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The Southwest Minnesota State womens basketball team will make their home debut this week as they play host to three games. The Mustangs will start the week by playing Presentation College (S.D.) on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. and then hosting the SMSU US Bancorp/McDonalds Classic.
On Friday, Dec. 2 Southwest will square off against Chadron State College before taking on the University of South Dakota on Saturday, Dec. 3. Both games will be played at 6:00 p.m. at the R/A Facility.

The Records
Southwest Minnesota State returns from St. Petersburg, Fla. with a record of 1-2 after picking up their first win of the season against Eckerd College (Fla.). Presentation comes to Marshall in search of their first win of the season as they are currently 0-2. Chadron State currently has a 1-2 record while South Dakota is 3-2.

Game Time Tidbits
SMSU was 3-1 in games played on neutral sites last season...the Mustangs lone loss last season on a neutral site was at the Hoops-n-Surf Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii when they team lost to Washburn University who was ranked #1 at the time and went on to win the NCAA Division II championship.

On Tap for Next Week
Southwest Minnesota State will host St. Cloud State University on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:00 p.m. and travel to Duluth, Minn. to face the University of Minnesota-Duluth on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Getting to Know This Weeks Foe
Presentation (S.D.) - The Saints, who are members of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) of the NCAA Division III, have lost their first two games of the season. In their two losses, PC has lost by a combined nine points. The Saints are averaging 65.0 points per game and are shooting 35.2 percent from the field. Callie Antonsen is leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. She is averaging 21.0 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game. Three other Saints are averaging double-digits in points as Amy Schilling is second on the team with 16.0 points per game while leading the team in three-point shooting as she is shooting 53.3 percent (8 of 15) from behind the arc.

Chadron State (Neb.) - The Eagles, members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), go into the week with a record of 1-2. CSC is led by Bec Kyba who is leading the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game and is one of six players on the team to average five or more rebounds per game. Chelsea DeHaven is third on the team in scoring and leads the team in rebounding. She averages 10.3 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game.

South Dakota - The Coyotes, members of the North Central Conference (NCC), have a 3-2 record going into the week. Bridget Yoerger is leading the team in points and rebounds as she averages 11.0 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Erica Schroeder, who averages just 17.0 minutes per game, is second on the team in rebounding with 5.2 rebounds per game. The Coyotes lost earlier in the season to the NSICs Northern State 80-60.

Series History
Southwest Minnesota State will face Presentation for the first time ever on Wednesday. The Mustangs have compiled a 2-0 record against Chadron State, including their 66-51 win in the 2003-04 season. SMSU is 10-10 against South Dakota. The two schools have split the last four meetings dating back to the 2001-02 season.


Consistent Scoring
SMSUs Sara Leidall is second on the team in scoring, despite being a redshirt freshman, thanks to some consistent scoring numbers. She is averaging 12.3 points per game, as she has scored in double-digits in all three games this season. She scored a career-high 14 points this season in the teams first win and her lowest scoring total so far is ten.

Double Post Threat
Kristin Hairston and Betsy Tasca put on an impressive performance on Nov. 26 against Puerto Rico-Bayamon. The two centers combined to score 37 points and grab 14 rebounds. Tasca poured in a career-high 23 points while Hairston had 14. Both players had seven rebounds in the game.

Stealing the Win
Alaura Sharp was largely responsible for SMSUs first win of the season against Eckerd College (Fla.) on Nov. 25. The senior captain had a career-high 22 points. What might have been the biggest stat came on the defensive end of the floor as she swiped a career-high seven steals.

First Win for Power
New SMSU head coach Mike Power earned his first victory of his career at Southwest on Nov. 25 when they Mustangs defeated Eckerd College (Fla.) 78-57.

Nice Debut
Redshirt Freshman Sara Leidall had a strong Mustang debut against #8 North Dakota. The 5-11 guard from Rochester, Minn. had 10 points and four rebounds as she made her first career start at Southwest Minnesota State. She was 5 of 11 from the field shooting and played a team-high 27 minutes against UND.

Bench Production vs. #8 UND
Senior captain Alaura Sharp came off the Mustang bench to score a 14 points and grab three rebounds against #8 North Dakota. Her 14 points were a career-high while playing at SMSU.

