COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY NOTES #4

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Colorado Mines at Western State
Friday, December 12, 2003
6:00 pm • Gunnison, Colorado

Colorado Mines at CU-Colorado Springs
Saturday, December 13, 2003
8:00 pm • Colorado Springs, Colorado

No. Probable Starters Ht. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG APG
20 Kristen Horkey 6-0 Jr. Fort Collins, Colo. 5.6 2.6 0.8
30 Heather Hoops 5-8 Jr. Golden, Colo. 2.6 1.6 2.0
32 Heather Angel 5-11 So. Littleton, Colo. 11.8 5.6 1.6
42 Gina Cornelio 5-10 Jr. Tucson, Ariz. 5.4 5.4 2.6
44 Ashley Gronewoller 6-3 So. Pagosa Springs, Colo. 16.0 9.2 0.2

No. Off the Bench Ht. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG APG
14 Lindsay Orchard 5-8 Fr. Salt Lake City, Utah 1.6 0.4 0.0
15 Jessica Neumiller 5-5 Sr. Casper, Wyo. 5.6 2.6 0.6
22 Kim Kilmer 5-9 Jr. Stoneham, Colo. 5.6 4.0 2.6
25 Bara Zahnasova 6-0 Sr. Boulder, Colo. 1.8 2.2 0.2
40 Shannon Griep 5-10 Fr. Longmont, Colo. 0.7 0.0 0.3
45 Katie Cunio 6-0 Sr. Canyon City, Colo. 2.6 2.0 0.2
55 Angela Pearson 6-0 Fr. Arvada, Colo. 1.3 0.8 0.0

THE HEAD COACH: Paula Krueger was named the head women’s basketball coach at Colorado Mines on July 7 after serving a six-year stint at Northern State as an assistant coach.
A graduate of Northern State, Krueger was a standout on the basketball court as she earned national tournament MVP honors as a senior during Northern’s national championship campaign in 1993-94. Krueger was also a team captain and all-district performer on NSU’s softball team. She earned NSU’s prestigious Hildred Wolfe Student Athlete of the Year award as a senior.
Following her successful athletic career, Krueger served as a graduate assistant at Northern from 1995-96 for women’s basketball and softball while finishing up her studies. She received her bachelor’s in education from Northern in 1995 and her master’s in teaching in 1996.
After graduation, Krueger moved to Nevada where she taught and coached at Pahrump Valley High School for one year before returning to Northern State in 1997 to serve as the assistant women’s basketball coach and head softball coach. During her six years as an assistant at NSU, Krueger helped guide the squad to a 114-59 mark.

MINES PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON RMAC POLL: The Colorado School of Mines women’s basketball team was picked sixth out of seven teams in the Preseason RMAC East Division Poll. Nebraska-Kearney was picked to win the division as it received 13 first place votes and 13 points. Fort Hays State was picked second with 34 points, while Regis was third with one first place vote and 36 points. Metro State (45 points), Chadron State (59), Mines (71) and Colorado Christian (85) rounded out the poll.

UP NEXT: CSM will play a pair of nonconference games next weekend. The Orediggers will travel to Wayne State for a 7:00 pm game on Friday and then go to South Dakota for a 3:00 pm tipoff on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT (11/29/03): Westmont connected on 15-of-29 three-pointers to claim a 72-59 victory over the Colorado School of Mines in nonconference women’s basketball action at the Colorado Christian Thanksgiving Classic. Westmont led 40-27 at the half and would hold on to at least a 10 point lead for the entire second half. CSM was led by sophomore center Ashley Gronewoller who tallied a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Kristen Horkey amassed 12 points and five boards and junior guard Kim Kilmer contributed eight points and six rebounds. The Orediggers did connect on 26-of-35 free throws and outrebounded its opponent, 38-22. Gronewoller was named to the all-tournament team.

ABOUT WESTERN STATE: The Mountaineers enter the week at 1-5 overall after dropping a 70-49 decision to Grand Canyon on Saturday. Melissa Donley led the way with 14 points and 14 rebounds. For the season, Stephanie Coleman leads the team in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.2 rpg).

ABOUT UCCS: CU-Colorado Springs fell to 0-4 with a 53-38 loss to Lubbock Christian last Thhursday. B.J. McNeally led the way with 14 points, four assists and four steals. UCCS will host Colorado College on Tuesday and Colorado Christian on Friday before entertaining Mines Saturday night. For the season, McNeally leads the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game and is also tops on the squad in steals (15) and assists (13). Megan McGee posts 6.8 points and a team-high 5.2 boards per game.

SUPER SOPH: Sophomore center Ashley Gronewoller is close to posting a double double this season. The 6-foot-3 Preseason All-RMAC East Division selection is leading the team in scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) and is shooting close to 60 percent from the floor.

AN ANGEL AMONG US: Sophomore forward Heather Angel is building upon her strong rookie campaign last season in which she was an Honorable Mention All-East Division honoree. Angel is second on the team in both scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.6 rpg). She is also shooting 54 percent from the floor, 58 percent from three point land and 83 percent from the charity stripe.

HOOPER DUPER: Junior guard Heather Hoops is back after earning Honorable Mention All-RMAC East Division honors last season when she posted 5.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and led the team with 51 assists and 35 steals. She leads the team with nine steals this season.

NEW FACES: Three freshman will join the team this season, guard Lindsay Orchard and forwards Shannon Griep and Angela Pearson.

IMPROVED CHARITY: After going just 19-of-43 (.442) from the free throw line in its first two games, both losses, the Orediggers have regrouped to go 51-of-69 (.739) from the charity stripe in the last three games.

OFF THE BENCH: Senior guard Jessica Neumiller has given CSM a spark off the bench as she is averaging 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. In addition, she is shooting 39 percent from three-point range (7-19).

PHOENIX PHENOM: Junior guard Gina Cornelio,a Phoenix, Ariz., native, has been solid in her starting role this season. A starter in three games, Cornelio is averaging 5.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and is second on the team with 2.6 assists per game. She is also shooting 36 percent from three-point range.

SPREAD THE MINUTES: Of the nine returning players from last season, eight averaged at least 10 minutes of action per game last season, while the ninth averaged 9.4 minutes per night.

ROAD WOES: CSM will be looking for its first road win since defeating Colorado Christian, 67-48, in Lakewood, Colo., on Feb. 16, 2002. Since that game, the Orediggers are 0-12 on the road, including 0-10 in 2002-03.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: CSM will get plenty of chances to get a road win early on this season as 10 of its first 13 games will be away from home. Mines will not return home until after the New Year to host Mesa State on Jan. 3.

TALE OF THE TURNOVER: Through five games, Mines can point to turnovers as being a huge difference. CSM has recorded 111 turnovers (22.2 tpg) in five games compared to just 68 (13.6 tpg) for its opposition.

LET’S GET 70: The number 70 appears to be the good luck charm for the women’s basketball team. Since the 2000-01 season, Mines is 15-2 when it scores at least 70 points, including three victories last season. The last time CSM lost when it scored at least 70 points was Mar. 1, 2003, a 76-71 ovetime loss at Regis. In three of its four wins last season, CSM topped the 70-point barrier.