Telisha Saunders #00 5’5” Sophomore Guard
Kalamazoo Central
High School / Jaime Gordon
……preferred walk on at KVCC…… SMAC
Conference All Star in 2004 at Kalamazoo Central and a member of the
National Honor Society and recipient of the Distinguished Scholar
Athlete Award…….has a strong desire to play beyond KVCC…….plans a career
in social work……...listens to music in spare time and hangs out with her
roomies
.
……..Her favorite players are Swin Cash and Jason Kidd
Coach’s
Comments: “Telisha had a
tough year last year, sitting out all but the first seven games of the
season with nagging knee problems. Even in that tough situation, she
was a constant presence in practice and supported her teammates as they
sprinted their way to the National tournament in Phoenix. She’s healthy
again and gives us an added quickness and speed on the perimeter and is
a ‘pesky’ defender out there. Her ability to help us push the ball and
defend in the full court will fuel our tempo. She will battle for time
at the point and two guard positions and provide us with great depth in
both areas.”
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Amy Millard #4 5’8” Sophomore
Guard/Forward
Kalamazoo
Hackett Catholic Central High School / Ron Welch
…….solid high post
player from the Irish team that went 20-5 in 2004 and advanced to the
regional finals……….has a ‘knack’ for being around the ball…….KVA All
Star in both Basketball and soccer….…very active in student government
as Secretary of the student council…… loves to play soccer in her spare
time......leaning toward photography, interior design as a course of
study - or massage therapy…
……..Her favorite player
is Dwayne Wade
Coach’s
Comments: “Amy continues to
be a pleasant surprise and is one of the hardest workers on a team that
prides itself on it's work ethic. An improved shooting touch from the
perimeter and the willingness to run the floor has upped her stock in
the rotation and the versatility she displays makes her a valuable
commodity on the Cougar bench. She has elevated her game and will
challenge for minutes both on the perimeter and in the post. She’s a
special kid and will make a contribution because she is a consummate
role player – a true team player.”
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Jealyn Foston #5 5’9” Sophomore Guard/Forward
Cassopolis High
School / Floyd Foston
……We welcome back this extremely versatile
athlete who worked through a tough luck season in 2005, tearing her ACL
in the Lady Cougar’s last game before the Christmas break – she was
leading the KVCC team in scoring and rebounding at the time ..…capable
of playing any position on the floor……back stronger than ever and ready
to assume a leadership role …….Wants to continue her basketball career
at a high level and pursue a Sports Medicine degree at a four year
school…..……Loves hangin' out with her roomies and teammates.
……..Her favorite player
is also Dwayne Wade
Coach’s
Comments: “When “J” went
down last year she was just beginning to come into her own and become the player we
envisioned when she came here. Once more she has battled back from knee surgery
and has resumed where she left off. She has a deft touch from range,
can get to the basket, is a fine passer - and can post up if needed.
Her versatility is definitely a strength. We are overjoyed that she’s
back at full strength and we feel strongly that she will be a special
player for us and we look forward to helping her get where she wants to
go.”
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Kendra Kutz #10 5’11” Sophomore Guard/Forward
Three Rivers
High School / Chase Cottingham
……high energy guard
with exceptional athleticism……. Wolverine conference All Star as a HS
player…..very strong player with good handling skills, but can play
inside or outside……came on very strong at season’s end last year after
adjusting to the college game and moving into the Cougar starting
lineup…..general studies curriculum
…….Her favorite player
is Ruth Riley
Coach’s
Comments: “When Kendra
started playing the game under control last year she became the player
we all knew was there but sometimes got lost trying to do too much. The
energy, enthusiasm and drive that she brings to the court is exceptional
when she plays within herself and lets the game come to her. She’s
another versatile player who can get to the bucket or post up and
creates match up problems all over the court. A steadily improving
perimeter touch makes her even harder to guard and she’s learned to
trust her teammates to help her make something good happen. She is a fierce,
vocal competitor who is capable of carrying a team when she plays to the
level of her ability.”
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Jessica Sanders #12/30 5’9” Freshman Guard/Forward
White Pigeon High
School / Bob Baechler
…... strong young lady from the White Pigeon
program that is always a threat in the St. Joe Valley…….All
State Honorable mention as a senior, can play in both the high and low
post area and make a play……….excellent rebounder who always seems to be
around the ball…… very nice touch out to “3” …….loves to spend time with
her family and go camping in her off time………
……..Favorite Player – Sue Bird
Coach’s Comments: “Jessica follows her sister to
Kalamazoo Valley and brings a solid resume with her. A four year
varsity player and three sport athlete, she is also a member of the
highly successful volleyball program here at Valley so she hasn't had
the benefit of our pre-season workouts. We do know that she's a
spectacular athlete, a very good offensive player and is a hard worker.
