Shocker WBB 2018-19 Offseason/Preseason

[1972Shocker]

I received a call last week on my cell phone that I did not answer but I did receive a 1 minute voice mail. After listiening to it I though he might have been a robo-call but after re-listiening with my wife we don't think it was. The caller used our first names at two different tmes during the call and it just did not sound like a robo-call. It was Headh Coach Keitha Adams thanking my wife and I for being season ticket holders and supporting the team. She also said the would be sending out some information on a Double-Double campaign asking season tickets holders to try and find new season ticket holders in an attempt to boost support and attendance. She concluded by saying "but most importantly thank you so much for supporting us and know how much I truly appreciate it. Have a Great Day and Go Shocks!" she thanked us for supporting the team and that she really appreciated it and GO Shocks!

Now obviously Gregg Marshall doesn't need to be calling his season ticket holders to thank them and try to enlist there help in selling tickets. That's a waste of time for him. But I have never been called and personally thanked by my support from any WSU head coach ever. I suppose it shows how weak the support for WBB is but I think it also shows a Head Coach who is hard working, enthusiastic and determined to build a WBB program at Wichita State. I commend her for that.

I am not sure I know of anyone I can convince to match my 2 season tickets and, in fact, I doubt that that will happen. However, I am so impressed with what I have seen from Coach Keitha to this point that I think will buy and 2 extra GA season tickets next year and donate them to Big Brothers-Big Sisters.

Not sure what kind of team we have coming back next year as the Lady Shocks have just as big a challenge in reloading as the 3G faced with the Men's team this year. However, I have been impressed with the recruiting class HCKA has put together this year at least on paper. Still the Shocks will be extremely young and inexperienced next year same as the guys.

We'll have to see how it goes regarding prospects for increasing fan support. The one thing the ladies do have going for them that season tickers are are pretty inexpensive.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocker 2018-19 WBB Roster is now up but only includes the returning players. None of the incoming players are listed yet. Nevertheless it does provide some new information.

2 players in addition to the 8 outgoing seniors will apparently not be returning next season. Fanny Hakanson, a 5-8 G who was a Freshman last year, and Khady Sene, a 6-1 F who was a Sophomore last year, are not listed on the 2018-19 roster. I don't think this is a big surprise. Fanny only played 48 minutes last year and Kady did not play at all. From what little I saw of them neither was ever going to get anything other than mop-up minutes. I wish both of them well.

Raven Prince, a 6-1 F, who transferred in last year from Butler County but did not play is listed on the roster. I still don't know the reason for her not playing last year. Could of been injury or simply could have been a voluntary redshirt. Nevertheless Raven is back along with 6-3 Fr. C Asia Henderson who also redshirted last year. Asia was not injured but definitely need a redshirt year to help her develop. The 3 players returning that have seen playing time in D-1 games Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage, Cesaria Amborsio and Alyssis Faye who will bring a combined total of 5 years of D-1 experience to the table for the Shocks.

So assuming all or our announced recruits show up the 2018-19 roster will the following 15 players:

Sr. Sabrina Lozada- Cabbage 6-2 F
Sr. Cesaria Ambrosio 6-0 G
RJr. Raven Prince 6-1 F
Jr. Maya Brewer 5-11 G/F
Jr. Mariah McCully 5-8 CG
Jr. Ashley Reid 5-6 PG
So. Alyssia Faye 6-2 F
RFr. Asia Henderson 6-3 C
Fr. Shyia Smith 6-0 PF
Fr. Trajata Colbert 6-2 PF/C
Fr. Jada Hampton 6-0 G/F
Fr. Carla Bremaud 5-11 SGJr
Fr. Jada Peacock 5-9 CG
Fr. Dawnyel Lair 5-7 PG
Fr. Seraphine Bastin 5-7 PG

You can find some information on the 10 newcomers on the Class of 2018 recruitng thread.

One thing HCKA said she wanted to do was upgrade the size at the guard position and it certainly looks like mission accomplished there. Last year our guards went 5-2, 5-5, 5-5, 5-7, 5-8, 5-8, 5-9 and 6-0. This year we can go 5-6, 5-7, 5-7, 5-8, 5-9. 5-11. 5-11, 6-0, 6-0.

A lot of teaching and hopefully a lot of learning will be going on in Koch Arena next year between the 18 newcomers on the men's and women's basketball teams.

It will be a very interesting year to follow although could be a bit frustrating at times as well. We'll see.

