Column: Freshmen vital to OVC title
Kevin Murphy / Sports Editor
Issue date: 3/9/09 Section: Sports
Austin Peay freshman guard Emily Pollock really did steal the show.
Pollock's key plays helped give the Lady Govs an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title.
But Pollock, Lady Govs' freshman guard Whitley Hanley, Eastern Kentucky freshman guard Kayla Drake and Eastern Illinois freshman guard Pilar Walker will be exciting to watch in their final three seasons.
Pollock has the ability to steal and convert in transition and plays good defense and earned herself a spot on the OVC Tourney team.
Hanley has been a key part of the Lady Govs' offense.
Drake was the OVC Freshman of the Year and is just a scoring machine, and Walker will likely be the starting point guard for the Panthers next season.
Pollock versus Walker will be a key match up to watch. Both have the athleticism and the skills to frustrate each other.
Pollock and the Lady Govs proved the ability to frustrate the Panthers, including senior guard Megan Edwards.
Walker will now be running Eastern's offense. She has the ability to take shots as well. This includes running the floor from end-to-end and scoring on a layup as she did many times this season. Walker can also step back and hit the 3-pointer.
Eastern Illinois freshman forward Chantelle Pressley will also be a key factor in next year's Panther squad. Pressley was the sub for Eastern senior forward Lindsey Kluempers and will be a forward that shoots the 3-pointer as well.
The off-season will be a test for these freshmen.
Drake will be asked to help build an EKU team that finished ninth in the OVC and did not make the OVC Tournament.
Drake averaged 16 points per game, as well as a team-high 76 assists and 59 steals.
"I think as far as being a freshman, she was an impact player for our program," EKU Robin Roberts told the Richmond-Register. "She was tough to defend and made some things happen, both on the defensive and offensive end."
Even after freshman seasons are done, it's hard to tell what's going to happen.
Eastern senior forward Rachel Galligan was the conference's freshman of the year. Former Eastern guard Jessica Huffman transferred to Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis after her sophomore season.
Last year's OVC Freshman of the Year was Samford guard Emily London.
Samford is now in the Southern Conference.
Nothing's a guarantee.
But, it is going to be exciting to watch these freshmen develop.
Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.
Pollock's key plays helped give the Lady Govs an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title.
But Pollock, Lady Govs' freshman guard Whitley Hanley, Eastern Kentucky freshman guard Kayla Drake and Eastern Illinois freshman guard Pilar Walker will be exciting to watch in their final three seasons.
Pollock has the ability to steal and convert in transition and plays good defense and earned herself a spot on the OVC Tourney team.
Hanley has been a key part of the Lady Govs' offense.
Drake was the OVC Freshman of the Year and is just a scoring machine, and Walker will likely be the starting point guard for the Panthers next season.
Pollock versus Walker will be a key match up to watch. Both have the athleticism and the skills to frustrate each other.
Pollock and the Lady Govs proved the ability to frustrate the Panthers, including senior guard Megan Edwards.
Walker will now be running Eastern's offense. She has the ability to take shots as well. This includes running the floor from end-to-end and scoring on a layup as she did many times this season. Walker can also step back and hit the 3-pointer.
Eastern Illinois freshman forward Chantelle Pressley will also be a key factor in next year's Panther squad. Pressley was the sub for Eastern senior forward Lindsey Kluempers and will be a forward that shoots the 3-pointer as well.
The off-season will be a test for these freshmen.
Drake will be asked to help build an EKU team that finished ninth in the OVC and did not make the OVC Tournament.
Drake averaged 16 points per game, as well as a team-high 76 assists and 59 steals.
"I think as far as being a freshman, she was an impact player for our program," EKU Robin Roberts told the Richmond-Register. "She was tough to defend and made some things happen, both on the defensive and offensive end."
Even after freshman seasons are done, it's hard to tell what's going to happen.
Eastern senior forward Rachel Galligan was the conference's freshman of the year. Former Eastern guard Jessica Huffman transferred to Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis after her sophomore season.
Last year's OVC Freshman of the Year was Samford guard Emily London.
Samford is now in the Southern Conference.
Nothing's a guarantee.
But, it is going to be exciting to watch these freshmen develop.
Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.
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