A new team, a fresh start

All the recruiting is finished. The freshman and transfers have been meshed with the returning players. The off-season workouts and weight lifting sessions are long gone. Preseason conditioning and practices have made a ready-to-play team. Women's basketball is hitting the court and trying to improve on their 7-20 record from last season.The Colonels return four starters and two other players from last year's squad. The storyline this year will be if the team is able to step-up and not only contribute, but also have an impact, to a successful season.

"It's hard to believe the season is here, whether we're ready or not, it's here," head coach Chrissy Roberts said. "We signed some very talented new players to go along with our strong group of returning players. This season will be a roller coaster ride with a lot of highs and lows. As long as we stay competitive then we will be just fine."

Most collegiate teams will return eight or more players from the previous year. The Colonels only return six, but all were contributors and started a combined 104 games last season. Leading scorer Kayla Drake will not return for the 2009-10 season, after transferring to IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne). Drake averaged 16 points and nearly three assists per game and was also named OVC Freshman of the Year while starting all 27 games last season.

Coach Roberts will rely on junior Nadia Mossong. Mossong is the returning leading scorer at nine points per game while bringing down 6.5 rebounds a contest. Mossong started all 27 games last season and played over 26 minutes per game.

Also returning for the Colonels are seniors Colette Cole and Sarah Fraser-Jones. Cole brings 8.5 points and 5.6 rebounds back from last season; started 21 of the 27 games and played nearly 28 minutes per game. Fraser-Jones started in 22 of those games averaging nearly four rebounds and shooting 77 percent from the free throw line. Both players bring back experience and leadership to a team filled with new players trying to learn the ropes.

"Our coaches had to put a lot of effort into teaching everyone what we need to do to be successful," Cole said. "We returning players had to show everyone what to do to be ready on the court."

Coach Roberts said she has noticed her players stepping up and teaching the newcomers on the court.

"Our chemistry has been getting a lot stronger since our first practice," Roberts said. "Our returning players are coaching our new ones very well. For us to win games we must finish every play. We cannot take any breaks and when we make mistakes we need to make plays to make up for them."

One of the new players expected to make an impact is junior college transfer Talisha Davis. Davis was rated as the 28th best junior college player and sixth best point guard. She averaged 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists at Lincoln Trail College. Davis' speed fits right in with the Colonels offensive attack.

"We are going to speed it up this year," Coach Roberts said. "Our offense will consist of a lot of running. We want to force the issue on both offense and defense for 40 minutes. There is going to be a lot of fast-breaks and pressing where we are going to trap and run all over the court."

Another newcomer is 6'1" freshman Alex Jones. Jones was ranked as one of the top five players in Kentucky last season. Jones was a two-time all-state selection, averaging 17.4 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals a game as a senior at Elizabethtown High School.

"Alex will be a very strong for us once she is ready," Coach Roberts said.

The players seem to mimic the coach's feeling of optimism toward Jones.

"She is going to help us a lot this season and be a real strong player down low," senior forward Colette Cole said.

The Colonels have height this season, which was a major problem last year.

"Height is key this season, and it is nice to have it now," said Coach Roberts. "Kaiti has really improved and our height has simply gotten better."

Kaiti Cochren, a 6'5" sophomore, transfers from Vincennes University to join Eastern. She averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds, and seven blocks per game during her senior season of high school. Sonjia Hoston, a 6'3" senior, returns for the Colonels. She played in 20 games last season and is coming off ACL surgery last summer.

"Sonjia has been very impressive this off-season," Roberts said. "She has not played in full contact yet and her knee did set her back a bit. Once she is ready she will be a big help to our team this season."

Brittany Coles, a 5'11 freshman, is another player who will be counted on to contribute early in her career for the Colonels. "Brittany is a very talented player," Roberts said. "She can play multiple positions, truthfully anywhere from 1-4. She has a great understand for the game but just needs to learn that she can't take any plays off at this level."

The Colonels opened with an exhibition game against Findlay College. The game did not go their way in a 55-36 loss. The Colonels shot 24.1 percent from the field and went 1-15 in three-point shooting. Cherie White led Eastern with nine points and eight rebounds. Brittany Coles scored eight points while Alex Jones added four points and eight rebounds.

Eastern opens the season Saturday traveling to Bowling Green to take on the Hilltoppers at 8 p.m.