After being picked to finish last in the Mid-American Conference West Division last season, the Toledo women’s basketball team went 18-13 (11-5 MAC) under first-year head coach Tricia Cullop and ended the year as the second-ranked team in the division. As a result, Cullop earned MAC Co-Coach of the Year honors and the Rockets were picked as the favorites to win the MAC West Division this season, which begins with an exhibition game today against Ashland in Savage Arena at 7 p.m.
With nine returning letterwinners and all five starters returning, as well as six new additions to an experienced roster, the Rockets have both the depth and the experience to make a bid at a division and conference.
“It will not be an easy road in 2009-10, but our goal is to take that next step and win our division,” Cullop said. “In addition, we want to challenge for an overall MAC championship.”
Toledo certainly has the tools to do so, led by a trio of talented senior forwards in Allie Clifton, Lisa Johnson and Tanika Mays, who was named to the preseason All-MAC West Division team along with sophomore guard Naama Shafir.
“I expect our returners to give us great leadership and set the tone in building our team chemistry,” Cullop said. “I believe chemistry is a big factor and something that people don’t talk about that much, but I think that was a huge factor in the success we had in 2008-09. We beat teams last season that maybe had more talent on paper, but our players came together, gave everything they had and played with a lot of passion.”
One of those players was Shafir, who started all 31 games at point guard as a true freshman last season, leading the team in assists and earning a MAC All-Freshman team selection. A native of Hoshaya, Israel, Shafir has competed in the FIBA Europe competitions (Division B) for the last five years on the Israelis National Team and is the first female Orthodox Jew to receive an NCAA Division I scholarship.
“Naama really opened some eyes last season,” Cullop said. “She arrived in the United States for the first time and played a pretty impressive role for us.”
In addition to leadership and experience, the Rockets have added talented depth to their roster. Between the returning letterwinners, four incoming freshman and a transfer that will be eligible to play at the conclusion of the fall semester in junior guard Ashlee Barrett, Toledo will have bodies to rotate throughout the season. Among the new faces is 6-2 freshman Yolanda Richardson. A Toledo native, Richardson averaged 14.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a senior at Start High School last season, helping guide the Spartans to a 22-3 record and the school’s first appearance in the state finals. Richardson earned numerous individual accolades, including first-team all-state, Toledo City League and Associated Press Northwest All-District Player of the Year honors.
“Yolanda brings a new dimension to our team,” Cullop said. “She is a tremendous rebounder, a great shot-blocker and finishes very well around the basket.”
With a deep roster and a veteran core, the Rockets are poised to accomplish great things this season if they can stay healthy and focused on their goals.
“Obviously, people are going to expect us to do well this season, so we have to come back better than we were last year,” Cullop said. “We have to do the work that is going to get us over that next hump and challenge the squads at the top of the MAC.”
The Rockets’ season opener is on Nov. 13 against Northwestern at Savage Arena. Tip-time is set for 7 p.m.
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