SMSU Versus the North Central Conference (NCC)
Southwest Minnesota State is currently 0-1 against the NCC, as they lost the season opener to #8 North Dakota 96-46. Last season they finished 4-3 against North Central Conference foes last season. Southwest played all seven NCC schools as they defeated Minnesota State, Mankato, South Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota.

The Coaches
Southwest Minnesota State head coach Mike Power is entering his first season at SMSU. Power comes to Southwest with a career record of 241-225 over 16 years as a head coach at the NCAA Division II and NAIA level. Power was the head coach at Bemidji State University prior to joining the Mustangs and becoming SMSUs fifth coach ever. He has also served as a head coach at Briar Cliff College (Iowa), Metro State College (Colo.) and Nebraska-Wesleyan University.
Over his 16-year coaching career, Power has been named coach of the year at the NAIA and NCAA Division II level and has take his team to two NAIA Elite Eight appearances. He currently owns a 242-227 record.
Presentation head coach Adam Houdeshell is in his second season as head coach of the Saints. Houdeshell, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at SMSU, led PC to a USCAA National Championship. Last seasons 17-13 record was the first time the school had ever finished a season with a winning record. Houdeshell currently has a 17-15 career record.
Tom Anderson enters his 12th season as the head coach of Chadron State. He is the only coach in the schools 33-year history to coach for seven or more seasons. He currently owns a 139-164 career record.
Chad Lavin is in his eighth season at South Dakota and his 12th overall. He has led the Coyotes to four NCC titles. He currently owns a record of 205-114 record at USD and a 380-277 overall.

Southwest in the Final 2004-2005 NCAA Statistics
Last season Southwest Minnesota State was ranked in nation in three different offensive categories. As a team they ranked 27th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (35.8), 34th in field goal percentage (44.1) and 38th in free throw percentage (73.8).
SMSUs Michelle Bruns, who graduated, was 30th in assists (5.0) and 46th in scoring (17.5).

Team Captains
Three Mustang players were serve as team captains for the 2005-06 season. Seniors Kelly Crimi and Alaura Sharp were selected as well as junior Meghan Nelson to serve as captains this season.

Mustang Returning Players
Guiding the Mustangs on the floor this season will be Kelly Crimi (Sr., Jordan, Minn.), Meghan Nelson (Jr., Thief River Falls, Minn.) and Alaura Sharp (Sr., Fredonia, Kan.). All three players will serve as co-captains this season. Crimi, who finished last season averaging a 8.0 points per game, will be looked upon to provide a steady scoring threat to replace the production lost by the graduation of Michelle Bruns and Regan French. Nelson returns to the Mustangs after playing in 26 games last season and posting a .529 shooting percentage from the floor. Sharp will be looking for an increased role with the team after averaging 11.2 minutes per game last season. She finished the season with 78 points and 62 rebounds.
Also returning for her senior season is Kristin Hairston (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Hairston enjoyed a breakout season in 03-04 as she posted career highs in points (9.1 ppg) and rebounds (6.5 rpg). Betsy Tasca is the Mustangs other returning upper classman this season. Tasca (Jr., Dakota, Minn.) saw an increased role with the team and posted a career-high ten rebounds against Augustana College (S.D.) last season.
Erin Oakland (So., Fulda, Minn.), Laura VanOverbeke (So., Marshall, Minn.) and Sara Leidall (RFr., Rochester, Minn.) round out the list of returning players this season. All three players will be asked to contribute more this season as each player could see action in many different roles.

Newcomers to Get Plenty of Action
The Mustangs will have four new faces on this seasons roster. Heidi Kimmes (Fr., Cannon Falls, Minn.), Abby Oakland (Fr., Fulda, Minn.), Megan Stadler (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Megan Wittkop (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa) will all be looking to make the SMSU debuts this season.

Crimi and Hairston in the NSIC
Seniors Kelly Crimi and Kristin Hairston both finished last season ranked in the top ten in offensive categories in the NSIC. Crimi finished the season shooting 36.9 percent from the three-point line which ranked tenth in the NSIC. Hairston averaged 6.6 rebounds per game to rank second in the NSIC and blocked 1.07 shots per game to rank third in the conference.

