2006-07 Women’s Preview
SENIOR SQUAD SEEKS RETURN TO NAIAs
 
November 1, 2006

Wise, VA – The Lady Cavs’ seniors worked three years to make a run to the NAIA national playoffs and Appalachian Athletic Conference crown. The five veteran teammates, LaShay Collier, Sarah Helton, Rachel Helton, Terri Ann Hill and Chelsea Lee, took the University of Virginia’s College at Wise women’s basketball team to levels it had never reached in program history and look for a 2006-07 repeat performance.

Eighth-year head coach Rachel Clay-Keohane will direct the talent dotting the UVA-Wise roster but knows duplicating the 24-10 record, AAC tournament title and second trip to the NAIA national playoffs.

“We have all of the seniors along with a good group of others coming back and would like to have a repeat trip the NAIA championships,” admits Clay-Keohane. “It will be harder to do this year because of the usual personnel adjustments as well as other teams will now be targeting us.”

The Lady Cavs head into 2006-07 ranked 23rd in the NAIA Division II preseason poll as well being picked second in the AAC behind only last year’s regular season champion, Bryan College, but did receive four first place votes.

The road ahead of the team will be vastly more difficult schedule wise this season. Along with playing Bryan, Milligan and the rest of the AAC two times, the team has the top rated NAIA Division II team for most of last season and 2nd-ranked, Cedarville (OH) College, in the mid-November Shawnee State Classic. They also face the 24th-rated host team in the same weekend and again as part of the Urbana (OH) Classic at the end of December. The docket will also feature NAIA Division I 18th-ranked Georgetown and 19th-rated Berea both at home in the first month and the elite Orlando NAIA Challenge before Christmas.

With the tough tests on the schedule, the quintet of seniors’ leadership will be all the more important for the season’s success on the court.

“It definitely won’t be an easy road but I truly feel it will be a good year,” explains the head coach. “Our seniors have a lot of grit and all work extremely hard every day to prepare which sets a true example.”

The NAIA All-American and program’s 5th all-time leading scorer (1,579 pts.), Sarah Helton, will again be the top cog in the Lady Cavs’ engine. The 6-0 forward scored 555 points (16.3 ppg) and pulled down 290 rebounds (8.5 rpg) to go with 92 steals, 72 assists and 21 blocked shots.

Helton will lead a versatile group of inside players who can also switch to the wing. The group includes both her twin sister, Rachel, and Hill.

The 6-0 Rachel is not only the team’s top outside scoring threat but also will be called upon to increase her rebounding (2.2 rpg). She added 11.5 ppg, a career-best and hit 40.6% of her three-pointers (69 of 170).

At 5-9, Hill can play anywhere from the wing to the post. She fills the hole where the team needs while able to hit 40 three’s with 8.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg averages.

Sophomore Lauren Jervis is the lone other returner inside. Jervis, one of the team’s best outside shooters, scored 43 points and grabbed 49 boards a year ago.

Newcomers Sheila Royall, a two-time all-district player for Patrick County, and 6-3 Kelli Lane round out the inside players.

The senior backcourt duo of Lee and Collier will set the stage and pace the attack for UVA-Wise. The two interchangeable guards handed scored 830 points, handed out 293 assists and stole 164 balls.

Lee will start in the Lady Cavs backcourt for the fourth year. She hit a team-best 79.9% from the foul line while averaging 12.6 ppg and made 39 treys to go with 155 assists and 82 steals.

After transferring from NCAA DII Tusculum, Collier added a quick and explosive presence in the backcourt. She made a team-best 54.6% of her shots (171 of 313) and was third in rebounds at 4.9 rpg. She added 12.6 ppg, 138 assists and 82 steals in her first year on the team.

Junior Crystal Ratcliffe and sophomore Kim Norris return to the guard rotation. Ratcliffe, who contributed 2.5 ppg, sees the floor well and is expected to step up to a bigger leadership role this season.

After a great preseason, Norris will get much needed minutes at backup point guard and her progress will make a three-guard set possible for the Lady Cavs.

Redshirt junior Ashley Reese, sophomore Linsey Fletcher and the three freshmen, LaRae Boyd, Shannon Royall and Brittany Maxwell, round out the guard compliment of players.

Reese, who sat out last season, is quick and one of the best ‘on ball’ defender and comes into the year the most improved player from last year.

Fletcher saw limited action last season, scoring two points and grabbing eight boards, worked hard to improve her overall game for her second year.

All-State and All-Region player Boyd, a preseason surprise, is a great shooter and is strong with the ball.

Maxwell had an outstanding career at Twin Valley High School. The All-State and All-Region player has a quick step and can shoot from long-range.

Royall brings another athletic player to the roster and will look to capture some minutes at a guard spot.