When the 2009-10 PacWest Conference Preseason Polls debuted last October,
Academy of Art found itself slotted in the middle of the pack, predicted to finish sixth.
What transpired last season, however, was much different from what the league predicted, so when February rolled around and the Urban Knights had the opportunity to move one slot higher in the league standings they did just that.
The Academy of Art University women's basketball team posted a 10-17 overall record and finished 5-10 in conference play in its first season as a full NCAA Division II member and in the Pacific West Conference under second year head coach, Lindsey Yamasaki.
“Our first full conference schedule proved to be more of a challenge than we originally anticipated. I was comfortable with where we were physically at any given point in the season, I became more concerned, however, with our mental and emotional endurance”, says Yamasaki.
Yamasaki continues, “It is not easy to play four games in eight days in Hawaii, especially when you lose the first couple. It was hard to get in a groove with our conference schedule; I think it took a serious toll on our team”
In their final contest the Urban Knights bested BYU-Hawaii to knock the Seasiders out of fifth place and etch their spot behind Notre Dame de Namur University. “Honestly, I was shocked at how well were able to finish our season. I was proud that our girls took it upon themselves to end the season with a bang and they did just that”, Coach Yamasaki remarks.
The Urban Knights returned just three players who saw action in their inaugural season, and, in fact, lost six players from the previous season, replacing them with four transfer students and two freshmen. The Urban Knights were also adding quality personnel with their new additions. “We knew that we needed to increase or roster size but even more so we knew we need to add a significant amount of talent in order to compete in our first Pac West conference schedule”, said Yamasaki.
The Urban Knights performance last season was a vast improvement from their inaugural season at 6 wins overall and what would of been one conference victory over Chaminade University [had the Urban Knights been eligible for league play]. AAU amassed the program's most overall wins thus far.
"We did not alter our goals from the beginning of the season to the end. We went in telling ourselves that we would be disappointed with anything less than a conference championship and I think we were warranted in setting our goals so high… We came in with a lot of talent and potential and we knew we were only going to get better”, Yamasaki says.
With such a noticeable improvement Head Coach Lindsey Yamasaki has much to be proud of over her sophomore season at the helm of the Academy of Art women’s basketball team.
The Urban Knights opened their season by going 3-1 in their first four games. Within the first two weeks the Urban Knights were already three games away from besting their previous season’s overall record.
"There are good and bad that go with starting out strong like we did this season”, Says Yamasaki. She continues stating, “Clearly it is good for team morale and of course our record to log wins, but with a new team like we had with very little experience playing together it may have also inflated their egos a bit. I tried my best to remind the team that we needed to fight for every win and that every team is expecting to stomp us. I think we lost a few games to some lesser teams because we went in thinking we were going to easily win.”
The strong start threw some teams for a loop, especially Pittsburg State University whom the Urban Knights beat during the Norte Dame de Namur Thanksgiving Classic. “Our win against the highly ranked Pittsburgh State team gave me a bar to hold them to. That was as good as we played as a team until our last game”, said Yamasaki.
The Academy of Art had three players averaging double figures, and six players shooting above 40% for the season.
Junior College transfer standout Jessica Nolan earned a spot on the All PacWest Second Team, while senior guard Sondra Stilwell was named to the conference’s Honorable Mention list. Along with those athletes, the conference recognized three other players (Verity Peets, Lorraine Etchell, and Madeline Houston) during the season in the PacWest conferences’ weekly Top 10 Honor Roll.
Individually, Stilwell led the Academy of Art in scoring during her final season with 11.9 ppg and ranked 10th among PacWest opponents on her way to Honorable Mention honors. Etchell finished right behind her with 11.1 ppg ranking her 15th in conference, and Jessica Nolan rounded out the group with 10.6 ppg finishing 18th in the league.
In her first season as an Urban Knight, the junior led all PacWest players in rebounding to become the only Academy of Art player named to the Pac West Second Team. Nolan, from Lassen Junior College, emerged as a threat almost immediately for the Urban Knights, "Jessica Nolan is flat out talented. We relied on her for so much this season and I anticipate that we'll rely on her even more next year", said Coach Yamasaki. Her 8.6 rebounds a game ranked first in the conference. She ranked first in defensive rebounds (5.9 per game) and eighth in offensive rebounds (2.7 per game).