Southwest Looks for Home Magic
The R/A Facility, the home of SMSU basketball since the 1996-97 season, has been a tough place to play for opponents since opening its doors.
Now in its tenth season as the Mustang home arena, SMSU is 74-31 (70.0) all-time at the R/A Facility. Once again the Mustangs were tough to defeat at home as they finished 10-4 (.714) at the R/A Facility.

SMSU Record Year-by-Year
at the R/A Facility
Year W L Pct.
1996-97 4 6 .400
1997-98 5 4 .556
1998-99 9 2 .818
1999-00 9 3 .750
2000-01 12 0 1.000
2001-02 11 2 .846
2002-03 11 3 .786
2003-04 3 7 .300
2004-05 10 4 .714
Totals 74 31 .705

SMSU Picked Seventh in NSIC Poll
Southwest Minnesota State was picked to finish seventh in the annual preseason NSIC coaches poll.
Wayne State, who finished sixth in the NSIC last season, was picked to win the NSIC. Defending champions MSU Moorhead was picked third.
1. Wayne State (5) 67
2. Concordia (3) 65
3. MSU Moorhead 59
4. Northern State 53
5. Minnesota-Crookston 40
6. Winona State 39
7. Southwest Minnesota State 37
8. Bemidji State 32
first place votes in ()

Kelly Crimi Notes...
Scored a career-high 21 points on Feb. 12 at Bemidji State...made a career-high six three-pointers vs. St. Mary, also tying a school single game record...also grabbed a career-high five rebounds vs. St. Mary...scored in double-digits eight times.
Crimi Career Highs
Points 21 vs. Bemidji State, 2/12/05
Rebs 5, 2x, last vs. North Dakota, 1/2/05
Assists 4 vs. Northern State, 2/25/05
FG 6, 3x, last vs. Bemidji State, 2/12/05
3-Pt. 6 vs. St. Mary (Neb.), 11/19/04
Steals 3, vs. Minnesota-Crookston, 2/21/04

Kristin Hairston Notes...
On Nov. 20 scored a career-high 23 points vs. Northwest Missouri State...posted double-digits in scoring in seven games...is second on the team in rebounding and had a season-high 13 rebounds vs. St. Mary (NE).
Hairston Career Highs
Points 23 vs. Northwest Missouri State, 11/20/04
Rebs 15 vs. MSU Moorhead, 1/30/04
Assists 4, 2x, last vs. Minnesota-Crookston, 2/11/05
FG 9 vs. Northwest Missouri State, 11/20/04
3-Pt. 1 vs. Concordia, 1/14/05
Steals 5 vs. Upper Iowa, 11/26/04

Heidi Kimmes Notes...
Played 10 minutes in her Mustang debut against #8 North Dakota on Nov. 19...averaged 12.1 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in high school.
Kimmes Career Highs
Points 2 vs. North Dakota, 11/19/05
Rebs 0
Assists 0
FG 0
3-Pt. 0
Steals 0

Sara Leidall Notes...
Has scored in double figures in every game she has played...scored a career-high 14 points on Nov. 25 against Eckerd (Fla.)...grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against Eckerd...sat out the 2004-2005 season as a redshirt ... scored a career-high 10 points in her Mustang debut on Nov. 19 against #8 North Dakota...made five field goals against UND and grabbed four rebounds.
Leidall Career Highs
Points 14 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Rebs 9 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Assists 2, 2x, last vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
FG 6 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
3-Pt. 2 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
Steals 1, several times

Meghan Nelson Notes...
Played in a season-high 18 minutes vs. MSU Moorhead...made her first start of the season on Jan. 29 vs. WSC...scored a season-high six points twice this season...is shooting 62 percent from the floor...tied a career-high for points with six against Northern State on Jan. 8...had six rebounds at MSU Moorhead on Jan. 7 which tied a career-high...on Jan. 7 she tied her career-high in assists with two against MSU Moorhead.
Nelson Career Highs
Points 6, 4x, last vs. Northern State, 1/8/05
Rebs 6, 2x, last vs. MSU Moorhead, 1/7/05
Assists 2, 2x, last vs. MSU Moorhead, 1/7/05
FG 3, 3x, last vs. MSU Moorhead, 1/7/05
3-Pt. 1, 2x, last vs. Sioux Falls (SD), 12/14/02
Steals 1 several times

