Women's Basketball Preview, Part 1: Loyola

Oct. 25, 2005

Change is in the air on the Northside of Chicago as first-year head coach Shannon Reidy takes over the Loyola Women's Basketball program. Reidy possesses all the qualities necessary to succeed at this level and is eager to get started.

Despite losing a pair of 1,000-point scoring guards (Ciara Henderson and Meskhenet Lands), the Ramblers roster features a slew of young and dynamic players ready to assume increased roles and there is an aura of excitement surrounding the team.

BACKCOURT

While still an area of strength, the Loyola backcourt will have a decidedly different look in 2005-06. Lands, a Second Team All-Horizon League selection, has graduated, as has Henderson, who is the school's all-time leader in three-pointfield goals and ranks fifth on Loyola's all-time scoring list (1,303 points).

However, the cupboard is far from bare as senior Mandy Mennella and junior Marquise Hanser both return, giving LU a talented, experienced and versatile tandem. Freshmen Jana Lucas and Jennifer Moran provide depth and will be counted on to play significant, meaningful minutes.

Mennella was in the middle of a productive junior season before seeing it end prematurely at Wright State through injury, forcing her to miss the team's last 10 games. At the time of the injury, she ranked among the Horizon League leaders in assists (4.8 apg) and still finished the season with the most assists on the Loyola squad. Not strictly a pass-first point guard, Mennella is among the school's all-time leaders in the three-point field goal percentage and showed her explosiveness by tossing in a career-high 26 points last year against Northern Illinois. Her return to form is one of the major keys to Loyola's success this season.

"Mandy has been beset by injuries the last two years but she insists her senior year will be her best," said Reidy. "As she continues her recovery this fall, we anticipate her leadership and experience to pay off this year as our general on the court. Mandy is a terrific student of the game, understands the concept of how point guards can make their teammates around them better and is anxious to go out on a winning note this season."

Joining her in the starting backcourt is Marquise Hanser, a junior with plenty of experience after having stepped in for Mennella in each of the last two seasons. A valuable commodity, primarily off the bench, her first two seasons, Hanser will be counted on to boost her production and be more consistent this season. Despite her size, Hanser is one of the team's best rebounders, having tied the school-record with 21 boards against Youngstown State last season, and her aggressive play and leadership are contagious.

"Marquise is not only our quickest player with the ball, but she has worked tirelessly in the offseason on becoming a multi-threat guard," said Reidy. "She has a fantastic pull-up jumper and can go to the basket against some of the best. She is savvy and smart and has the potential to finish the season as one of the premier guards in the conference."

Spelling Mennella and Hanser will be a pair of talented freshmen, Jana Lucas and Jennifer Moran. Standing 6-foot, Lucas brings a different dimension with her height and has an excellent in-between game while Moran is a scorer who can shoot the ball with range.

"Both freshman will see a lot of time on the floor this year and be asked to step into their roles immediately," said Reidy. "Jana's height is a great advantage over most of her opponents and she has athletic, slashing moves and can shoot it from the perimater. Her quickness on both ends of the court puts us in a position to use her in many ways this year. Jennifer is recovering from long-term injuries yet feels the best she has in years. Her work ethic is outstanding and we are anxious to translate those efforts into success on the court."

FRONTCOURT

One of the big differences between this year's team and last year's squad is Loyola's quality and depth up front. A guard-dominated team last season that saw as many as four guards on the floor at one time, the Ramblers enter 2005-06 with a combination of talented, athletic newcomers and hardened, experienced veterans that will help define the personality of the team.

Junior Jenna Real headlines the group, having made tremendous strides last season (her first as a starter). The 6-foot forward averaged 9.4 ppg and 5.9 rpg for the season, showing flashes of her tremendous upside with five double-doubles and a career-high 20 point effort against Cleveland State to close the season. Possessing a solid mid-range jumper, Real is most comfortable around the hoop, as her team-best .540 field goal percentage attests. Her enthusiasm for the game make her a candidate to enjoy another breakout year this season.

