Two All-Americans solidify Crusaders No. 5 ranking

The Evangel Crusaders, coming off a 25-8 year, enter the 2001-02 season ranked fifth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Division II. Head coach Steve Jenkins said the team is anchored by the inside-outside punch of All-Americans Bryan Osterloh and Daniel Cutberth.

The Crusaders will play 28 regular season games, this year, with 12 home games scheduled. Jenkins said that with a well-rounded squad of 20 players, he plans to have 13 to 14 players dressed out for each game.

Of this year's team, Jenkins said, "We have good overall size, but are not exceptionally tall on the average.

"We have good balance," he added. "Bryan is a good inside post player and Daniel is a good outside player."

Jenkins added that both players are area residents; Osterloh is a forward from Marionville and Cutberth is a guard from Hurley.

Jenkins also has high hopes for returning player Anthony Moore, a Springfield native, and freshman recruit Luke Cooper from Weaubleau.

According to Jenkins, Nov. 16-17 the Crusaders travel to Daytona Beach, Fla., for the four-team Daytona Mitsubishi Shutout tournament.

In the tourney, the Crusaders will play Embry-Riddle University. Both teams have national rankings, Embry-Riddle being picked No. 3 and Evangel No. 5.

This season marks the 20th year as head coach for Jenkins, an Evangel graduate himself. Jenkins has an overall record of 311-283.

His best season to date was in 1996-97 when the team finished 29-8. The Cru-saders that season went on to win the Heart of American Athletic Conference and the last game of the playoffs against William Jewell.

"We had to share the title as co-champions that season with William Jewell, but we beat them in the final game," Jenkins said.

The Crusaders also won the HAAC title in 2000-01. "Although we were co-champions in the 1996-97 season, we beat them outright in 2000-0l," Jenkins said.

Jenkins graduated summa cum laude from Evangel in 1974 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.

He later, in 1978, earned his master's degree from the University of South Florida. Jenkins also earned letters from both schools in basketball and in baseball.

He taught at Evangel Christian School in Lakeland, Fla., before returning to Springfield to assume the position of head coach of the men's Crusaders. He and his wife, Rhonda, have three children.

Assistant Coach Steve Shepherd joined the coaching staff in the 1998-99 season. Shepherd coached basketball in Aurora and Marionville and served three years as head coach at Parkview High School in Springfield.

According to Jenkins, Shepherd took the Marion-ville High School women's basketball to the state championship in 1991 and also that year was the winner of the Missouri Basketball Associa-tion Coach of the Year award.

The Evangel Crusaders are out to exceed their NAIA fifth-ranking prediction this year, said Jenkins, who is optimistic about the season and invites the public to at-tend the contests.

"We've got a good group of kids," he said. "The games should be fun to watch."

The Crusaders kicked off the new season with the Ozarks Food Harvest Classic. The team hosted Columbia College Nov. 9 and College of the Ozarks Nov. 10.

The games had not yet been played at press time.