Colorado School of Mines vs. Mesa State
Friday, December 9, 2005 - 6:00 pm
Brownson Arena - Grand Junction, Colo.

 

Colorado School of Mines vs. Western State
Saturday, December 10, 2005 - 6:00 pm
Paul Wright Gym - Gunnison, Colo.

 

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HEAD COACH: Paula Krueger is in her third year as the head women’s basketball coach at Colorado School of Mines. Last season, Krueger led CSM to its best season in program history as the team tallied a 19-9 overall record, including 13-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
In addition, she guided the squad to the RMAC Tournament for the second straight year where the fifth-seeded Orediggers lost in the opening round to fourth-seeded Fort Hays State.
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. In addition, 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 State 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 served as the assistant women’s basketball coach and head softball coach at Northern State. During her six year’s as assistant at NSU, she helped lead her squad to a 114-59 mark.

No. Probable Starters Ht. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG APG
5 Sara Eickelman 5-8 Fr. Pueblo, Colo. 4.2 2.0 3.4
23 Iva Tomova 5-8 Jr. Varna, Bulgaria 14.4 3.0 2.6
31 Liz Jeffries 5-9 So.. Castle Rock, Colo. 5.0 2.4 2.6
44 Ashley Gronewoller 6-3 Sr. Pagosa Springs, Colo. 14.6 7.6 2.6
55 Angela Pearson 6-0 Jr.. Arvada, Colo. 10.4 8.6 1.2

No. Off the Bench Ht. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG APG
10 Yogi Patterson 5-6 So. Farmington, N.M. 4.2 2.4 1.0
14 Elise Goggin 5-4 Fr. Colorado Springs, Colo. 0.4 1.0 0.6
15 Lindsay Orchard 5-8 Jr.. Salt Lake City, 0.8 1.2 1.0 20 Amanda Adams 5-7 So. Evergreen, Colo. 0.0 0.0 0.0
22 Emily Przekwas 5-5 So. Littleton, Colo. 2.6 0.4 0.4
24 Julie Marshall 5-6 Fr. Billings, Mont. 4.6 0.8 1.0
25 Bailey Christenson 5-5 Fr. Boulder, Colo. 0.0 0.0 0.0
33 Kelsey Crist 5-11 Fr. Buena Vista, Colo. 8.4 5.0 1.0
40 Shannon Griep 5-10 Jr. Longmont, Colo. 1.2 3.2 0.6

MINES PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON RMAC POLL: The Colorado School of Mines women’s basketball team was picked fifth out of seven teams in the Preseason RMAC East Division Poll. Regis University was picked to win the division as it received 8 first place votes and 18 points. Metro State was picked second with 23 points, while Fort Hays State was third with 43 points. Nebraska-Kearney (44 points), Mines (58), Chadron State (72) and Colorado Christian (85) rounded out the poll.

LAST TIME OUT (12/4/05): The Colorado Mines women’s basketball team won their last two games. On Saturday 12/3/05 the Orediggers had five players in double figures and two finish with double-doubles in route to a 93-75 win over Buena Vista. Ashley Gronewoller led the team with 24 points and 10 rebounds while Angela Pearson had 22 points and 10 rebounds. On Sunday 12/4/05 Mines came up with a 64-40 win over Cornell College. Mines had three players in double figures while Gronewoller led the way again with 14 points and a season best of 11 rebounds.

LAST TIME vs. Mesa State: Last year the Orediggers played Mesa on December 11 and came away with a 60-55 victory. Gronewoller led the team with 18 points. The Mavericks only return two of their starters from last year, this season.

Last Time vs. Western State: The Orediggers beat the Mountaineers last December, 75-57. However Mines lost four of their starters while Western looks to have an improved squad. Mines was led by Gronewollers 25 points while Western’s Audra Lawson had 18, Lawson returns this year for the Mountaineers.

WHAT’S BACK AND WHAT’S LOST: The Orediggers lost four of their five starters. However, senior Ashley Gronewoller returns after she has already established herself as one of the best in Mines history. Also returning for Mines are juniors Angela Pearson, Shannon Griep and Lindsay Orchard and sophomores Yogi Patterson, Amanda Adams, Emily Przekwas and Liz Jeffries.

SUPER SENIOR: CSM senior center Ashley Gronewoller will look to build upon her already successful career at Mines. Last year, Gronewoller made her second straight appearance on the First Team East Division and third straight appearance on the All-RMAC East Division Team. She finished the season averaging a team-best 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. She also led the team with 45 blocked shots, while shooting 58 percent (144-247) from the field. Gronewoller was also selected to the pre season All RMAC and All RMAC East Division Teams for the 2005-06 season.

GRONEWOLLER THIS SEASON: This season, Gronewoller is averaging 14.6 points and 7.6 rebounds. She was named RMAC player of the week this past week after wins against Buena Vista and Cornell College. She was Mines’ leading scorer and rebounder in both games. Currently, Gronewoller ranks third in the RMAC in field goal percentage (.608) and is sixth in rebounding (7.5)

GRONEWOLLER RECORDS: Gronewoller is also closing in on three Colorado School of Mines records. She currently ranks fourth with career points with 1,089, tied for third in career rebounds with 661 and fifth in career field goals made with 433.

“ANGEL"A AMONG US: Junior forward Angela Pearson is also back looking to make big strides following an impressive season last year in which she was fourth on the team in scoring (8.4) and third in rebounds (5.8). Pearson currently leads the team in rebounds, averaging 8.6 per game and is averaging 10.4 points per game, which puts her close to averaging a double-double. She is also ranked fourth in the RMAC in rebounding (8.6).

OUT OF THIS COUNTRY: Iva Tomova is originally from Varna, Bulgaria and transfered to Mines from Northeastern Junior College, after a successful career at her junior college, Tomova is second on the team with 14.4 points per game and is ranked 10th in the RMAC in scoring. She also has scored in double figures in all five of the Orediggers games this season.

BE LIKE EICK: After sitting out last season due to injury, Sara Eickelman will be Mines’ starting point guard this season. Eickelman started the season against Johnson and Wales ending with seven points and five assists and led Mines against Northern State with 14 points. She is number one on the team with 17 assists.

CRISP BEGINNING: Freshman Kelsey Crist has started her collegiate career off on a high note. Averaging 8.4 ppg and 5.0 rebounds, Crist has proven to be a big addition to the Orediggers team this season. Crist opened up her collegiate career with 14 points and 8 rebounds, close to a double-double against Johnson and Wales. She also shot a perfect 6-6 from the line on 12/4 against Cornell College.

LET’S GET 60: The number 60 appears to be the good luck charm for the women’s basketball team. In the past three seasons, Mines is 25-3 when it scores at least 60 points. CSM only lost once last season when it scored at least 60 points and it was on February 18, 2005 against Nebraska Kearney. Mines lost 73-62.

LET THE “RMAC” GAMES BEGIN: Mines opens up conference play this weekend with games against Mesa State and Western State. Mines beat both of these teams last year and seem to have a good chance of doing so again. Starting off RMAC play 2-0 will give the Orediggers great momentum and confidence going into the rest of the RMAC contests.