If the ingredients in a successful women's basketball season salad include two 2003 co-Big Ten Freshmen of the Year, a cup of versatility from one senior forward and a handful of promising freshmen - consider head coach Joanne P. McCallie the dressing.
McCallie returns in her fourth season at MSU after leading last year's squad to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1997. Last year, MSU led the Big Ten in rebound margin at +7.7 rebounds per game and ranked second in the league in scoring defense.
"We've always had a lot of character, as in pushing when our numbers have been down," senior forward Julie Pagel said. "Now, we've got the depth, the youth, the legs and the experience of the underclassmen."
Athlon Sports college basketball preseason magazine ranked Michigan State 16th in the nation. It isn't often a coach can look to freshmen and sophomores for leadership, but McCallie is relying on underclassmen to carry this year's team. This season's Spartans squad brings depth at the guard position, full-court defense and noteworthy rebounding.
Freshmen Myisha Bannister and Katrina Grantham are expected to be large contributors in the numbers categories, each providing strong scoring statistics from prosperous high school careers.
Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2003 Liz Shimek should provide the necessary talent to fill front- and back-court responsibilities. Last year, she averaged 10.4 points per game and ranked second in the Big Ten, tallying 9.1 rebounds per game. Guard Lindsay Bowen, who shared the award with Shimek, added 13.3 points per contest along with making 3-pointers at a 46-percent clip last season.
Shimek said she is ready for the responsibilities of mentoring underclassmen and looks forward to fierce competition within the Spartans' schedule.
"I think we're all leaders in our own way, and we all have something to contribute to this team," Shimek said. "We played six people last year and averaged 30 minutes a game. Just because we're young doesn't mean we don't have experience."
With the departure of three seniors, McCallie is looking to lone senior Julie Pagel to be the top returnee providing versatility and leadership. The Spartans lost to Texas Christian, 50-47, in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament, and it served disappointment to an optimistic team. Pagel said the experience will carry into this year's momentum and give the team hope for another chance at a championship.
"This year is wide open," Pagel said. "Our schedule is an anytime, anyplace, anywhere type of thing. You got to play in any kind of condition, because that's what the NCAA Tournament is for.
"Everything prepares us for the postseason, and I think this team is ready for it."
