2004

Lady Warriors warlt return to Kansas

are "passional~.:" about winn 'lf and have made it dear that thcv wan• to continu• the winning trad tion and hopefully return to the NJCAA Tournament. "Our goal '' always to wm the division, state and region tourna· ments and mah:. it to the nation: tournament, and I think this grOLP 1s detennined to succeed," Hodg~.: said. "However, I believe tJ league is stronger this year and everybody will be giving U\ heir best because of our success la-.t season." Top returnees are guard Kristin Chancy, a product of Newton Couhty High School, ar· guard/forward Kotrcece Bender. of Newton. Chaney. who was named to the All-Region 23 Tournament Team and was selected All-State, averaged 11 points per gaine while Bender had nine pointe; per contest. Other returnees are guards Roxana Rogers and Kim Cox, both of Lake, and 5-foot· ll forward lndia Backstrom of Neshoba Central. Freshmen arc guards Ashley Flint of Choctaw Central, LaSaundra Harrison of Union, Heather Steele of Nanih Waiya, Tierra Young of South Leake, Erica Hardin of Louisville, Aja Loveless See EC WOMEN, page 19

From combined reports If the NJCAA preseason poll is an indicator for success. then East Central Community College women's basketball team should be makmg plans for a return trip to the nat1onal tournament in Salina. Kansas. in 2005. The Lady Warriors. ranked sixth C m the prc:-.eason rankings. finished ~ eighth in the nat10n m 2003-04. u lftc: wmmng runner-up honors in !;! the NJCAA Consolation Bracket < and finishmg with a 31-4 record. Led by third-year head coach Brad Hodge and fonner asststant LaCole Brooks, the East Central women advanced to the national tourney after capturing the Region 23, MACJC and South Division onwns. Although the preseason ranking IS nattering to the program, Hodge 'a•d the Lady Warriors "have a lot to prove" if they are to make a rrtum tnp to the prestigious tourna– uwnt "We've got another competitive ;111d lnid "We've also got the depth we need to be successful u

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eeoc Pholo Fro nt row, from left: Aja Loveless, Em1ly Mrw;oy, s tudent assistants Lakeisha Bobbitt, Ashley Cla rk, Kasenda Overstreet, Mo nica Carter, Jwmeo Jones and Krystle Hunter. Second row: As hley Flint, S hannon Lloyd, LaSaundra Harrison, Kw.tln Chaney, Heather Steele, Roxana Rogers, Kim Cox and Tierra Young. Back: Head coach Orad I lodge, Dominetrix Hunter, Sara Judice, Kotreece Bender, India Backstrom, Erica Ha rdin, Lauren Wh1te, April Viverette and assista nt Zareth Gray.

in the league, although our mcom– ing freshmen have yet to learn what it takes to compete night-in and night-out at this level. Once they figure that out, we've got a chance to be productive." Hodge said the strength of this year's squad is team leadership. EC Women of Newlon ami chill)' M·r .,.,, 1. sl Runkin Ac:tdelll)'' fo",. 1 .1 lAllllll~l'lrix I hllllt.·r or Philtulclphi;l anti ~arn Judll~C of T"l 1 · _. alholle (1. a.t; 1,... 11 ,, 1 , 1 1 , 1111 . _ I ,. • "' ·• ott 1,. ~ I ( t!C II • ter~ 6 1 Sh.illllOII tl•l) d of \\ht Laudcrdall~ aud (). 1 1\pnl Viv·r 11 I Ea ' ' s.,l.) o r.. · ' ••\.tn:> C . _ , cc r lrl~tli Conf ed f tnu rom page 17

"We return live players off last year's group, including two starters and two players that saw a lot of action coming off the bench," he said. "Their leadership and experi– ence is a big plus for the program, because they know what it takes to

be successful. This group has the same competitive nature as last year, but the bottom line is that this team is also very talented and I expect us to do well once we have a complete understanding of play– ing to our potential every night." Hodge said the Lady Warriors

into for Ul> to he 'ucccssful. She·:~ r:sponding well t<·l· the players and fT v•ce versa." ) The Lady Wamor<. hcgan the E 200-1 05 campa11•n hy hmting t..

Beginning her first year a!. an assistant i<> Zarcth Gray, a former at Michigan State Uruvcrs1ty. She also played profes- st~dou_t "7.areth 1s doing a great joh with our phl' IHI' \\111~ .• -d .11 tht 1>1 \1·11'11 I lnd untlrr \OIIIl' g

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