[BJWilliams]

After watching the seniors finish their last home game in the Vines Center today, it got me to thinking about what this team is going to look like next year. Im sure the boys over at Flames Nation will get a chance to go into greater detail once the season is concluded, but here is what Im seeing just by looking at the roster

Guards Returning
Emily Frazier (recovering from knee injury)
Reagan Miller
Sadalia Ellis
Jaymee Fisher-Davis
Ellee Rollins
Julia Winn

Posts Returning
Katelyn Adams
Ashley Rininger
Catherine Kearney
Jasmine Gardner
Jessi Edmonds

Players Incoming

Mickayla Sanders 6-0 Forward
Moriah Begin 5-7 Guard
Jacquelyn Brown 5-11 Guard
Jaitesha Hanson 5-9 Guard

With Frazier more than likely missing the first part of the season recovering from her knee injury, the point guard duties will probably fall to Miller and Ellis with Fisher-Davis probably spelling the two of them. Rollins and Winn mostly only came in when the game was already decided, so we will see how they work into the rotation next year. Begin played for LCA this past season (actually they are playing in the state finals today in about 30 minutes) and with coach Green's propensity to play true freshmen at the guard position, it wouldnt surprise me to see her or Brown get minutes next year.

As far as the post players, Most everybody here is familiar with the history Liberty has had with post players, from Elena Bengds (Kisseleva) to Katie Mattera (Feenstra) to Avery Warley and Tolu Omotola. Katelyn Adams and Ashley Rininger both have stepped in and made their presence felt. Ashley has something that I noted before which could help spread the defense, and that is touch away from the basket. Katelyn has shown some of that too but she has done a lot more work down low from what Ive seen. Along with Jasmine Gardner they will probably get most of the minutes down low, with Kearney and Edmonds backing up coming off her redshirt year. Brown may also see some time at the 3 as well with her height. Of the three incoming players, Sanders has the greatest likelihood of being redshirted this upcoming season with five post players returning next season.

[Chippy]

At 5'11" Jessi Edmonds is a 2-3 combo guard as will be Sanders and Brown. One of those 3 will be a starter at the 3 next year. My guess it might be Sanders since she comes in with polished offensive skills and is 6' tall. The question is who will play the two. It might be Edmonds, Brown and possibly Miller if Ellis starts at point or backs up Miller at the point. Fisher Davis is not a point guard and would be a liability at that position. She is mostly a catch and shoot guard. Begin can play the 1 or 2. Winn and Rollins will continue to play their role as players coming in in a blowout. We are a better team with Frazier at point - this is the 3rd time she's injured a knee.

We're set at the post/4-5 for next year barring more injuries.

[ballcoach15]

We will need to replace a lot of points. I hope one or more of the incoming players can score and be a big offensive threat.

[BJWilliams]

I think youre selling the returning players short ballcoach. Not every freshman that comes into a program is going to be a 20+ point scorer but if we can get some solid contributions from them to compliment players like Katelyn, Ashley, Reagan, Jasmine and Emily (will see how she does coming off the knee injury). I think we will be a favorite again next year

[Purple Haize]

I think youre selling the returning players short ballcoach. Not every freshman that comes into a program is going to be a 20+ point scorer but if we can get some solid contributions from them to compliment players like Katelyn, Ashley, Reagan, Jasmine and Emily (will see how she does coming off the knee injury). I think we will be a favorite again for the next decade

FIFY

[ballcoach15]

I think Brown will be the hardest to replace.

We will need a big time scorer in my opinion, whether it be from a returnee or a true freshman.

[Purple Haize]

Well where else would it come from?

[BJWilliams]

And I thought I was captain obvious...

Anyway, Id expect Ashley's touches to increase. though she doesnt have the height advantage that Katie did back in the day, she does have Katie's soft touch around the basket which will lead to her getting quite a bit of scoring. Katelyn will get quite a few looks as well, and the two of them will probably lead the way in the rebounding category for us. Jasmine really came along this year after essentially apprenticing under Tolu and Avery the last couple seasons and probably will be in line for either the 3 or 4. Catherine was on crutches all of this season and wasnt a huge contributor last year. If she is healthy, she may be counted on for more frontcourt minutes to add depth.

We dont have a "big time scorer" next year but frankly, contrary to ballcoach's opinion, I dont think we need one.

[ballcoach15]

We're gonna need a good outside threat to go with our inside game. If we plan to get all our points "in the paint", trouble may be on horizen

[BJWilliams]

We're gonna need a good outside threat to go with our inside game. If we plan to get all our points "in the paint", trouble may be on horizen

I wont comment at length on what "horizen" you may be looking to but Emily and Reagan are both perimeter threats and Im guessing youll also see Sadalia getting more green lights next year. If any of the incoming freshmen see significant time, (especially Begin and Brown), youll probably see them pull the trigger as well

[Chippy]

I think youre selling the returning players short ballcoach. Not every freshman that comes into a program is going to be a 20+ point scorer but if we can get some solid contributions from them to compliment players like Katelyn, Ashley, Reagan, Jasmine and Emily (will see how she does coming off the knee injury). I think we will be a favorite again next year

If Erin Reynolds comes back next year HPU will be hard to beat and may be the preseason favorite. She was first team all conference but injured early in year. They have their whole team coming back and aside from Mcclanahan, Reynolds would be the best guard in the league. Cheyene Parker had to carry them this year but can only play one position at a time. Winthrop only loses Choibekova and also will present a challenge.

I think iT will be HPU, LU and Winthrop in that order. I think we will get a lot of offensive production out of Mikayla Sanders playing the 3 for Devon Brown. Rinninger took the 3rd most shots on the team this year and that will only increase. She has good offensive skills and instincts and will add 4-5 points more than this year. Once freshmen get their mojo working and Coach finds the right combinations and subbing patterns (come conference time) we will be there in the end as usual.