[mumdaddy316]

Nice roster and I believe we will be very competitive, would like to see us get a couple 6'4 or 6'5 girls though. From that roster we are going to definitely play the transition game and push the ball alot, also to add to that I see we have a good amount that can shoot the 3 very well. That will help in major way come league play imo

[1972Shocker]

Nice roster and I believe we will be very competitive, would like to see us get a couple 6'4 or 6'5 girls though. From that roster we are going to definitely play the transition game and push the ball alot, also to add to that I see we have a good amount that can shoot the 3 very well. That will help in major way come league play imo

My opinion is that we really don't know what we have for sure. Sabrina, Cesaria and Alyssia are the only known quantities on the roster as far as playing at the D-1 level is concerned. I will just have to wait and see to how the rest of the ladies adapt to the higher level of play. I am optimistic about this group longer term. Shorter term I expect some growing pains. If they are very good right out of the chute that would be a welcomed bonus.

I think that from a leasdership perspective this is Sabrina's team. I think she will handle that role well. Hopefully, the team chemistry will be good but make take a while to develop.

It will also be interesting to see if she redshirts 1 or 2 of the freshman to balance out her classes a bit better. Assuming everyone is back next year if she redshirts 2 freshman, recruits 2 Jucos and 1 new freshman next year the class mix next year would be 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 5 sophomores and 3 freshman. Seems to me like the talent pool in WBB makes it a bit tougher to reload large graduating classes than in MBB so perhaps balancing out the classes is a bit more important.

I also wonder if HCKA is done recruiting for 2018. She does have 2 more scholarships to use if she wants to. Last year she carreid a roster of 15, two more than what we have at this point for next season. Personally, I think a roster of 13 is plenty but HCKA has tended to carry larger rosters in her career. I suppose it's posible we could still add another foreign player or two to the mix. Again we will have to wait and see on that.

Update: HCKA was not done with the Class of 2018. Seraphine Bastin, a 5-7 PG out of Belgium, has announced her commitment to the Shockers.

https://shockernet.net/forum/wichita-state-athletics/wichita-state-women-s-sports/23899-2018-lady-shockers-recruiting?p=1137713#post1137713

1 more scholarship remains avaialbe if HCKA wants to use it.

[1972Shocker]

This happened quietly and without a lot of fanfare but WSU assistant coach Bill Damuth accepted the head WBB coaching position at Grayston College, a Division 1 Juco in Denison, Texas which is located on the South side of the Red River near the Lake Texoma Dam. He took this job in mid-Feb before the end of the season.

He certainly was not very visible while at Wichita State but has had some previous success at the Juco level in his 24 year career.

This is about the quietest departure I've ever seen. As best as I can tell not even a congratulatory tweet from HCKA or AHCEL.

Looks like there is a job posting for this position at $80,000 per year.

http://goshockers.com/sports/2015/5/13/Career_Opportunities.aspx

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=eIgEW6i7GKvAjwTcgamgDQ&q=Job+Posting+Wichita+State+Assistant+Women%27s+Basketball+Coach&oq=Job+Posting+Wichita+State+Assistant+Women%27s+Basketball+Coach&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i160k1.2207.24580.0.25445.80.71.7.2.2.0.152.5800.64j7.71.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.72.5308...0j0i131k1j0i22i30k1j0i13i5i30k1j0i8i13i30k1j33i22i29i30k1j33i21k1.0.al_jOyPnOIo&ibp=htl;jobs#htidocid=fp-_IboAAngZNYeaAAAAAA%3D%3D

[mumdaddy316]

Let me get that position, have all kinds of talent here

[flyingMoose]

And it hasn't been filled by now? Hmm. Maybe I don't understand the annual "coaches moving" rhythm.

[1972Shocker]

The 2018-19 AAC conference pairings have been announced for WBB:

Wichita State Conference Pairings (with 2017-18 Conference Finish)
Home Only: UCF (3), UConn (1), Houston (T-5 with WSU)
Away Only: Cincinnati (4), USF (2), Tulane (9)
Home & Away: ECU (7), Memphis (8), SMU (10), Temple (T-11), Tulsa (T-11)

Houston and Tulane were home & away last year and are replaced by ECU and Temple this year.

Those look appropriate considering the Shockers had 8 seniors on last year's team and only return 5 combined years of D-1 experience.

The complete 2018-19 women's basketball composite schedule with dates and times will be announced in late August.

[1972Shocker]

WSU Ewa Laskowska @CoachEwa First newcomer on campus for summer school! Trajata and her family all ready for the Shocker experience (love their T-shirt’s)



11:52 AM - 2 Jun 2018

[1972Shocker]

There is some height genes in Trajata's familty. Trajata is reportedly 6-2. She isn't exactly dwarfing her family members.

[1972Shocker]

WSU Ewa Laskowska @CoachEwa Freshman Jada Peacock and her family arrived on WSU campus with a lot of stuff . Moving in to Shockers Hall and ready for summer school!



