Lakeland College

Subscribe  

Lake Michigan Conference Preseason Polls Announced

The Lakeland women's basketball team was tabbed second and the men's team fourth according to Lake Michigan Conference coaches as the preseason LMC poll was released Thursday as part of LMC Basketball Media Day, hosted by Lakeland College in the new Wehr Center addition.

Edgewood, the defending champion in both the men's and women's regular season and LMC Tournament, is the preseason favorite in both the men's and women's polls.

Bobbi Endress, second-year head coach at Edgewood, said her program only has one major loss, in starting point guard Katie Hensgen. The Eagles, who made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance last season, return four starters, including All-LMC junior Jordane Kittoe and last season's Rookie of the Year, sophomore Nickie Updike. Updike was named preseason Player of the Year this season, and Kittoe was a preseason All-LMC pick.

"We are a little bigger, a little quicker and we have much needed depth that we did not have last year," said Endress when discussing the overall characteristics of her team. "Hopefully we will be able to do quite a bit more than we did last season. We are certainly looking forward to the season and wish everybody in the conference the best of luck."

Edgewood men's assistant coach Mike Shult, pinch-hitting for head coach Steve Larson who was unable to attend, said the Eagles are honored to be the preseason team to beat, but he noted that seven times in the last eight seasons, the preseason favorite did not win the title.

Edgewood returns three starters including junior Seth Cooper (Madison/Madison West), the LMC Player of the Year last season and the preseason Player of the Year this winter, and Rookie of the Year/honorable mention All-LMC pick sophomore Charlie Averkamp (New Berlin/West).

"Listening to all the coaches talk today about there teams, it is going to be a little bit scary playing the teams in the conference this year," said Shult. "The conference is going to be well rounded and competitive. It is going to be an exciting year."

The event was a chance for Lakeland to show off the Wehr Center expansion, including the new Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium. The new facility drew rave reviews, but Wisconsin Lutheran head coach Skip Noon summed it up best.

"I want to congratulate Lakeland College on their new facility," said Noon. "I think that when a school gets a facility like this, it helps everyone in the conference."

Earning spots on the preseason All-LMC squad for Lakeland were senior guard Germayne James (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) and sophomore guard Kris Saiberlich (Fond du Lac/Fond du Lac) for the men, while senior forward Beth Porter (St. Charles, Ill./East) was selected for the women's team. Saiberlich was a first team All-LMC selection last season, while James was an honorable mention pick.

The complete polls and All-LMC teams are:

2005-06 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

#1 Edgewood College

#2 Concordia University

#3 Milwaukee School of Engineering

#4 Lakeland College

#5 Marian College

     Wisconsin Lutheran College

#7 Dominican University

#8 Maranatha Baptist Bible College

 

2005-06 Men's Basketball Preseason All-LMC Team

Charlie Averkamp        Sophomore      Edgewood

Seth Cooper                 Senior              Edgewood

Brian Hagel                  Junior               Wisconsin Lutheran

Germayne James          Senior              Lakeland College

Jeff Mikos                    Senior              MSOE

Scott Murphy               Sophomore      MSOE

Matt Peets                    Senior              Concordia

Titus Redmond Junior               Marian

Kris Saiberlich  Sophomore      Lakeland College

Jordan Van Ess            Sophomore      Marian

<< Return to News