Women's Basketball

WHAT CAN MNU BASKETBALL OFFER YOU?

Opportunity to learn and improve - A fantastic new facility, experienced coaching, and a developmental junior varsity program add up to optimum opportunity to improve one's basketball skills at a higher level of competition. Coach Olin, an NAIA women's basketball coach since 1978, will guide his student-athletes into a 11-month program of various workouts designated to maximize their potential as basketball players.

Opportunity to compete - The Lady Pioneers play a full 30 game schedule, which includes pre-season tournaments and 20 conference games. Home games are played in the 3,000 seat Bell Family Arena located in the state-of-the-art Cook Center.

Opportunity to excel - The challenging schedule has its rewards for success - the opportunity to compete in post-season tournaments. The Lady Pioneers are members of the 11-team Heart of America Athletic Conference, one of the top NAIA II leagues in the nation. Success in the post-season conference tournament will land the Lady Pioneers at the National Tournament. Also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), MNU has the additional option of competing in the NCCAA championships at the conclusion of the regular season.

Opportunity to grow - Social, spiritual, and academic growth are all vital goals of the institution, and the MNU women's basketball program will provide these opportunities to all of its participants by preserving the concept of a balanced existence. Consequently, the commitment to basketball still leaves adequate time for the achievement of excellence and growth in these other areas. Our players rarely miss class for games, making feasible the achievement of academic excellence. The women's basketball program also allows time for the players to "have a life" and take advantage of the unique social opportunities at MNU during these four pivotal years of their lives. Spiritual growth, already an institutional priority, has its unique opportunities for MNU women's basketball players through team devotionals and the application of Christian principles to the competitive game of basketball.

Opportunity to receive compensation - MNU may offer athletic scholarships for those players who have a passion for basketball and embrace the mission and environment of MNU. Scholarships are available for both JV and varsity participants and are renewable annually. At the conclusion of the season each player is evaluated and her scholarship is analyzed. She will subsequently be offered an award for the following year, based on the evaluation of her performance, progress and projected value to next year's team. Most scholarships are maintained at the same amount from year to year while some may be increased (modestly) or, in infrequent circumstances, lowered. Walk-ons may earn scholarships in subsequent years.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU AS AN MNU BASKETBALL PLAYER?

• 11-month commitment to maximizing your potential as a basketball player.
• A love for basketball that makes the above commitment a "joy" rather than a "job".
• A commitment to academic achievement
• An active respect for the unique rules and requirements at MNU and an excitement about the mission of the institution.
• The discipline to commit with consistency the same high level of intensity in practice that is evident in the game.

Pioneer Pride . . . "pride" can mean many different things, but for the MNU women's basketball player it refers not only to a commitment to excellence in performance but in approach as well. As we attempt to honor Christ through basketball, our attitude becomes a critical factor. We therefore endeavor to . . .

• Always place "team" above "self".
• Be forgiving, not reactive.
• Respect officials and opponents.
• Encourage and support teammates.
• Always play hard and never give up.
• Refrain from "trash talk" or any type of negative comments.

"In everything you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus . . ." - Colossians 3:17

A Breakdown of the 11-Month Commitment

The school year begins in late August. The players will begin practice in September. These 5-days-per-week sessions will feature conditioning (in the gym), strength training, and fundamentals.

Coach Olin typically suits up a maximum of 12 players for varsity games. Strength training and conditioning will continue to be prominent, but more emphasis will be placed on applying fundamentals to team play and concepts in October. Practices typically span two hours (on the court) five days each week, with an additional period of either strength training, film evaluation, or devotional time immediately following the gym time.

Final preparations, usually including a couple of scrimmages, are made in early November prior to the start of the season. Early games typically include "overnight" road trips to tournaments. Games are normally not scheduled over Thanksgiving and the players are also given one or two weeks off over the Christmas holiday. Every few years the Lady Pioneers are able to take an oversees road trip.

Conference play begins in mid-November and continues through February. Playoffs - at the conference, regional, and national levels - take place in late February and early March.

At the conclusion of the season the players will have individual meetings with the coaches to analyze the season and the areas of emphasis needed for a better next year. At this time players will be given their off-season weekly shooting, strength training, and conditioning workouts. Times and days will also be set for full court "pick-up" games during the Spring and summer months. The five months of off-season work are critical to meeting our goal of becoming a championship team. Players typically take some time off at the conclusion of the season, and begin their off-season workouts after Spring Break.

I'm Interested! É Now What Do I Do?

• Complete the athletic questionnaire located on this web site.
• Send me a schedule of your games.
• Send me a game video (more than one game is preferable) so that I can evaluate your ability and potential. Please let me know if you need the tapes returned. Since distance and time often make a personal visit to one of your games very difficult, I rely heavily on game videos.
• Arrange for a campus visit - you can usually include some basketball activity at one of these. Our Admissions staff here at MNU is excellent and they will work with you to make your visit productive and meaningful.
• I will endeavor to either make it to one of your games or visit you at home as the recruiting process continue.
• We will be communicating mostly via phone and/or email.
• The NAIA has no "signing period" restrictions, so if/when we get to the point of a scholarship offer, you have the freedom to go ahead and sign whenever you are ready to commit to MNU.