MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE GAM E DAY - F E B R UA RY 6, 2 02 1
MUSTANG BASKETBALL Morningside College’s men’s and women’s basketball programs pay homage to their senior team members this afternoon before each contest’s start
She turned in 391 in her illustrious collegiate career.
The women’s squad, coached by Jamie Sale, recognizes guards Tayte Hansen, Faith and Grace Meyer, and Sierra Mitchell. The quartet has led the Mustangs to three 20-wins-or-more finishes. This year’s Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season title, four league postseason tournament appearances, and three National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ championship berths are among that run. They’ve helped the program to an 8437 overall and 58-22 conference regular-season record.
Looking further at her numbers, she’s ranked in the top 10 of four national statistical categories. She leads the way in total threepoint baskets (90) and treys made per contest (4.091), while her 411 points and 59 steals are third and sixth, respectively. Mitchell’s just part of an equation that has seen Morningside piece together 14 successive victories. Junior forward Sophia Peppers is ninth in scoring (347 points) and 15th in steals (51). Faith Meyer also holds down a top 15 mark in steals, tallying the same number. On the ledger’s team side, the Mustangs’ 307 steals lead the nation, while they are second in scoring (1,768 points) and made three-pointers (232). Their 388 assists are fourth-best.
Mside’s men, coached by Jim Sykes, honor guard Zach Imig and center Trey Brown. The duo has helped deliver three successive GPAC regular-season championships to the campus along with the 2018 loop postseason tournament crown. They’ve been a part of three NAIA championship outings and have been part of ensuring three 20-plus-win seasons and a remarkable 103-17 overall and 6411 league regular season compilation.
THE MATCH- UP Sykes’ crew has reeled off 16 straight victories over the visiting Doane University Tigers. They lead the all-time series 20-6. Morningside’s women hold a 25-1 historical advantage on DU. They’ve won seven in a row, with Doane’s lone victory occurring in Sioux City by a 77-75 count during the 201617 campaign. Mitchell can continue to add to an alreadyfull cadre of career accomplishments this afternoon. She’s 11 points from becoming the sixth player in school history to reach the 1,900 mark. During a 73-68 midweek victory over Dakota Wesleyan University, she moved into second on the league’s all-time three-point basket list, surpassing former Tiger standout Amanda Hart.
A fast start in a historically tough place for opposing teams to gain success led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 9-ranked team at the World’s Famous Corn Palace on February 3. Mside led 28-11 at the end of the first 10 minutes mainly due to a 15-0 run that closed the frame. They wouldn’t relinquish their advantage despite the host Tigers staying close down to the final moments with a second-half surge. However, the visitors righted the ship as the hosts closed to within 69-65 with 3:04 remaining. Faith Meyer hit a pair of clutch free throws, and sophomore guard McKenna Sims connected on a lay-up, while the hosts were held to just one three-point bucket in the stretch. Morningside’s victory was its first in the Corn Palace since January 13, 2016 – something which Sale savored post-game along with the outright conference crown. “It’s nice to win the GPAC, but we want to do more than that,” he stated. “To do that, we need to stay sharp. I’m confident with this team. They work really hard.” Mside was led in scoring by Mitchell, who finished with 17 points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Sims poured in 13 on six for eight from the field. Junior forward Taylor Rodenburgh came off the bench to score 12 points and pull down six rebounds. The Mustangs were also able to capitalize on 15 DWU turnovers, tallying 22 points off of them.
MORNINGSIDE MUSTANG WOMEN NO.
NAME
YR.
POS.
2 4 10 11 12 13 14 15 23 24 25 30 32 33 40 44
Olivia Boudreau Sierra Mitchell Grace Meyer Madison Clayton McKenna Sims Tayte Hansen Abbe Morten Lauren Hedlund Taylor Rodenburgh Faith Meyer Sophia Peppers Alexis Spier Amanda Ward Blaire Steenhoek Sadie Roth Chloe Lofstrom Tenly Hansen
Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Fr Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. So. So. So. Fr. Jr.
G G G G G G G G G G F G F G/F F PF G
HT. 5-9 5-6 5-8 5-8 5-8 5-7 5-8 5-6 5-9 5-7 5-10 5-7 5-9 5-9 6-0 6-0 5-11
HOMETOWN/ PREVIOUS SCHOOL Papillion, Neb./Papillion-LaVista Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk Pomeroy, Iowa/Pocahontas Area Sioux City, Iowa/West South Sioux City, Neb./Illinois State Uni. York, Neb./York Hartington, Neb./Hartington-Newcastle Albion, Neb./Boone Central Hawarden, Iowa/West Sioux Pomeroy, Iowa/Pocahontas Area Exira, Iowa/Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton Gretna, Neb./Gretna Longmont, Colo./Holy Family Chariton, Iowa/Southeast Warren Sioux Falls, S.D./Harrisburg Armstrong, Iowa/North Union York, Neb./York
Head coach: Jamie Sale Assistant coaches: Jill Bodammer, Denny Lokken, Jordyn Wollenburg, Bryan Alfredson
DOANE UNIVERSITY WOMEN NO.
NAME
POS.
HT.
YR.
2 3 5 10 12 14 20 25 32 43 44
Kate Jansky Madison Davis Bailee Baack Taylor Perry Ragan Nickless Ashley Teten Olivia Nall Halle Konz Azallee Johnson Haylee Heits Sydney Roth
G G G G F G G F G F G
5-9 5-7 5-11 5-7 5-11 5-9 5-6 5-11 5-6 6-0 5-6
So. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. So.
