For Immediate Release – April 15, 2021
Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team Seeded No. 2 in National Tournament
The Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team earned the No. 2 seed at the 2021 NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship. The Lady Lakers will begin the tournament facing off against the No. 15 seeded Lackawanna College Falcons.
“I’m excited and I’m sure the team is,” sophomore player Tresoir Newson said. “We’ve been working hard all year.”
Ranked third in the nation behind Johnson County and Kirkwood, the Lady Lakers’ record is 21-2 with a 12-game win streak leading up to the national championship.
Head Coach Dave Johnson said the team has consistently played at a high level, having won against six nationally ranked teams this year.
“I think it’s a reflection of the hard work our players have put in this year,” Johnson said. “We’re just super excited, and I’m really proud of how these young ladies have played this year.”
Though the COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges to the team’s practicing and games, several of the team’s players agreed that overcoming those challenges helped them achieve the high ranking.
“It’s more of a challenge having to practice with masks and have weekly testing,” Newson said. “It’s harder, but pushing through it makes us appreciate it more because we fought for it.”
The No. 2 seed is the highest in the program’s history, surpassing even the No. 4 seed the Lady Lakers earned at last year’s cancelled tournament.
Pictured are the members of the Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team: Olivia Niemerg, Shania Schoonover, Tresoir Newson, Kamaria Gant, Josie Orris, Harley Barry, Avery Still, Abigayle Weis, Joanna Schultz, Mikayla Sirjord, Jaelynn Riggleman, Karrington Krabel and Elizabeth Buescher. Photo submitted by Lake Land College.
Sophomore player Harley Barry said she was excited that the team received the No. 2 seed after making it to No. 4 last year, and she is looking forward to participating in the tournament.
“Coming back with all of the sophomores that we had that were freshmen from last year, it was such a good motivation for us because we had everything taken away so suddenly last year,” Barry said. “I feel like it pushed us to do what we did this season and be where we are now.”
Assistant Coach J. R. Hodges said the strong leadership from the sophomores who were unable to compete in the cancelled tournament last year has pushed the team to work even harder to earn the their ranking this year.
“The No. 2 seed is a massive improvement from the fourth seed last year and we’re just happy to be there,” Hodges said. “The girls have worked really hard this year, and we’re so proud of them.”
Both Newson and Barry commented on the bond the team developed and how the team’s closeness has contributed to its success.
“I feel like this year our chemistry is really good. Even in practice we’re laughing,” Newson said. “We definitely have fun, and we’ve got a pretty talented group.”
Barry said though this year’s season looked a little different, the team was still able to build strong connections and unite really well.
“From being a part of this team we have just created so many new friendships,” Barry said. “Lake Land has been so fun this year, especially now that we have all gotten to the point where we’re like a family and we know each other really well.”
The members of the Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team include freshmen Karrington Krabel, Paris; Olivia Niemerg, Teutopolis and Avery Still, Sullivan and sophomores Joanna Schultz, Altamont; Harley Barry, Shiloh; Kamaria Gant, Bloomington; Tresoir Newson, Normal West; Abigayle Weis, Effingham; Jaelynn Riggleman, Casey-Westfield; Shania Schoonover, Pana; Josie Orris, Sullivan; Elizabeth Buescher, Charleston and Mikayla Sirjord, Ulen-Hitterdal, MN.
The 2021 NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship tournament will take place April 20 through 24 at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, North Carolina.
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