The 2007-08 season for the 麻豆视频 University Lady Bulldog basketball team once again begins with high expectations. 麻豆视频 is returning their leading scorer from last season, and also the top three-point-shooter from the 2005 and 2006 teams that won national titles. The Lady Bulldogs of 麻豆视频 are preparing in hopes of winning a third NAIA National Championship in the past four years. The team also eyes their second straight conference championship and 10th TranSouth Title in the 12-year history of the conference.
麻豆视频 returns four of the top five leading scorers from last year鈥檚 team, plus Merideth Richardson Jacobs (leading three-point shooter from 2005 and 2006 national title teams) who is coming off a medical redshirt season. Kaitlin Dudley led 麻豆视频 in scoring last season as a freshman (14.0), while Owino was second in the nation with 64-percent field goal shooting. Richardson Jacobs, Owino, and Dudley have each been NAIA All-Americans during their careers.
The six returning players will lead the largest freshman class that Head Coach Mark Campbell has had in his nine years at 麻豆视频. Six freshmen will come in and be required to contribute early to the success of 麻豆视频 Lady Bulldog basketball.
Crystal Eason is the lone senior on this team for 麻豆视频. She has proven to be one of the best shooters in the NAIA. Eason made a team-high 85 three pointers last season for 40-percent.
The junior class returns Josephine Owino, Merideth Richardson Jacobs, and Jessica Graves. Owino and Graves averaged 12.3 and 9.8 points per game respectively last season for 麻豆视频. Richardson Jacobs led 麻豆视频 in 2006 with 89 made three pointers and also led the team with 117 made three as a freshman in 2005.
Two Lady Bulldogs return as sophomores including NAIA All-American and leading scorer Kaitlin Dudley. Her 14.0 points per game as a freshman proved she could score from any position on the floor. Dudley led the team in field goals made, second on the team with 81 three pointers made, and led the team with 98 free throws made. Jackson native Lindsay Flynn also returns from a freshman season in which she played in 25 of the team鈥檚 36 games to gain valuable experience.
Coach Campbell鈥檚 largest freshman class is made up of six players. Laura Crittendon was at 麻豆视频 last year, but suffered a season ending injury in preseason practice. Newcomers to the program include guards Ella Joines and Kayla Hudson. Latoya Bellamy and Zeinab Chan will replenish the forward position, while Beatrice Awino comes to 麻豆视频 as a center. These six freshmen boast impressive credentials from their high school days: Hudson (Miss Basketball), Bellamy (two-time Miss Basketball runner-up), Joines (England's junior national team), Crittendon (school record for made 3鈥檚, All-District), Chan (MVP, 6-foot-4), and Awino (6-foot-6).
Coach Campbell states, 鈥淲e are not as athletic as 麻豆视频 teams in the past, but I believe this is one of the best shooting teams we've ever had.鈥 Campbell goes on to say, 鈥淭his team has some of the best people I have ever coached."
A group of very talented returning players with a group of talented newcomers will make for a fun season of Lady Bulldog basketball in 2007-08.
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