HOMETOWN/ PREVIOUS SCHOOL Milligan, Neb./Exeter-Milligan Yutan, Neb./Uni. of Nebraska-Omaha Seward, Neb./Seward Gretna, Neb./St. John Fisher Imperial, Neb./Southeast CC Auburn, Neb./Auburn Tilden, Neb./Elkhorn Valley Genoa, Neb./Twin River Tacoma, Wash./Pierce College Rulo, Neb./Falls City Sacred Heart Deshler, Neb./Deshler
ead coach: Ryan Baumgartner H Assistant coaches: Gene Steinmeyer, Bailey Heinen-Colby, Hannah DelaBarre, Hannah Dunse
#MsideProud
#RollSide
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MORNINGSIDE MUSTANG MEN NO.
NAME
YR.
POS.
HT.
HOMETOWN/ PREVIOUS SCHOOL
2 3 5 12 14 20 21 22 24 30 32 33 34 44 50
Jack Dotzler Trey Powers Tyler Vavrina Zach Imig Will Pottebaum Conner Hill Joey Skoff Aidan Vanderloo Collin Hill Zach Martinek Trey Brown Ely Doble TJ Schnurr Will Hurd Jacob Fierst
Fr. So. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. So.
PG SF G G G PG G G F G C PF/C F C F/C
5-10 6-5 6-2 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-1 6-6 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-6 7-0 6-6
Omaha, Neb./Roncalli Omaha, Neb./Gross Abie, Neb./Aquinas Catholic Gretna, Neb./Gretna LeMars, Iowa/LeMars Jewell, Iowa/South Hamilton Bellevue, Neb./East Sioux City, Iowa/Uni. of Iowa Jewell, Iowa/Truman State Uni. Sheffield, Iowa/West Fork Gretna, Neb./Gretna Gretna, Neb./Gretna Algona, Iowa/Bishop Garrigan Nemaha, Iowa/Storm Lake St. Mary’s West Allis, Wis./West Allis Central
Head coach: Jim Sykes Assistant coaches: Trent Miller, Tim Van Peursem, Trystan Cummins, John Vanderloo, Jackson Lazzo, Derek Degner
DOANE UNIVERSITY MEN NO.
NAME
POS.
HT.
YR.
HOMETOWN/ PREVIOUS SCHOOL
1 3 4 5 10 15 20 21 22 23 24 25 33 41 50
Tyler Sullivan Anthony Laravie Alec Oberhauser Zach Witters Will Grixby Skyler Kelley Max Masin Joe Burt Jaxon Harre Nick Saiz Trey Winkler Joe Cox Ben Moxness Connor Day Matt Hagedorn
G G F G G G F G F G G F F G F
5-11 6-1 6-7 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-6 6-3 6-4 6-1 5-9 6-4 6-6 6-1 6-5
Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
Gretna, Neb./Gretna Omaha, Neb./North Parkersburg, Iowa/Ellsworth CC Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission West Omaha, Neb./Bryan Spokane, Wash./Utah Valley University Ponca, Neb./Ponca Lincoln, Neb./Pius X Omaha, Neb./Millard South Lexington, Neb./Lexington Gering, Neb./Rainy River CC Aurora, Colo./Cherokee Trail Scribner, Neb./Northeast CC Newcastle, Neb./Ponca Norfolk, Neb./Norfolk
Head coach: Ian McKeithen Assistant coaches: Joel Stryker, Shane Sweany
The Morningside College experience cultivates a passion for lifelong learning and a dedication to ethical leadership and civic responsibility.
Imig climbed into the school’s career scoring top 10 in the men’s 87-77 victory in Mitchell. His 1,436 points passed Jason Siemon (1989-93) for the final slot in the first ten. Brown moved within 16 of the best 20 with his 10th double-double in the last 11 opportunities, as his 1,203 career total sits 21st. The World’s Famous Corn Palace lived up to its nickname for the Maroon— this time by being party to a famous memory for a visiting program. No. 9-ranked Morningside reversed a 75-60 loss to No. 16-ranked DWU earlier in the year behind a red-hot 52.2 percent field goal outing coupled with a twoto-one advantage on the glass (45-27) that led to the 10-point triumph. The Mustangs, improving to 19-3 overall and 15-3 in the league, kept a game and a half lead on second-place University of Jamestown with two games to play on the regular-season schedule. A quartet of visiting players wound up in double figures. Brown produced 20 points and 12 rebounds to go with a blocked shot, steal, and two assists. Imig wasn’t far from a similar situation and a potential tripledouble with 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Sophomore guard Will Pottebaum and freshman guard Joey Skoff each chipped in 13 points.
TIGER TALES Head coach Ian McKeithen’s men’s team has been a tough customer of late. They knocked off Dordt University at home on January 23. They took the second-place University of Jamestown on an overtime thrill ride at UJ on January 31, along with being edged by Northwestern College by just two January 16 to spotlight their last three dates. Senior guard Anthony Laravie leads the way scoring-wise, averaging 16.5 points per contest mainly due to 51 made three-pointers. DU’s women, coached by Ryan Baumgartner, snapped a nine-game skid midweek with a 71-61 home triumph over the College of Saint Mary. Freshman guard Olivia Nall had a big evening, scoring 24 points behind four threepointers to go with seven rebounds and four steals. Fellow underclasswoman guard Ashley Teten registered 17 points.