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HOLDING COURT: Guard Suminski
returns for the Cardinal.
gonzalesphoto.com |
how do you cope with losing
one of the best players to ever don a Stanford uniform?
How do you recover from falling a basket shy of the
women’s Final Four? Take five seasoned seniors
from a Pac-10 championship squad, throw in four talented
freshmen, add an eager transfer from Duke, and turn
the mixture loose on one of the country’s toughest
schedules. Come March, you just might have the recipe
for another remarkable tournament run.
“When you lose a very dominant player like [three-time
Kodak all-American] Nicole Powell, it’s a great
opportunity for other people to step up,” says
head coach Tara VanDerveer. “I think our players
are very excited to step out of the shadow. We have
a great combination of returners and young freshmen.
I think it’s an excellent mix—a lot of enthusiasm
but also a lot of experience.”
Fifth-year seniors Susan Borchardt and T’Nae Thiel
return for the Cardinal. Joined by seniors Kelley Suminski,
Sebnem Kimyacioglu and Azella Perryman, they form one
of the deepest teams in the country. During last year’s
27-7 campaign, the quintet made 115 starts and combined
for 38 points and 15 rebounds per game.
The unflappable Suminski, whose clutch three-pointer
upset Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16, was named to the preseason
list for the Wooden Award, which recognizes the nation’s
top player. Borchardt—who earned her bachelor’s
in psychology last June and considered leaving to join
her husband, Utah Jazz center Curtis Borchardt, ’03—opted
to stay for her final season of eligibility. “I
was pleasantly surprised when [Borchardt] decided to
come back,” says VanDerveer. “She is the
cherry on top of the sundae. We knew we had the makings
of something special, but that really puts us over the
top.”
Six-foot-three-inch Brooke Smith, a Duke transfer who
was a high school Parade magazine and McDonald’s
All-American, should have an impact. “We’re
counting on Brooke to come in and play right away,”
says VanDerveer. Kimyacioglu can’t wait to see
her in action. “Last year, Brooke would be on
the opposing team in practice, kicking our butts,”
she says. “So we’re excited she’s
going to be on our side this year. She’s really
talented.”
Four new women also will compete for playing time. Candace
Wiggins, a speedy guard from La Jolla, Calif., is the
freshman most likely to contribute right away. Wiggins
played for the U.S. junior national team this summer,
averaging 14.8 points and more than three steals per
game. Cissy Pierce, a quick and versatile guard from
Littleton, Colo., has what VanDerveer calls “one
of the most beautiful, pure jump-shots” she’s
seen. Another guard/forward out of Colorado, Jessica
Elway—daughter of former football star John Elway,
’83—impresses VanDerveer with her toughness
and competitive edge. “I don’t know where
she got that from,” VanDerveer says, laughing.
Rounding out the freshmen is Christy Titchenal, a forward
out of Sonoma, Calif.
The women play two exhibitions and two “home games”
at Santa Clara, then return to a refurbished Maples
Pavilion on December 10 against Pepperdine. With a grueling
non-conference schedule that includes Utah, Texas Tech,
Boston College and preseason favorite Tennessee, the
Cardinal should be battle-tested heading into the Pac-10
season.
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ONE OF THE BEST: Guard Hernandez
returns for his junior year.
Gonzalesphoto.com |
On the men’s team, the cycle of loss and renewal
is becoming routine. “Every year the seniors are
graduating and guys are leaving for the NBA, and we
get this empty feeling like, ‘Oh gosh, we’re
in trouble,’” associate head coach Eric
Reveno says. “And then every fall, we come back
and players have improved; players are ready for the
opportunity to fill in. This year should be no different.”
Even after losing Pac-10 Player of the Year Josh Childress
to the NBA, and Matt Lottich, Justin Davis and Joe Kirchofer
to graduation, Reveno insists the cupboard is far from
bare. “We have the talent to have a successful
team,” says Reveno, ’88, MBA ’95.
“To win 30 games? To go 17-1 in the league? That’s
not our goal. This is a different team and a different
challenge.”
Fortunately, new head coach Trent Johnson—head
coach at the University of Nevada from 1999 to 2004
and a Stanford assistant coach from 1996-99—inherits
one of the nation’s best point guards in junior
Chris Hernandez. Last season, the 6-foot-2-inch floor
leader averaged 10 points, more than four assists and
led the Pac-10 in three-point shooting (46 percent)
and free throws (91.4 percent). This year, he’s
a preseason candidate for the Wooden Award.
Stanford also will look for leadership and steady production
from seniors Nick Robinson at small forward and Rob
Little at center, while junior Matt Haryasz seems primed
for a breakout season at power forward. Junior Dan Grunfeld,
sophomore Fred Washington and redshirt freshman Tim
Morris all will compete for minutes at shooting guard.
Two capable freshmen should be able to contribute right
away. Peter Prowitt, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center from
Arlington, Va., “has got [Mark] Madsen-esque qualities
about him,” Reveno says. “He plays really
hard and enjoys doing the dirty work.” Taj Finger,
a slender, 6-foot-8 forward out of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.,
is “as comfortable facing the basket as he is
with his back to it,” says Reveno, but needs to
add bulk to his 195-pound frame.
The Stanford men’s primary task will be defending
the Pac-10 championship, their fourth title in the last
six years. Last season’s 30-2 record and almost
perfect run to the top of the polls was special, but
Reveno thinks the conference is tougher this time around.
Arizona and Washington, in particular, may possess the
depth and quickness to knock the Cardinal off their
perch.
The men play only one game in Santa Clara’s arena
before returning to their renovated home. “We’re
ecstatic about the new Maples,” says Reveno. Also
generating excitement is the Maui Invitational in late-November,
which will give the team some early tournament experience,
and a CBS-televised December 11 showdown against Michigan
State in Auburn Hills, Mich. |
