Coming and going: Jimmies lose a lot, but a lot returns

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Sun file photo / John M. Steiner Carly Jensen was the second-leading scorer for the Jimmies this past season. She’s one of several key returners expected back for Jamestown College next season.

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Strong programs often times find themselves in the position the Jimmie women’s basketball team enters the offseason in.

Coming off another good year, the Jimmies get hit hard by graduation, but also bring back a bunch of quality players.

After two straight Sweet 16 appearances at the national tournament, coach Greg Ulland said the goal is to push the bar higher.

“The Sweet 16 is great, it’s a really nice accomplishment, but we don’t want that to be the benchmark,” he said. “We want to win a few more games, maybe get a little lucky and win five.

“I think that’s the goal of all the top programs and that’s where we want to be.”

While that’s the long term goal, the immediate focus heading into the 2013-14 campaign is replacing three productive post players.

Seniors Bridget Schuneman, Amber Ramlo and Kayla Roemmich were major contributors for three years. This past season alone the trio accounted for 876 points and 571 rebounds.

“You don’t just replace three players like that,” Ulland said. “They’ve meant a ton to this program.”

Still, there is plenty to build around.

All-American point guard Hannah Steele returns for her senior season after scoring 334 points and dishing out 152 assists. Fellow starters Carly Jensen (10.5 points per game) and Morgan Mathison (6.8 ppg) also return.

It’ll be a battle for minutes in the backcourt again as Maggie Seter (160 points, 95 assists), Kadie Savage (3.3 ppg) and Chelsey Frydenlund (3 ppg) also return.

Filling the shoes of the graduating Big 3 will be challenging, but Megan Pold (5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Jordan Bridges (3.5 ppg) and promising freshman Jessica Buck (4.4 ppg) likely would have started for lesser teams.

The established culture of winning has been cemented and the new group is unlikely to let it slip.

“Hopefully they see that there’s a little more carrot at the end of the stick,” Ulland said. “The business-like approach of the girls this season was really good. Now it’s about taking the next step as a team and a program.”

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jimmies, basketball