Her ability to guard some one on the defensive end will probably
determine what her level of contribution will be as she gets used to the speed
and pace of the game at this level. We believe she is capable of helping
us play the way we like to play.”
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Shannon Dumond #14 5’7” Freshman Guard/Forward
Wayland Union High
School / Coralie Miller
……1st year player
for the Lady Cougars who was a named one of the "top 100" players in
Michigan by the Detroit Free Press……..Class "A" Honorable Mention All
State……capable of playing every perimeter position …… OK Gold Conference All
Star as a Junior and Senior and voted Conference 'Athlete of the Year'
both years…….Played with the high exposure West
Michigan Warriors AAU team……. A student in the dental hygiene
program.
…….Her favorite player
is Chauncey Billups
Coach’s
Comments: “Shannon is one
of our more fundamentally sound players – and plays the game at a high
level. She will challenge a strong group of sophomores for time on the
floor and is very capable of making good things happen. As
with most freshmen players there will be a period of adjustment to the
college level, but we expect that period to be brief in Shannon’s case.
She has shown a fine “feel” for the game in early workouts and I'm very
confident she will contribute to our success. She also continues a trend
of Cougar players being exceptional in the classroom as she graduated
among the top ten at Wayland. Our expectations for Shannon are very
high!”
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Betsey Dennis #20 5’10” Sophomore Guard/Forward
Charlevoix High
School / Keith Haske
……Outstanding shooter from an undefeated Charlevoix team that advanced
to the state final in Class “C” in 2004……..tied a state record for
three point field goals in a MHSAA state final with five……Strong student with
a 3.9 in her freshman year at KVCC……3rd on the team in
2005-06 with 25 threes in a little over 12 minutes a game……plans to
follow an elementary education course of study…..enjoys volleyball in
spare time and was an active member of the KVCC FCA huddle.
…….Her favorite player
is Michael Jordan
Coach’s
Comments: “Betsey was coming
on very strong at year's end last year and early season workouts have
been impressive. She had a good freshman year and really has become
a more 'balanced player'. She’s stronger, quicker and faster, and has
shown an ability to get to the basket that we didn’t see last year. All
in all we feel that she’s ready to step in and make an impact with our
team. She’s an exceptional shooter, but now her game has many more
facets. I believe she will be a special player for us this year, plus
she continues to get the job done in the classroom as well.”
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Amber Peters #22 5’9” Sophomore Point Guard
Niles High School /
Jim Arnold
…....returning Honorable
Mention MCCAA Western conference player…… knows how to run a team and
how to win …. returns as ‘Captain’ of the Cougar’s ship…….Very physical
player who’s a strong perimeter defender …….led 05-06 team in assists
and averaged 8.2 ppg from the point guard spot………excellent student who’s
course of study is Pre-Law….. loves “hanging out with friends”, and
being on the lake in her spare time…….
……Her favorite player
is Allen Iverson
Coach’s
Comments: “It didn’t take
long for the coaching staff to figure out last year that Amber had all
the qualities you look for in a point guard to run our “show”. She has
tremendous court vision and the strength to push the tempo. It’s obvious
she loves the game and has worked hard on developing her skills. She’s
one of the strongest kids – at any position – that we’ve ever had here,
and one of the most durable. She had an excellent year last year and has become a more
versatile player who can make someone else better
or get her own shot. We’re excited about what her potential is and look
forward to her continued excellence!”
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Charity Knight #24 5’6” Sophomore Guard
Otsego High School
/ Pat McMullen……Lake Superior State/Jamie Pewinski
…….One of the top guards to ever compete in the
Kalamazoo Area …… transfer from Lake Superior State where she appeared
in all 29 games and averaged about 15 minutes a game as a
freshman…….Three Time Class "B" All State player ……4 year Wolverine
Conference All Star.......holds records at Otsego in their rich
tradition for career points, points in a season, career assists and
career assists...... Excellent student who finished in the top 10 of
her senior class at Otsego….…course of study is Liberal Arts..….loves
to spend time with her amazing family.
