Coach optimistic about women’s basketball season

By Julie Newell
Sports/Photo Editor

Basketball season is headed our way and LCC Women's Basketball Coach Layne Ingram is in good spirits about the upcoming season.

 "I feel pretty good," third-year coach Ingram said. "We brought in nine freshman and that's a lot, a lot of new kids. But the thing about them is that they're basketball players, and what I mean by that is they like to work, they like to get better. They love the game.

"So while they are young and they don't have experience at the college level, they are good players. They do like to work."

Last year's team finished only 9-20 overall, and 5-13 in the MCCAA Western Conference.

Despite that record, as well as having only four returning players, Ingram said he is optimistic about the team.

"I have four sophomores coming back and I'm really proud about the way that they've kind of stepped up to show the young kids how we do things," Ingram said. "Celia (Ridsdale), who's our point guard … she is really being a great leader."

Ingram talked about one of the returning sophomore's accomplishments with the team.

"Tanaesha Daniels – she's a sophomore – she is super athletic, she ended up being our most improved player last year and our best defensive player, so I expect really big things out of her," Ingram said.

"We lost seven games (by) six points or less," Ingram said about last season. "You know that comes down to mental toughness and putting the ball in the basket and making layups and stuff."

After the struggles of last season, Ingram said he is determined and hopeful for this upcoming season.

"I want to win the conference championship," Ingram said. "I think we have the team, the players that could do it. It's going to be a matter (of) if they come together or not."

"They seem to all get along in a respectful way," Ingram said about the players. "They enjoy being around each other, they push each other, they hold each other accountable … those are positive things out of a young team."

 "I think we got a shot to kind of put LCC back on the map, I hope," Ingram added.

The first game of the season is going to be at home in the Gannon Gym on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. against Great Lakes Christian College.

Everyone is welcome to come out and support the LCC Stars.