"Jenna brings a power punch to her game which puts her in excellent scoring position, be it on the perimeter or the blocks," said Reidy. "She sees the floor extremely well and is another one of our players who has come back in great shape and is driven for success this year. Jenna is consistent and smart and works to get the ball in scoring situations for all of her teammates."

Also battling for time at that spot are junior Danielle Nabolotny and sophomore Nicole Garcia. Nabolotny gave Loyola some positive intangibles on the floor last season and posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in her first collegiate start against Wright State. Despite playing sparingly as a freshman, Garcia is one of the team's best athletes and is in line to see more playing time this year.

Nabolotny has the ability to bang on the offensive glass while also being able to step out and shoot the jumper from the perimeter. She will be counted on to play defense and help facilitate the offense.

"Danielle is a small forward who is developing into a quicker player and talented student of the game," said Reidy. "Her role will be valuable to us when it comes to being able to play several positions and develop into a stopper on defense. She has a solid perimeter shot and has great desire to motivate team success."

Garcia, on the other hand, gives Loyola another athlete with some size. She runs the floor extremely well and is a strong rebounder on both ends of the court."

"Nicole has been the added surprise for our staff and has certainly earned her teammates confidence in her value on the floor this season," said Reidy. "We have been tremendously pleased with her full-court abilities and versatility in the back and front courts. Nicole has exciting athleticism and jump to her game, which will allows her to create and score in a variety of ways."

Freshman Cierra Thurman also promises to be in the hunt for minutes up front as well. Thurman brings an intriguing mix of power and finesse to the floor and is another active banger on the glass.

"Cierra will also be seeing time this year simply because her daily desire to improve and understanding of the game has made an impact on our staff," said Reidy. "Cierra is extremely strong and her toughness enables her to work for good scoring opportunities."

Reidy and her staff will count on a pair of upperclassmen to man the pivot, as Danielle Lonie and Emily Ponder both return. Lonie is a tremendous athlete with the ability to score down low and also serves as the team's top rebounder and shot blocker. She saw her year cut short just one game into the Horizon League season and is eager to get back on the court. She averaged 6.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg in her 13 appearances and her 19 blocked shots ended up still leading the team.

"Danielle has been an impact player for Loyola the last two seasons," said Reidy. "She has stood out to her teammates as a versatile forward who has an incredible first step and good quickness around the basket. She runs the floor extremely well and has good instincts on the defensive end of the court. In most situations, when she has the ball, she can find a way to score."

Ponder stepped in admirably for Lonie last season and gives the Ramblers more of a back-to-the-basket post player. She has the ability to step out and hit the mid-range jumper and possesses a soft touch in the lane.

"Emily will be a big surprise to our opponents this season," said Reidy. "Although she did not see consistent time on the court the past two years, we are anticipating this year to be Emily's breakout year. Not only has Emily come to be consistent with her back to the basket or facing up to it, but she is also running the floor well and has developed into one of our vocal and determined leaders. Her strength inside and developed outside shot will put our team in terrific position to be a powerful prescence in the paint."

SCHEDULE

After being away from home for seven of its first nine games last season and enduring a stretch of seven games, six on the road, in 13 days, Loyola looks forward to a schedule that features 14 home games, its most since the 2001-02 campaign. However, the slate will be just as challenging, as it opens against Illinois at the Gentile Center and travels to NCAA Tournament participant, Illinois State, two days later. The Ramblers open Horizon League play on Dec. 29, when it welcomes defending champ UW-Green Bay to Rogers Park.

"As a first-year staff implementing new philosophies and new concepts, this is going to be an extremely challenging non-conference schedule," states Reidy. "It is going to take time to perfect everything we want to do on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor but what better way to work on things than by playing top competition."

Story provided by Loyola University Office of Sports Information