……Her favorite player is Michael Jordan
Coach’s Comments:
“The addition of Charity to an already well stocked arsenal of perimeter
players gives us unprecedented depth and we really feel that she can
help make some special things happen this year! She’s still learning
our system, but she’s so smooth and skilled that I have no doubt that it
will be a relatively short process. She has a very high 'basketball
IQ'. She’s shown she can score and can play any of the positions
on the perimeter offensively plus she is an excellent defender. We’re
excited about what she brings to our team and we're very pleased she's
here!" |
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Samantha Karasiewicz #32 5’5” Sophomore
Point Guard
Belding High School
/ Sara Holt
…....brings great
quickness and speed to the court ……tenacious defender who started
several games last year and is comfortable in that role, but settled
into an important back up role last year……… a close second in assists on
the team at 3.9 APG playing an average of 19 minutes a game…..one of the
best free throw shooters on the team…… stepping up a bit more
offensively and taking care of the basketball will fuel her contribution
this year…..outstanding student who’s undecided as to a course of
study……. enjoys snow boarding in her spare time during the winter……
…..Her favorite player
is Tayshaun Prince
Coach’s
Comments: “Spanky brings a
tremendous energy to the floor. Last year we were extremely impressed with her
passing skills and the way she handled herself and the team during
pressure situations but she has
shown us much more in early workouts. She is capable of breaking down
the defense and has become more assertive offensively. Her ability to make
others around her better and her willingness to share the ball makes her
a very valuable commodity. She has the physical tools to be an
impact player in this league and as her confidence continues to grow
will prove that.”
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Jacquel Rogers #34 5’7”
Freshman Guard
Eau Claire
High School
/ Mike Claeys
..…Outstanding
athlete with exceptional speed and quickness.......... Conference All Star as a junior and senior
…….…Honorable Mention All State as a senior........MVP of her team......has an uncanny ability to make the right decision in the transition
game.........scorer, not just a shooter……….will be a candidate for the
KVCC nursing program..........Likes to watch the Lifetime channel on TV……
……Her favorite player
is Kobe Bryant
Coach’s Comments: “We
first saw Jacquel when they played Hackett as
a senior. Hackett was trying to press them
and couldn't - because of her. She does some amazing things in
transition and reminds me a little of former player Melba Melton, who
went on to play at Clarion. Although she's got a lot to learn
about the way the game is played at the college level, we feel she
has just touched the tip of the iceberg as far as her capabilities as a
player. As she begins to understand the college game and be
disciplined in how she plays, we feel that she'll become an excellent all around player.
Her first step will be catching up to the speed and pace of the game. Her work ethic will determine the extent of her role as
she goes thru the learning curve that every freshman goes thru.”
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Kim Gear
#40 6’2”
Sophomore
Post Player
Watervliet High
School / Jim Winter
……. MCCAA
Western Conference All Star as a
freshman……averaged a double double in league with 13.1 PPG and 11.3
RPG......had the unique experience of playing in two National NJCAA
tournaments last year -
both the Cougar basketball and volleyball team qualified for the
NJCAATournament ……..brings strength and quickness in the post, in addition to range out to “three”………still undecided at this
point between a career in business or education……
………Her favorite player is
Ruth Riley
Coach’s Comments:
“Kim blossomed
beautifully last year and was playing with a lot of confidence. We
have no reason to think that she won't continue to build on that effort.
A nagging foot injury slowed her a bit at the end of the season, but she
battled thru it and gave a wonderful effort in the post season.
When she matches her tremendous skills with a continually improving
toughness in the post, there's no limit to what she can help us
accomplish as a team. She's a fine student and has high expectations for herself
and what she can accomplish here. So do we. She has shown the
potential to become one of our most
productive post players ever. With continued hard work and effort, both on
the floor and in the weight room, we'll see her realize her dreams and
we look forward to her joining us after Volleyball.”
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Heather Buren
#42 6’0” Freshman
Post Player
Vicksburg High
School / Dan Moulton
……. Wolverine
Conference All Star ...... voted MVP of her team as a senior ……also
Captain and offensive player of the year......Honors student and member
of the National Honor Society ……..brings quickness and speed in the post, in addition to range out to “three”………Elementary
Education emphasis - 4th or 5th grade……
………Her favorite player is Ben Wallace
Coach’s Comments:
“Heather caught our
eye mid season of her senior season in a game against Galesburg Augusta
when she used her quickness to negate the opposing 6'1" post player.
We kept our eye on her and she continued to sparkle on a team that
struggled a bit. She runs the floor like a deer and that fits our
style of play. She uses her quickness to make up for a slight
frame and as she learns the pace of the college game will become a
factor at both ends. Wants to move on to a 4 year school and we're
looking forward to helping her with that.”
