teresa Mull ( Philipsburg, PA/ Bishop Guilfoyle H.S.), guard Kelly Regan (Plano, TX/John Paul II H.S.) and guard Lauren Wilder (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) were freshmen. Despite its youth, the team was not unseasoned with a combined 62 starts from last season among four of the sophomores.

The team's youth, however, will be a bonus next season with all the current players returning. The Crusaders could have some serious fire power in 2009-2010 if Lauren Wilder and Meagan Johnson (who averaged 6.8 and 6 points respectively) continue to improve. Bethany Roessler, who was the team's MVP for 2007-2008, also will be a factor on offense and defense. These three, combined with Sczepanski and Cole, could comprise a very potent University of Dallas squad. Hopes are definitely high for next season.

2008-09 Team

North Eastern Athletic Conference

Crusader Women's Basketball Program History

Women's basketball at the University of Dallas started in the 2004-05 season behind the leadership of head coach Ray Heipp. Ashley Smith, Janet Gribnitz, Delilah Whisenhunt, Marie Olson, and 2007 graduates Ana Castillo and Kristy Malone are a few of the names that sit atop the UD record books. The up and coming program has reached double digit victory totals the past three of four seasons.

The Association of Division III Independents

The University of Dallas is a charter member of the Association of Division III Indpendents. Please click on the heading below to check out all the latest information.