Indian women picked to repeat

HICKORY — This might not be a bad day for Catawba women’s basketball coach John Duncan to ask for a raise.

Everyone knows that Duncan’s built a sweet 105-36 record during his five years in Salisbury and that his Indians swept the SAC regular season and tournament titles last season.

But Thursday, Duncan took respect to a whole new level. He received the equivalent of an intentional walk when the league’s coaches got together at Hickory’s Holiday Inn Select and picked Catawba (25-5, 13-1 last season) to repeat.

The choice was surprising. Maybe mind-boggling.

Because Duncan no longer directs that awesome inside-outside wrecking crew of Donna Carr-Lakai Brice. They graduated. In fact, Duncan has just three returning players who have seen serious minutes. And he has no one back that scored in double figures.

But maybe the SAC coaches have the inside scoop on those two Division I transfers Duncan keeps smiling about.

Or maybe they just figure that Duncan’s so sharp that if he manages to learn the first names of all 16 new roster additions by Thanksgiving, he’ll find a way to whip everyone again.

Catawba’s team-to-beat nod was far from unanimous. In fact, four teams attracted first-place votes and as many as five squads harbor legitimate title aspirations. This year, the SAC’s not just the Big Three of Catawba, Presbyterian and Wingate. Upstarts Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill have the edge on the perennial powers in terms of proven talent.

PC didn’t get any first-place votes because it lost SAC Player of the Year Rachel Sloan. But it still has talented forward Toni Leopard, the best-shooting blonde this side of Dirk Nowitzki. If Leopard, who makes 88 percent from the stripe, doesn’t change her spots, she’s good enough to lead the Blue Hose to 20-plus wins.

Pfeiffer grad Seph Hatley, head coach at woeful Newberry last season, is now a PC assistant.

Wingate lost the stars off a team that joined Catawba in the NCAA Tournament — its sixth appearance in eight years. But the Bulldogs still have venerable head coach Johnny Jacumin. In a league where schools change women’s coaches as often as their uniforms, Jacumin’s stayed on the job for 21 years and 468 wins.

Respect for the league’s grand old man placed the Dogs third, despite the fact that leading returnee Katie Laettner — yep, she’s you know who’s sister — scored a meager 5.2 ppg.

Fourth went to Mars Hill, which won 17 last season and played Catawba tough twice. The Lions have a new coach in Mandy Mattox but still boast wing scorer Denise Shelton, who made All-America teams.

Lenoir-Rhyne was pegged fifth and that may prove too low. The Bears have every starter back from a 15-12 team, including a a pair of preseason first-team all-conference picks. They’ve also added freshman Shea Blacknell, whom new coach Karen Barefoot claims could be the school’s best ever.

Barefoot (good name for a lady who will be coaching Bears) comes to Hickory off a small college national title at the Apprentice School in Virginia. Barefoot is assisted by Rachel Proudfoot, so the Bears may have a leg — or maybe it’s a paw — up on the competition.

Carson-Newman, Tusculum and Newberry rounded out the voting and won’t contend this time. Carson-Newman and Newberry are breaking in new coaches, while Tusculum’s Suzanne McBride is back for a second try.

n

Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com .