women's basketball

 

Season Review

 

The Faith women’s basketball team finished the season with a 16 – 12 record. This is the first winning season for the women’s basketball team since 2002-2003. Faith also set another high mark by making it to the NCCAA DII regional championship game for the first time since the 2000-2001 season.  Faith returned five players from last year’s team. Among the returners were last year’s First Team All-Region Meghan DeBerg, and First Team All-Region/All American Honorable Mention Lindsie Poorman. Faith added 6 new players made up of 4 freshmen and 2 upperclassmen.  With more basketball experience, Faith started the season with some high hopes of being very competitive and having a good shot to win the region.

Faith started the season with a win at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, which was a good sign due to the outcome of that game the previous year. Faith had 11 first semester games, 3 of which were against NCAA D3 or Junior Colleges. Faith ended the semester at 6 -5. The biggest wins in the first semester included wins against Ozark Christian College and Manhattan Christian College. It had been a while since Faith beat either of those teams. Faith went 4-3 in November and 2-2 in December. The Lady Eagles started the second semester where they left off winning four games in a row. Faith went 4-2 in the month of January, and finished the month of February at 6-5. Faith never had a losing month, which was a big step forward from the previous year. Faith had close losses to region foe North Central with a nine point loss at home, and a four point loss on the road. Faith did beat Trinity Bible College and Providence College to secure the number two seed for the region tournament which was played at Faith Baptist Bible College.

Faith started the region tournament with a big win over Trinity Bible College.  Faith made it to the championship game against North Central and gave them everything they had in the regulation period. North Central was able to win the game in overtime. “I was so proud of the effort the ladies gave in that championship game. To get the game to overtime shows how well our team played, and how much they improved throughout the year,” said Coach Rosekopf.

Off the court, the Lady Eagles were able to minister in several different ways. . The ladies were able to collect items for the Restoring Hope Village ministry in South Africa. The team was able to put on a basketball clinic for the girl’s home in Toledo, Iowa. The team also was able to put on a chapel service for Woodcrest Baptist Academy in Fridley, Minnesota. Throughout the entire year, the team displayed great attitudes and testimonies as they represented God, Faith, and each other.

Lindsie Poorman and Meghan DeBerg were named to NCCAA DII First Team All-Region. Katherine Michalski was named to the Second Team All-Region. Meghan DeBerg received NCCAA DII athlete of the week in the month of February. Emily Johnson, Christie Weiberg, and Julie Huntrods received NCCAA Scholar Athletes award.

Lindsie Poorman led the team in scoring (296) and steals (64). Meghan DeBerg led the team in rebounds (297), blocks (81), and field goal percentage (42.8%). In just her two seasons at Faith. Meghan set the career blocks record with 164 at 3.28 per game. Meghan led the NCCAA DII in blocks and was top 5 in rebounds.  Katherine Michalski led the team in free throw percentage (78.8%), and tied with Ally Gittins for assists (91). Ally Gittins led the team in three pointers made with (26). Some of the highlights of the team’s final statistics are finishing 4th in the nation in assists per game (13.8), 2nd in the nation in blocks per game (4.4), 2nd in the nation in scoring defense (50.2), and 3rd in the nation in defensive 3pt. FG% (23.7%).