Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/590325
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Productive off-season has Lady Lions feeling hopeful had a "pretty good" shot and just needed to learn more about the game and his strengths. "At 5rst I didn't really know the game, so I had to adjust myself," he said. "I was 5guring out what I could be best at, so I would just be in the gym shooting and shooting. I developed good shooting habits." He hopes to parlay those talents into a strong freshman season with the Nittany Lions. Insisting he will always be ready when Chambers calls his name, Zemgulis said he is excited about the opportunity that lies ahead. "I can't wait," he said. "That's a dream come true. I never thought I would play college basketball back when I was in Lithuania, but then I decided to go to the United States to see what happens, and now I'm here. I'm just blessed." ■ A year ago, reliant mostly on sopho- mores and other relative newcomers to the program, Penn State plummeted from its customary spot atop the Big Ten standings all the way to the bottom, 5n- ishing 6-24 overall and 3-16 in conference play. This year, Coquese Washington is treat- ing her team's di7culties the only way that a head coach can: as a learning ex- perience that will lead to better things in the season to come. "It's fun to be along for the ride when you're winning championships and going to Sweet 16s, but there's a di6erent ex- pectation, there's a di6erent level of re- sponsibility, when you have to be out there and you have to be the one to produce statistically," she said. "Having to go through that experience night in and night out last year was the biggest growth area. Now the returning players know what to expect." The Lady Lions return five players with significant starting experience, including four of their top five scorers from a year ago. That list is headed by redshirt soph- omore Lindsey Spann, who made 17 starts at point guard and averaged a team-best 13.2 points per game, and senior shooting guard Sierra Moore, who finished second in scoring at 12.1 points per game and played more minutes (34.1 per game) than anyone on the team. Also back are senior center Candice Agee (10.6 ppg, 6.1 re- bounds per game) and junior forward Kaliyah Mitchell (8.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg). Wash- ington said she likes the maturation she's seen in the off-season from those players and expects the team chemistry to be improved this year as leadership has emerged. Penn State's depth is also likely to be improved with the arrival of four high- pro5le freshmen: guards Amari Carter and Teniya Page, forward Jaylen Williams and center Ashanti Thomas. The Lady Li- ons' recruiting class was rated 11th in the nation by ESPN/HoopGurlz. But one of the most eagerly anticipated | . 2 0 1 5 - 1 6 R O S T E R NO NAME POS ELIG HT HOMETOWN HS/LAST COLLEGE 1 Candice Agee C Sr. 6-6 Victorville, Calif. Silverado 2 Amari Carter G Fr. 5-8 Washington, D.C. St. John's College 3 Brianna Banks G Sr. 5-9 Fayetteville, Ga. Fayette County/UConn 5 Sierra Moore G R-Jr. 5-11 Hanover, Pa. Delone Catholic/Duke 10 Keke Sevillian G Jr. 5-7 Goodrich, Mich. Goodrich 11 Teniya Page G Fr. 5-7 Chicago, Ill. Marian Catholic 12 Lindsey Spann G R-So. 5-6 Laurel, Md. Good Counsel 15 Kaliyah Mitchell F Jr. 6-2 Stone Mountain, Ga. Stephenson 23 Jaylen Williams F Fr. 6-3 Easton, Mass. Archbishop Williams 24 Ashanti Thomas C Fr. 6-4 Lexington, Ky. Lafayette 25 Peyton Whitted F Jr. 6-3 Suwanee, Ga. North Gwinnett