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Christine Dendel #44 6’0”
Freshman Post Player
Otsego Baptist
Academy
/ Bill Rose
..........First team
All Conference player from the Cornerstone Athletic Conference who
played both point guard and post player........Most Valuable Player of
her team.... ....member of the National Honor Society with a 3.85
GPA........Strong physical player who can also score from
distance..........in the excellent Law Enforcement program at
KVCC.......enjoys skateboarding -but not during season!
.........Her favorite
player is Ben Wallace
Coach’s
Comments:
“Christine has a strong desire to play at the next level. Because
of the level of competition she played at a small Christian school, she
was a little behind some of the other players in terms of her
development. Her great work ethic and a sincere 'want to' attitude
has helped her narrow that gap in early workouts. What role she
plays for us this year will certainly be determined by how quickly she
catches up to the speed and pace of the game and how well she can guard
someone. Based on early progress I would say she is learning daily
and could end up giving us some extra depth in the post.”
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Kate Whittaker
#50 6’0”
Sophomore Post Player
Niles High School /
Jim Arnold
…….another strong
player out of super successful Niles program..….Third on last year's
team in rebounding……….expected to provide post strength and leadership
this year at both ends of the floor for
the Lady Cougars…….great attitude and work ethic……..very strong young
lady who’s not afraid to be physical in the post………two sport athlete who
will join the softball team after basketball.……loves to spend time with friends
and line dancing in her spare time……..pre-nursing student here at Valley……..
……Favorite player
is Shaq
Coach’s Comments:
“We feel that Kate is ready to step up and be an impact post player in
this league. She has excellent quickness in the post and gives us
a strong, physical presence on the box and really began to show an
understanding of what we were looking for at the end of the season.
She had a huge impact on our late season run last year and we feel
strongly that she will be able to step in and assume a bigger role than
she played last year. She makes everyone around her work harder,
plus she has a nice perspective on the game. A fierce competitor who is
really hard to guard when she plays on balance & under control.
Could have a special year.”
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Jessica Rando #12 5’6” Freshman Guard/Forward
Hanover Horton High School /
Coach Lacey Fauschnet
……record setting guard
with exceptional athleticism……. team captain as a junior and senior…..very
quick player with good handling skills.........capable of playing either
guard position……Honor roll student............very strong defensive
player that also set records for assists in a game, total assists in
career and free throw % ...... .......would like to play beyond
KVCC….. in science curriculum with an eye toward veterinary
medicine.......... Loves working with animals in spare time....
…….Her favorite player
is Rip Hamilton
Coach’s
Comments: “Jess
visited our school in the summer after her senior season after visiting
several other schools and decided that KVCC was the place for her.
She has shown an outstanding work ethic and very good defensive skills
in early drills. Her handling ability in the open court is very
good and continued work on her perimeter shooting touch from distance
will make her very dangerous. She has the speed and quickness to
be a very good player and I think that will happen for her because of
her great work ethic. Her contribution this year will depend on how well
she makes the transition to a new level of play.”
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Lissette Rodriguez Red Shirt 5’5” Freshman
Guard
Republica del
Peru, Dominican Republic / Mario B.
Kalamazoo Central High
School / Shikoko Cantrell
…... member of the National Honor Society at K.
Central…….played with the Dominican Republic National juvenile team……….excellent
scorer with the ball in her hands…… very nice touch out to “3” …….loves to spend time with
her family and watching movies with her friends………
……..Favorite Player – Lisa Leslie
Coach’s Comments: “Lissette attended
several of our summer camps and always stood out. She has nice one
on one skills and when she's able to convert those skills into a more
structured style we really feel she will be a good player for us.
She will practice every day with us and 'red-shirt' this season as she
competes every day against some of the best guards in the conference.
Her emphasis will be to prepare herself to step in next year and
contribute.”
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Jessica Woehrmyer Red-Shirt 5’10” Freshman
Post
Three Rivers
High School / Chase Cottingham
…... very strong young lady from
Coach Cottingham's
program in Three Rivers...... can play in both the high and low
post area and make a play……….excellent rebounder who always seems to be
around the ball…… nice touch out to “3”……......loves to spend time with
her family and go camping in her off time………
……..Favorite Player
– Larry Bird & “Magic” Johnson
Coach’s Comments: “Jessica was a late
addition to our team this year and because of some class conflicts will
probably spend the year as a 'red-shirt'. She brings a very
physical presence and as she continues to mature as a player must find a
way to finish around the basket. She is a strong defender and
rebounder and that is a nice base to build on for the future.
Practicing every day with us will certainly give her the opportunity to
hone her offensive skills so she can step in next year and become a
factor for us."
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