Abby Oakland Notes...
Made her Mustang debut on Nov. 19 against #8 North Dakota and started in her first collegiate game...is a member of the Mustang golf team that won the NSIC championship.
Oakland Career Highs
Points 2 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
Rebs 3 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
Assists 3 vs. North Dakota, 11/19/05
FG 0
3-Pt. 0
Steals 1 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05

Erin Oakland Notes...
Played in a career-high nine minutes against Minnesota-Morris...scored her first career points on Jan. 15 at Winona State when she hit a three-pointer, which is her career-high...grabbed a career-high three rebounds and had a career-high one assist against Minnesota-Morris...Redshirted the 2003-04 season.
Oakland Career Highs
Points 3 vs. Winona State, 1/15/05
Rebs 3 vs. Minnesota-Morris, 12/31/04
Assists 1 vs. Minnesota-Morris, 12/31/04
FG 1 vs. Winona State, 1/15/05
3-Pt. 1 vs. Winona State, 1/15/05
Steals 2 vs. North Dakota, 11/19/05

Alaura Sharp Notes...
Had a career-high 22 points against Eckerd (Fla.) on Nov. 25...made a career-high seven steals on Nov. 25 against Eckerd...had 14 points against #8 North Dakota on Nov. 19... last season on Dec. 31 she scored a season-high 11 points, her most at SMSU...she shot 44 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line last season.
Sharp Career Highs
Points 22 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Rebs 7 vs. Northern State, 1/8/05
Assists 3 vs. MSU Moorhead, 1/7/05
FG 9 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
3-Pt. 1, several times
Steals 7 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05

Megan Stadler Notes...
Made her first collegiate start on Nov. 25 against Puerto Rico-Bayamon... scored a career-high eight points on Nov. 25 against Eckerd (Fla.)...played 16 minutes in her Mustang debut on Nov. 19 at #8 North Dakota...guided her high school team to an undefeated state championship season her senior year...averaged seven points and four assists in high school.
Stadler Career Highs
Points 8 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Rebs 4 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Assists 6 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
FG 2, 2x, last vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05 3-Pt. 0
Steals 4 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05

Betsy Tasca Notes...
Scored a career-high 23 points against Puerto Rico-Bayamon on Nov. 26, 2005...had a season-high in minutes and rebounds on Dec. 11 at Augustana (SD) in 2004-05...grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds at Augustana...shot 50 percent from the field and 86 percent from the free throw line...scored a career-high eight points on Feb. 5, 2005 at Wayne State.
Tasca Career Highs
Points 23 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
Rebs 10 vs. Augustana (SD), 12/11/04
Assists 2 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
FG 11 vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05
3-Pt. N/A
Steals 2, 3x, last vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 11/26/05

Laura VanOverbeke Notes...
Scored a career-high four points against Minnesota-Morris on Dec. 31, 2004...grabbed a career-high three rebounds on Dec. 20, 2004 vs. #1 Washburn (KS)...redshirted the 2003-04 season.
VanOverbeke Career Highs
Points 4 vs. Minnesota-Morris, 12/31/04
Rebs 3 vs. #1 Washburn (KS), 12/19/04
Assists 2 vs. Waldorf (IA), 11/16/04
FG 2 vs. Minnesota-Morris, 12/31/04
3-Pt. 1 vs. Winona State, 1/15/05
Steals 1 vs. vs. Minnesota-Morris, 12/31/04

Megan Wittkop Notes...
Scored a career-high15 points on Nov. 25 against Eckerd (Fla.)...made her Mustang debut on Nov. 19 against #8 North Dakota...scored four points and grabbed two rebounds against UND...won four state high school championships...averaged 10 points per game in her four-year high school career.
Wittkop Career Highs
Points 15 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Rebs 6 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Assists 1, 3x, last vs. Puerto Rico Bayamon, 11/26/05
FG 5 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
3-Pt. 1 vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05
Steals 2, 2x, last vs. Eckerd (Fla.), 11/25/05