This Friday, Nov. 8, the 2019-2020 Augustana Women’s Basketball roster will make their debut against Benedictine University in the Roy J. Carver Center.
The Vikings are looking to follow up a successful 2018-19 season. The program is chasing a fourth straight winning season, and are hoping to qualify for the CCIW for the fourth year in a row.
Five key players, Izzy Anderson, Clare Kramer, Scooter Lopez, Carly McCameron and Sadie Roberts all graduated. This opens up four starting spots this season, the other belonging to returning senior guard, Alexis Jones. Jones earned a total of three out of the five team awards in the spring of 2019, including MVP, Rebound Award and Defensive Player of the Year.
Jones, a significant player on the Women’s Basketball team, is a returning senior this season, a two-time Viking MVP, 1st team All-CCIW player and led CCIW in rebounding last season, with 8.8 rpg (rebounds per game).
Another team award winner from last spring, is returning sophomore forward, Lauren Hall.
“I’ve prepared all summer and I’m just excited for this year and up for any challenge,” Hall said.
Many other players are in the same boat as Hall, having to take on a new role on the team. Earning the title of Most Improved Player, Hall explains the team dynamic so far, and how she anticipates challenges to be dealt with.
“I think our biggest challenge for this year will be inexperience, especially because only a few players have actually played a varsity college game,” Hall said. “I believe our returners [no matter if they played or not] will help the whole team overcome adversity. Our team clicks together so well already, it will be a very exciting year.”
This season’s team captains are a trio of senior guards including Jones, Emily Ness, and Mia Lambert. Lambert had a significant season in the books last year, with single-game highs of 14 points at North Central and six rebounds against North Park. Lambert led the Vikings in three-point percentage at .346.
“We are a very young and hungry team and I think this season will be something special as long as we play together and play our game,” Lambert said.
Coach Mike Beinborn’s 2019-2020 squad is predicted to earn fifth place in the latest CCIW preseason poll. The poll is conducted by the head women’s basketball coaches in the conference. With the perception of having a very young team, Augustana got bumped out of the fourth slot from last year trailing North Park by only three votes.
Right on the heels of our Vikings is North Central who tallied only one vote less, earning the sixth place in CCIW predictions for the 2019-2020 season.
The upcoming season will be Beinborn’s eighth at Augustana. He has introduced 2019 freshman class with eight new faces, one of which is his daughter, Macy Beinborn.
With a surge of new faces in the lineup, the Vikings will fight this season to uphold the program reputation.
Alexis Jones is an Augustana Observer staff member.