Overall, Nolan shot 50% from the floor, which ranked her fifth in the conference, eighth in assists, 11th in steals and 11th in blocks. "I am glad her well rounded game was recognized; I expect a lot more attention and recognition for her in her senior season", Coach Yamasaki said of the nominee.
Nolan poured in a career high of 27 points against Dominican University on February 18, 2010. She reached double figures in scoring 14 times this season and double digits in rebounds 13 times, and had 10 double-doubles, finishing on a five game streak. Coach Yamasaki closed with this, "Jess is such a great person, and I’m excited to see where her hard work will take her; the sky is definitely the limit!"
Senior Sondra Stilwell paced Academy of Art offensively in her final collegiate Season. "Sondra was so much more than [just] a scorer for us. Sondra led this team in every sense of the word. In practice, games, on the road and in the classroom, she was the epitome of a student athlete", said Head Coach Lindsey Yamasaki.
With all the roles the senior held on the team she still managed an impressive final season resume. On the whole, Stilwell shot 45% from the field earning her a ninth place ranking among fellow PacWest opponents, fourth in assists (3.9 ppg), and ninth in steals.
Lorraine Etchell, who was one of three returners who saw action last season, stepped up her level of play during her sophomore campaign. The guard from Healdsburg, CA ranked eighth in the conference in terms of field goal percentage at 46%. The sophomore hit 20 points three times this season and finished with a career high 23 points in the Urban Knights final game.
“Lorraine has grown so much from her freshmen season. Her learning curve is so high, I am confident she will be twice the player she is now come her senior season”, says Yamasaki of the sophomore.
Yamasaki goes on to say, “Lorraine is likely to fall into even more of a leadership role next year. She is our voice in the huddle and she is first up the hill. I give her all the credit for accomplishing what she has thus far."
In addition to the core group of three already mentioned, Coach Yamasaki had another solid group of three that she could relay on throughout the season, those players were; transfer student’s Ashleigh Frazier, Verity Peets and freshman Madeline Houston.
Peets wasted no time asserting herself as a force on the Urban Knights' squad, in the juniors debut contest against William Jessup University she notched a team high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds she followed that with an 18 point performance in the Urban Knights loss to Fort-Lewis College the following week. Peets finished the season averaging 9.5 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game. “Verity is a strong girl and we are working hard to help her use that strength to her advantage. She and I both know that her play this year was just the tip of the iceberg. Verity has touch, she has great size and she is mobile and above all she has a phenomenal attitude. She is setting her self up for a great senior season”, said Yamasaki.
Peets was not the only new player to assert herself early on, Junior College transfer Ashleigh Frazier poured in a 20-point performance in the Urban Knights 71-67 win over Pittsburg State back on Nov. 28. The guard could not only score from anywhere on the court, but also had the ability to rebound the ball which was a big help to the often undersized Urban Knight squad. Frazier finished third on the team in rebounds, grabbing a total of 92 including 35 off the offensive glass.
With just one point guard, Madeline Houston, the 5’6 freshman guard from Tualatin, OR didn’t have the luxury of using her freshman campaign to develop and observe the offense like most freshman do. Houston was called to perform early on, and had an accelerated learning process throughout the season, which could explain her vast improvement over the course of the season. Although the freshman wasn’t on the top of the list in terms of scoring her teammates coaches will agree that her hard work and determination far out weigh the points on the scoreboard. “Madeline got her feet wet this season and was able to make a difference on our team. What a great experience is was for her to get out there and get a feel for the conference and our team”, said Yamasaki.
“However proud we are of her accomplishments this year, Madeline is going is moving into her sophomore season with an even higher expectation. With the loss of Sondra next year we need Madeline to step into more of a leadership role as a point guard. I know she can do it and I am looking forward to seeing her embrace the challenge”, Yamasaki exclaims.
With two complete seasons under Coach Yamasaki’s belt and just three players lost, the Academy of Art women’s basketball team hopes to continue its rapid improvements and continue to turn heads along the way.