7:19 PM - 2 Jun 2018

[1972Shocker]

Jada is on the left in the yellow shorts just in case your weren't sure. At lieast I think that is Jada.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like 9 of the 15 (?) players for next year's roster are in the house as of Monday, June 4th. 4 returning players (including 2 redshirts) and 5 newcomers.

I think the above players are starting with the front row left to right R-Jr. Raven Prince, Fr. Shyia Smith, Fr. Jada Peacock, Fr. Carla Bremaud, Fr. Trajata Colbert. Back row left to right Sr. Cesaria Ambrosio, Sr. Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage, R-Fr Asia Henderson and Jr. Ashley Reid (?).

My guess is that McCully, a 1st team Juco All-American who the Shocks prevailed over Minnesota and HCKA's mentor Jim Littell of Oklahoma State to get, Jaida Hamption, 2018 Miss Michigan Basketball recipient, and Dawnyel Lair, City Section Player of the Year (Los Angeles area) and 3rd Team All-State selection in California, are the crown jewels of this incoming class but only time will tell for sure.

6 players not yet in the house are So. Alyssia Faye, Jr. Juco transfers Maya Brewer and Mariah McCully and Fr. Jaida Hampton, Fr. Dawnyel Lair and Fr. Seraphine Bastin.

Or at least that is my best guess at this point.

[1972Shocker]

Update: Dawnyel Lair arrived on campus on Friday, June 8th.

https://shockernet.net/forum/wichita-state-athletics/wichita-state-women-s-sports/1136846-shocker-wbb-2018-19-offseason-preseason?p=1138984#post1138984

[1972Shocker]

Update: Jaida Hampton arrived on campus on Monday, June 11th.

https://shockernet.net/forum/wichita-state-athletics/wichita-state-women-s-sports/1136846-shocker-wbb-2018-19-offseason-preseason?p=1139112#post1139112

[ShockTalk]

Less sure than you, but could who you have as Dawnyel be Serephine?

[1972Shocker]

Less sure than you, but could who you have as Dawnyel be Serephine?

Possibly. However, I am now thinking it is neither Dawnyel or Seraphine. It is probably Ashley Reid based on this AHCEL tweet:

https://twitter.com/CoachEwa/status/1003093514312388608

Who is Ashley Reid? I'm not sure. I will need to investigate further.

[ShockTalk]

Yup, that makes sense.

[1972Shocker]

Ashley Reid would seem to be a 5-6 Juco PG from New Mexico Junior College:

https://www.timesrecordnews.com/stor...ams/592000002/

Reid, out of Wichita Falls, Texas, was the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior, was expected to join Northwestern State right out of high school, but a coaching change had her enroll at Louisiana Tech instead. She saw limited playing time and transferred to New Mexico Junior College, where she averaged 10.9 points and 3.9 assists per game playing point guard. Reid was limited to 13 games because of a season-ending injury.

Here is her bio and stats from her 13 games at NMJC: http://www.nmjcthunderbirds.com/spor...id_ashley_j5dl

A real oddity in those 13 games. Ashley was 29-57 on 3-pointers for 50.9% but only 11-25 from the free throw line for 44.0%. Her 51 assists vs 19 turnovers for a 2.7 assist to turnover ratio was very good. She played about 13 minutes per game.

If all the players we think we have coming show up this would be the 15th and last scholarship available to HCKA.

[1972Shocker]

And it hasn't been filled by now? Hmm. Maybe I don't understand the annual "coaches moving" rhythm.

Well I can't say that I understand that rhythm either. However, the Shockers have now filled their vacancy with very experienced Jeff Osterman who has been the Associate Head Coach for the last 10 years at fellow AAC member USF the 2nd best team in the AAC last year, a team that has been to 4 consectuive NCAA Tournaments.

Seems a little unusual for an Associate Head Coach to make a move to an Assistant Coach position especially after 10 years as an Associate Head Coach to a program where there is already an Associate Head Coach in place. Hard to believe he will be making much more money at WSU, if any. Maybe he just wants to experience our interesting weather.

Here is the anouncement of his departure from USF on April 3rd.

In any case, this would seem to be a very solid hire for the Lady Shocks although it certainly seems to be out of the ordinary. It surely doesn't add to my understanding of the "coaches moving" rhythm.

Welcome to Shocker nation Coach Osterman.

[ShockTalk]

Head scratcher for sure, but very glad to have him.

I noticed that USF also lost an assistant, Dema Thomas Bateast, last year that was also along the same lines. She had been an assistant at Rhode Island U for 2 years, then Florida International for 7 years before taking a head coaching position at NAIA St Thomas for 1 year. She then became an assistant at USF for 4 years, but left for Florida Atlantic last year as an assistant.