Complete Release (PDF)

The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team is off to its best start since starting 7-0 in 2004-05 and has scored over 100 points in its past two games, the first time SMSU?has done that in school history.  The Mustangs are set to host Mount Mercy College on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m.

Mayville State Recap
Sara Leidall scored her 1,000th career point as SMSU?defeated Mayville State 107-45 on Tuesday at home.  Leidall became the 16th player in school history to reach the milestone.  Tuesday marked the first time in school history that SMSU?has scored over 100 points in consecutive games.

Heidi Kimmes led the way with 18 points, just one shy of a career-high, by hitting 9-of-10 shots from the field.  Abby Oakland had 13 points, Leidall and Andrea Fennern each had 11 and Abby Kenealy scored 10 points and had a game-high nine rebounds.

Southwest had a 52-33 rebounding edge and shot 49.4 percent.  SMSU?also forced 33 turnovers.

Chadron State Recap
Heather Smith scored a career-high 29 points to lead SMSU?to a 111-75 victory over Chadron State (Neb.) on Saturday in Marshall.  Smith hit 9-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-7 from the outside as the Mustangs tied a school record by drilling 14 three-pointers in the contest.  Smith scored 20 of her points in the first half, helping SMSU to a 60-36 halftime lead.

Smith also had four steals of SMSU's season-high 17 steals.  Megan Stadler and Aneshia Starks each had three.

Sara Leidall scored 13 points, while Abby Oakland recorded her first career double-double, putting up 12 points with a career-high 10 rebounds.  Oakland played 21 minutes, the most of any player on Saturday as all 14 players on the active roster played at least eight minutes.  Starks and Andrea Fennern each added nine points.

Internet Radio, Video & Stats
All SMSU women's basketball conference games during the 2008-09 season can be seen and heard on the Internet.  A video Webcast is available free of charge at www.northernsun.tv while the radio broadcast is available at www.SMSUmustangs.com.  Fans can also follow the game on the Internet with live in-game statistics for all home games at www.SMSUmustangs.com and clicking on the “live stats” link on the right side of the women's basketball page.

Radio Broadcast Information
SMSU women's basketball will once again be heard all season long on KARL 105.1 FM, Marshall.  Sports director Aaron Ziemer will be SMSU's play-by-play announcer throughout the year for a sixth straight season.

Opponent Information
Mount Mercy: The MMC?Mustangs enter the weekend 3-2 overall after defeating St. Mary's (Neb.) 83-70 on Tuesday night.  The win followed a loss to Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 76-62 on Saturday, Nov. 15.  Shanda Novak has led the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, while hitting 55.6 percent from the field.  Jessie Dirks is averaging 15.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals.  Dirks has hit 13-of-25 three-point shots.  Emily Greiner is averaging 7.7 points in three games off the bench, while Heather Bachman averages 7.3 points and 3.5 assists.  The Mustangs have struggled to hold on to the ball, turning it over 92 times in four games, while forcing 79 turnovers.

Series Information
SMSU?has won the only meeting between the two schools, winning 59-53  in 1976-77.

Beating the Best
SMSU?defeated No. 9 Delta State (Miss.) 66-51 on Oct. 31 at the Disney Classic.  It was Southwest's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 18 Northern State 53-48 on Feb. 2, 2007.

A Grand for Leidall
Sara Leidall reached the 1,000-point mark in SMSU's 107-45 win over Mayville State (N.D.) on Tuesday, Nov. 18, scoring 11 points in 14 minutes.  She became the 16th player in school history to reach that milestone.  She currently has 1,001 points and 471 rebounds in her career.  Barring injury, at some point this season, she will become just the ninth player in school history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

1,000 Points and 500 Rebounds Club
                                           Pts.    Reb.
Julie Thein (1987-91)    1,800    913
Lillie Brown (1992-96)    1,759    895
Michelle Bruns (2001-05)    1,635    596
Andrea Schreier (1997-01)    1,570    689
Shelli Schoeneck (1999-03)    1,488    506
Cindy Olson (1976-80)    1,463    655
Regan French (2001-05)    1,018    633
Amy Boman (1998-02)    1,009    589
Sara Leidall    1,001    471

Get that Outta Here
Heidi Kimmes blocked 48 shots last season, the most for a Mustang women's basketball player since Chrishawn McArthur blocked 79 in 1996.  The closest anyone has come to Kimmes' total in the past 12 seasons was Amy Boman, who blocked 45 shots in 2001-02.

