LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University women’s basketball team tips off its 2010-11 regular season Saturday in Quinn Coliseum against Montana Tech.
The Mountaineers return to the court this season after achieving their seventh 20-win season in the past 10 years last season. Head coach Anji Weissenfluh cracked the 200-win plateau last year. After being picked fifth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference preseason poll, EOU finished the season in its fifth national tournament berth in the last seven seasons.
It was the Mountaineers’ ninth straight winning season, and seventh straight season that featured a home postseason game. Eastern was four points shy of its seventh Cascade Collegiate Conference title in the past 10 years, after falling at The College of Idaho in the conference championship game.
This season, Eastern Oregon begins the year as the conference’s fourth place team. The league coaches slotted the Mountaineers in the fourth position in the CCC preseason poll. Weissenfluh, now in her 11th season, will lead a group of experienced players and an excellent incoming class into the 2010-11 season.
Back Court
If theirs is one thing that Eastern has a lot of … its guards. The Mountaineers have 10 of its 14 players on the roster listed as guards. Weissenfluh is stressing speed and consistency with Eastern Oregon this season. Fans can expect a frenetic pace of play, up-and-down the court, with shots coming early in the shot clock and often.
The Mountaineers have 10 players under 5-10 and the team has an average height of 5-8. So, speed and quickness on the court will be a necessity for Eastern in 2010-11. EOU shot _ times in its annual Alumni game last week, and made _. The Mountaineers made _ three pointers in the game.
Kyle Miller was named to the All-Conference preseason team after averaging 9.2 points per game and shooting 40 percent from the field last season. The 5-7 junior, is one of five players that saw plenty of minutes in 2009-10.
Samantha Flett provided six points and four rebounds an outing last year. The Wellpinit, Wash. native is one of three seniors on the roster. She averaged 23.4 minutes per game in 2009-10. Fellow senior, Alyssa Garro, started in 18 of the 23 games a year ago, and produced 5.3 points per game. Shaylee Nielsen will also be playing in her senior season this year. The 5-6 Delta, Utah native shot 42 percent from the floor and made 41 three-pointers last season. Colby Patton also returns for the Mountaineers. The 5-8 sophomore appeared in 14 games last year.
Kelsea Hurliman had a breakout year as a freshman in 2009-10. The now sophomore from Cloverdale, Ore. shot a conference best 46 percent from behind the perimeter last season. In one of the best first year’s any freshman has ever had at EOU, she made 40 of her 87 three-point attempts. As a team the Mountaineers were first in the league in three-point percentage, and second in field goal percentage.
Eastern was 12th in the country from behind the arc with its percentage, and 14th in the NAIA in 
three-point percentage on the defensive side of the ball as well. The Mountaineers held offenses to 28 percent from behind the arc. EOU was 16-1 last year when it had a better field goal percentage than its opponent. Eastern was atop the CCC in scoring defense giving up an average of 56.6 points per game, which was also eighth-best in the NAIA.
Dominique Johnson makes her debut as a Mountaineer this season after a stellar career at powerhouse, Southridge High School in Beaverton, Ore. The 5-7 freshman, was named Class 6A first team all-state last year. She helped Southridge overcome a 10-point halftime deficit with a team-high 11 points in the state championship game victory over Jesuit.
Nicole Redd and Jessica Kramer were best friends on and off of the court at Lewiston High School, and are now bringing their 1-2 punch to Eastern. The Lewiston, Idaho duo helped lead the Bengals to the Idaho Class 5A state championships game last season. Kramer scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in the state final, while Redd finished with 13 points.
Front Court
The Mountaineers will have to replace All-Conference selections, Ashlee Michelson and Tana Stickney, this season. Stickney was Eastern’s leading scorer and rebounder a year ago averaging 11.93 points and 6.18 rebounds per game.
Rosebud Guthrie returns as the only current Mountaineer who saw minutes in the paint last season. The 6-0 sophomore appeared in 20 games in 2009-10, averaging 2.3 points and rebounding per game, while shooting 41 percent from the field.
Vintea Georges will have an immediate impact for EOU this season. The 5-9 junior transfer from Delta Junior College comes to La Grande after helping lead Delta to the CCCAA Northern Regional finals. Delta finished 20-7 overall and second in the Big 8 Conference in 2009-10.
Spokane, Wash. native, Nyesha Joseph, makes her debut at Eastern this season. The 5-10 freshman forward played her high school career at University High School. Stevie Isaac will also see minutes this season for the Mountaineers. Isaac, the tallest player on the roster at 6-3, transfers to EOU after playing at Centralia Community College.
Eastern was first in the conference in rebounding defense a year ago, and 15th in the NAIA in total rebound margin. The Mountaineers averaged 6.5 more rebounds than their opponents in games last season.
Schedule
The Cascade Collegiate Conference looks to be as tough as it has been in league play the past few years. Nicole Gall returns to The College of Idaho for her senior season and helped put the Yotes atop the conference preseason poll. She was also named the preseason league player of the year. C of I is looking to advance to the NAIA Tournament for a third consecutive season.
Southern Oregon is expected to be led by senior guard Whitney Scott, who returns to the Raiders’ lineup after missing last season with an injury. Two years ago, Scott was a first team All-CCC choice after averaging 13.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Corban, one of the CCC’s hottest teams down the stretch last season, returns its top five scorers and top four rebounders from a year ago, including junior forward Katie Steigleman who averaged 16.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Warner Pacific and Concordia each made appearances in the NAIA Top 25 last season and should battle for the top half of the conference. Oregon Tech met EOU in the conference quarterfinals in 2009-10 and will try to make another trip to the postseason this year. Northwest, Evergreen State, and Northwest Christian round out a very difficult conference schedule.
The Eastern non-conference schedule includes a pair of games against Walla Walla University, once on the road, and the second during the Aramark Holiday Classic. The annual event returns to Quinn Coliseum for the sixth year on Nov. 19 and 20. Walla Walla and The College of Idaho open the tournament, with EOU and Montana Western playing in the second game.
A pair of NCAA Div. 3, Northwest Conference, opponents is on the schedule as well. A trip to Willamette University on Nov. 22 and a hosting of Linfield College on Dec. 12 will present Eastern with some challenges. The schedule is highlighted by a trip to Florida to face Sun Conference opponents, Warner University and Webber International University on Nov. 26 and 27.
The regular season tips off Saturday against Montana Tech. The Mountaineers open before any other Cascade Conference program with the Oct. 23 game. Eastern fell in a close game on Oct. 31 last season at Montana Tech. The Orediggers went on to finish 19-10 and made the NAIA Div. 1 National Tournament.
In last season’s matchup Miller led the Mountaineers with 14 points, and the two leading scorers in the game for Tech are no longer on the roster. Montana Tech has seven players on this year’s roster over 6-0 and the average height of the Orediggers is 5-10.
Saturday’s game tips off at 2:30 p.m. and will have a live video stream and live stats on EOUSports.com.