Lady Bears set to reap rewards of experience

by Pat Nolan

SBJ Contributing Writer

The upcoming season promises to be a good one for the Lady Bears, if the team can get and stay healthy, said Head Coach Cheryl Burnett.

All last year, sophomore Ann Cavey played on a stress fracture. She had surgery to insert two pins into her ankle after the season was over, Burnett said.

"We'll all cross our fingers and hope that she'll end up healing well and progressing well in practice," Burnett said. "We need to get some people healthy" to succeed throughout the season and postseason.

One of the incoming freshman players, Melanie Fisher, is suffering from a back injury that has prevented her from practicing early in the semester.

"If we get those two back healthy I am very confident in this team," she said. "But that post position right now is kind of a gaping hole."

If they aren't healthy, the team will have to step it up in other places, she said.

"What I'm so excited about (with) this team is we have so much experience," Burnett said. "A year ago, when all of us coaches were looking out on the floor and seeing three sophomores and two freshmen, we were just about to die. It's now paying off for us."

The experience the returning players have is driving practices, Burnett said.

"The first four practices may have been the best practices we have had in a long time," she said. "It's because we have so many veterans. A year ago, we were extremely disappointed in losing the second round of the NCAA tournament. Some people might be satisfied with that