Through five games this season, Kimmes ranks sixth in career blocked shots with 86.  McArthur (1993-96) is the career leader at 183.  Kimmes is currently is second on the team with five blocked shots this season.

Sharp Shooters
Megan Wittkop, Abby Oakland, Sara Leidall Heidi Kimmes and Kady Telschow rank among SMSU's best all-time shooters.  Wittkop is currently third in career free throw percentage and fourth in three-point percentage.  Leidall ranks eighth in free throw percentage.  Telschow is currently the career three-point percentage record holder at 45.9 percent (50-of-109).  Oakland also ranks in the top-10 in three-point field goals attempted and made.

Field Goal Percentage (minimum 200 made)
.537    Amy Boman (403-751)    1998-02
.533    Steph Syltie (219-411)    1995-97
.497    Anne Pryor (299-602)    1978-82
.493    Heidi Kimmes (200-406)    2005-
.490    Shelly Honermann (350-715)    1997-01
.485    Lillie Brown (706-1456)    1992-96
.483    Shelli Schoeneck (512-1061)    1999-03
.477    Chrishawn McArthur (292-612)    1993-96
.472    Shannon Dunse (356-754)    1989-93
.469    Regan French (375-799)    2001-05

Free throw percentage (minimum 100 made)
.842    Mary Roddel (256-304)    2000-04
.833    Shannon Dunse (120-144)    1989-93
.811    Megan Wittkop (120-148)    2005-
.785    Nicole Bullock (117-149)    1998-02
.785    Andrea Schreier (409-521)    1997-01
.777    Shelli Schoeneck (380-489)    1999-03
.771    Amy Buschow (168-218)    1990-93
.762    Sara Leidall (154-202)    2004-
.760    Traci Robinson (193-254)    1988-90
.750    Erin Frye (345-460)    1997-01

3-point field goals made
190    Michelle Bruns (119 games)    2001-05
177    Dani Coleman (110 games)    1996-00
169    Mary Roddel (121 games)    2000-04
142    Kelly Crimi (105 games)    2002-06
114    Erin Frye (107 games)    1997-01
109    Andrea Schreier (111 games)    1997-01
104    Megan Wittkop (84 games)    2005-
84    Shelli Schoeneck (122 games)    1999-03
72    Darcy Peterka (101 games)    1988-92
64    Abby Oakland (84 games)    2005-

3-point field goals attempted
501    Michelle Bruns (119 games)    2001-05
454    Dani Coleman (110 games)    1996-00
447    Mary Roddel (121 games)    2000-04
392    Kelly Crimi (105 games)    2002-06
354    Erin Frye (107 games)    1997-01
275    Megan Wittkop (84 games)    2005-
255    Andrea Schreier (111 games)    1997-01
229    Darcy Peterka (101 games)    1988-92
222    Shelli Schoeneck (122 games)    1999-03
197    Abby Oakland (84 games)    2005-

3-point FG percentage (minimum 50 made)
.459    Kady Telschow (50-109)    2006-
.427    Andrea Schreier (109-255)    1997-01
.390    Dani Coleman (177-454)    1996-00
.379    Michelle Bruns (190-501)    2001-05
.379    Haneefah McNair (55-145)    1993-96
.378    Shelli Schoeneck (84-222)    1999-03
.378    Megan Wittkop (104-275)    2005-
.378    Mary Roddel (169-447)    2000-04
.362    Kelly Crimi (142-392)    2002-06
.346    Sue Olson (53-153)    1985-89

Big Numbers
The Southwest Minnesota State has scored over 100 points in consecutive games for the first time in school history after defeating Chadron State (Neb.) 111-75 on Nov. 15 and Mayville State (N.D.) 107-45 on Nov. 18.  The 100-point games are the sixth and seventh in program's history.