[ballah09]

i don't post much here but from a friend of mine who saw the sanders girl play, she's the real deal.

also reynolds is done with basketball all together from the high point intel and moved on to grad school.

[JK37]

Sanders is absolutely the real deal, and Edmonds will emerge once healthy.

[BJWilliams]

Hanson could be one to watch as well if she backs up her numbers from HS. I won't go as fcar as to call her Devon Brown 2.0, but she could be a very special player herself

[Purple Haize]

Our front line is legit. I just wish we had better athleticism in the back court. But that's just me.

[BJWilliams]

Lets see how Begin, Brown and Hanson (sounds like the name of an accounting firm) do. that could be a much needed shot in the arm for the backcourt defensively

[Damien Sordelett]

I think youre selling the returning players short ballcoach. Not every freshman that comes into a program is going to be a 20+ point scorer but if we can get some solid contributions from them to compliment players like Katelyn, Ashley, Reagan, Jasmine and Emily (will see how she does coming off the knee injury). I think we will be a favorite again next year

If Erin Reynolds comes back next year HPU will be hard to beat and may be the preseason favorite. She was first team all conference but injured early in year. They have their whole team coming back and aside from Mcclanahan, Reynolds would be the best guard in the league. Cheyene Parker had to carry them this year but can only play one position at a time. Winthrop only loses Choibekova and also will present a challenge.

I think iT will be HPU, LU and Winthrop in that order. I think we will get a lot of offensive production out of Mikayla Sanders playing the 3 for Devon Brown. Rinninger took the 3rd most shots on the team this year and that will only increase. She has good offensive skills and instincts and will add 4-5 points more than this year. Once freshmen get their mojo working and Coach finds the right combinations and subbing patterns (come conference time) we will be there in the end as usual.

FYI, Cheyenne Parker is no longer at High Point. She transferred to Middle Tennessee State.

[Chippy]

I think youre selling the returning players short ballcoach. Not every freshman that comes into a program is going to be a 20+ point scorer but if we can get some solid contributions from them to compliment players like Katelyn, Ashley, Reagan, Jasmine and Emily (will see how she does coming off the knee injury). I think we will be a favorite again next year

If Erin Reynolds comes back next year HPU will be hard to beat and may be the preseason favorite. She was first team all conference but injured early in year. They have their whole team coming back and aside from Mcclanahan, Reynolds would be the best guard in the league. Cheyene Parker had to carry them this year but can only play one position at a time. Winthrop only loses Choibekova and also will present a challenge.

I think iT will be HPU, LU and Winthrop in that order. I think we will get a lot of offensive production out of Mikayla Sanders playing the 3 for Devon Brown. Rinninger took the 3rd most shots on the team this year and that will only increase. She has good offensive skills and instincts and will add 4-5 points more than this year. Once freshmen get their mojo working and Coach finds the right combinations and subbing patterns (come conference time) we will be there in the end as usual.

FYI, Cheyenne Parker is no longer at High Point. She transferred to Middle Tennessee State.

Middle Tennessee is a big upgrade in programs - perennial NCAA tourney participant.

[Sly Fox]

That changes the outlook for HPU considerably. Really tough loss for them.

[olldflame]

I understand that MTSU has had a lot of success in their conference, but with Parker´s size and talent and the numbers she put up in 2 years at HPU, I would think she could have had her pick of some more prestigeous programs. Is she from Tennessee?

Nope. Queens, NY
Interesting choice to go to Murfreesboro.

[Damien Sordelett]

Before Chris Lang reassumed his role on the beat, I was talking to some people about Parker transferring and we were left scratching our heads as to why she would leave HPU where she was the focal point of the program, especially with her size advantage in the Big South. It is an interesting move, to say the least. Looking over the roster, I don't see anyone else from New York (was thinking maybe a high school teammate was there), so it could be that she just wanted a change of scenery after the way the past season ended. That second half/overtime against Campbell in the Big South quarterfinals wasn't pretty.

[Chippy]

Kisseleva, Feenstra, Frazee, Brown/Warley, ??????? We've been blessed to have a POY, or at least 1st team all conference players for a lot of years consecutively. This year may require a lot more coaching, especially with such a young team. Hopefully 1 or 2 of the ladies will emerge as the "go to" player(s). Men and women's basketball will be exciting this year.

[BJWilliams]

I think with Parker transferring out, that will make Rininger and Adams an even bigger part of our success. The only other post who really could challenge them in conference is Pietrowski at 6-2 and maybe Catrina Green from G-W at 6-1. Maximilien from CSU is very inexperienced as is Parker at Longwood. Walker at Radford will be getting more minutes this year but Im not sure she can really be an elite post in the conference this year. With that in mind, what probably was going to be a disadvantage for LU before this recent change, probably becomes a major strength.

[Chippy]

I think with Parker transferring out, that will make Rininger and Adams an even bigger part of our success. The only other post who really could challenge them in conference is Pietrowski at 6-2 and maybe Catrina Green from G-W at 6-1. Maximilien from CSU is very inexperienced as is Parker at Longwood. Walker at Radford will be getting more minutes this year but Im not sure she can really be an elite post in the conference this year. With that in mind, what probably was going to be a disadvantage for LU before this recent change, probably becomes a major strength.

Pietrowski is graduated. Shaquilla Nunn at Winthrop has height (6'3") and some skills. With her, Samiya Wright and McClanahan as POY they can still give us a some comp. Kilpatrick, their 2nd leading scorer, had achilles surgery a few months ago and not sure her availability.

[Purple Haize]

We win the Big South regular and tournament titles and make the NCAA.