100-point games
2/15/88    Sioux Falls (S.D.)    W 105-80
11/19/88    at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)    W 104-102 ot
1/14/00    Minnesota, Crookston    W 108-51
12/8/00    at Minnesota-Morris    W 110-47
2/19/08    North Central (Minn.)    W 116-42
11/15/08    Chadron State (Neb.)    W 111-75
11/18/08    Mayville State (N.D.)    W 107-45

History of the Program
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 40th season of women's basketball and has played 961 games, compiling an all time record of 520-442 (updated through first five games this season).  SMSU?has racked up 25 winning seasons with 10 coming in the last 15 years.  The 2000-01 squad won a school record 25 games and made an appearance at the NCAA?Tournament.

Mustangs Home and Away
The Mustangs finished the 2007-08 season 5-9 at home and had a 7-7 away game record.  The following is a statistical comparison of the?Mustang averages for home and away games in 2007-08:
    W-L    FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO
Home    5-9    .400    .669    38.1    67.6    14.5
Away    7-7    .402    .670    36.1    62.5    14.6

Mustangs at Home:
The R/A Facility, the home of SMSU basketball has been a tough place to play for opponents since opening its doors for the 1996-97 season.
     In 11 seasons of playing in the Mustang home arena, SMSU women's basketball?has compiled a record of 95-59.

Year    Overall    NSIC    Non-Conf.
1996-97    6-6    2-4    4-2
1997-98    5-6    3-3    2-3
1998-99    11-2    6-0    5-2     
1999-00    11-3    7-2    4-1     
2000-01    12-0    9-0    3-0
2001-02    11-2    8-1    3-1
2002-03    11-3    7-2    4-1
2003-04    3-7    2-6    1-1     
2004-05    10-4    5-2    5-2
2005-06    5-9    3-4    2-5
2006-07    5-8    3-6    2-2
2007-08    4-8    2-5    2-2
2008-09    2-0    0-0    2-0
Totals    97-59    57-37    40-22

SMSU?Late in the Game
The following is SMSU's offensive and defensive statistical averages in the final five minutes of its games during the 2008-09 season.
<5 min.    FG%    3-FG%  FT%    REB    PTS    TO
SMSU    .433    .143    .667    4.5    10.3    1.0
Opp.    .483    .800    .800    5.5    11.0    2.0

Jump Start
SMSU has played well in season openers recently, winning 11 of its last 12 season-opening games after defeating No. 9 Delta State on Oct. 31 at the Disney Classic.  Last season, Southwest won 72-54 at Chadron State (Neb.) to open the 2007-08 season.

Among the Best
Sara Leidall was named honorable mention All-NSIC last season after the leading the Mustangs in scoring and rebounds.  She became the first player in two seasons to earn postseason honors from the NSIC.   Kelly Crimi and Leidall were each named second team All-NSIC in 2005-06.

Going Big Time
It is believed that Heather Smith is SMSU women's basketball's first-ever NCAA?Division I transfer.  Records going back through the mid-1980s show no women's basketball players transfering to Southwest from a Division I school.  Smith transfered to SMSU?during the spring of 2008 from Liberty University (Va.).

Old Folks
The Mustangs begin the 2008-09 season with four seniors on their roster after graduating just one last season.  Abby Oakland (76), Sara Leidall (71), Heidi Kimmes (30) and Megan Wittkop (29) enter their senior seasons with a combined 206 starts in their careers.  Additionally, fourth-year junior Megan Stadler has started 22 games in her two seasons on the court.  Stadler missed the 2006-07 season due to injury, but returned to start 13 games last winter.

Mustang Returners by the Numbers
SMSU returns 10 letterwinners, while losing just three.  The Mustangs return 78.7 percent of their scoring and 80.4 percent of their rebounding from last season.  Additionally, the returners shot 41.6 percent from the field.  Players from last season's team that are not returning shot just 34.7 percent.

SMSU Picked 9th in Preseason Poll
The Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs women's basketball team has been picked to finish ninth in the Preseason Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coaches' Poll.  The announcement came from the NSIC?offices in St. Paul.

SMSU received 91 points in the poll, while first place Minnesota State, Mankato had 179 points and 11 first-place votes.  Augustana was picked to finish second and received three first-place votes.  Defending NSIC?champion Concordia-St. Paul was third.

Minnesota State, Mankato guard Heather Johnson was picked as the NSIC?Preseason Player of the Year.  Johnson led MSU?in scoring last season, averaging 16.9 points.  She also set a school record with 81 three-pointers last season.