Young Team Looks Forward to New Challenges

For the 2008-09 Nebraska bowling team, a new season brings new challenges. Following the departure of four-time All-American Lindsay Baker last season, the Huskers certainly appear young on paper. However, with the return of All-Americans Cassandra Leuthold and Katie Ann Sopp and three more Huskers with NCAA Championship experience, Nebraska hopes to be in the running for a national title again during the 2008-09 season.

"I thought the team was young last year when we still had Baker as the lone senior," Nebraska Head Coach Bill Straub said. "This year’s team only has one senior, so it’s difficult to have real knowledge of how we’re going to do in a serious competition without a lot of experience. We’re going to have to get the experience level on the fly."

Straub will install many changes this season to ensure a sixth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance, including taking more bowlers to competitions and creating a family-like environment.

This season, Straub plans to use all 10 players in the first few early tournaments to gain experience. Once the second half of the season rolls around, Straub will be able to determine which players will make up the starting five. By bringing all 10 bowlers to the competitions, Straub hopes to build more trust and communication for the whole team.

In addition to gaining experience early in the season, Straub plans to focus on team camaraderie to help NU to another successful season.

"We’ve now set aside Monday evenings for team dinners," Straub said. "I’m not trying to have this be similar to the military, but I am trying to have it be more like what a family would do, or what all of the individuals are used to with families at home. Periodically you have a dinner where all the family members are attending and I’m hoping they can have a bond with many people with diverse backgrounds."

The 2008-09 roster also has a brand new feel, as eight of the 10 Husker bowlers hail from the Midwest, including four from Nebraska.

"I think [having Nebraskans on the roster] gets more attention from the people who are local than it does with somebody out-of-state," Straub said. "I think it’s a big benefit when you have locals who are on the team. There are more people paying attention to what you do. That ends up increasing the pressure, but it also increases the recognition of your athletes, and we appreciate that."

Nebraska’s own Kaleena Henning, a senior from North Platte, is the team captain for the 2008-09 season. Henning competed in all seven regular-season competitions last year, while making an appearance in the 2008 NCAA Championships in Omaha. She also boasts Junior Gold experience and earned honorable-mention honors as a National Tenpin Coaches Association Scholastic All-American. Her experience will certainly help direct the young Husker team.

Junior Cassandra Leuthold, a Black Hawk, S.D., native, will be one of the top bowlers on the team this season. Not only has Leuthold garnered two NTCA All-America honors and a 2007 Rookie-of-the-Year award, but she claimed two first-place honors during regular-season competition last season before topping the individual standings at the 2008 NCAA Championships. Her strong fundamentals will be a driving force for the 2008-09 team.

Three sophomores from Minnesota round out the list of returners for the upcoming season.

In just her first season with the Huskers, Katie Ann Sopp, a Circle Pines, Minn., native, earned prestigious second-team NTCA All-America honors for her success on the lanes. She also produced oustanding results in the classroom, earning second-team Scholastic All-America honors. Sopp competed in all eight competitions last season, heading the freshman leaderboard with a pinfall of 12,241.

Jasmine Laugerman, a sophomore from Brooklyn Center, Minn., bowled an outstanding first season, competing in all eight tournaments and posting a 199.30 average on the year. At the completion of the season, Laugerman was honored with second-team Scholastic All-America accolades and honorable-mention All-America honors

Kayla Stram, a Grand Rapids, Minn., native, rounds out the sophomore class. Stram fought hard during her freshman season to see action during the 2008 NCAA Championship. She ended her sophomore year with honorable-mention Scholastic All-American accolades. Her experience at the NCAA Championships could certainly provide a major advantage useful during the 2008-09 season.

"Kayla got some playing time toward the end of last season that she certainly earned," Straub said. "I think she’s going to be vying for a starting spot this season."

The Nebraska newcomers may also be a force to be reckoned with during the 2008-09 season, as two of the freshmen have vast international experience and the other three competed in Nebraska high school bowling.

Valerie Calberry joined the NU team from Brampton, Ontario, where she is a competitor on the Canadian National Team. Nebraska’s top recruit, Calberry has garnered several gold medals while competing for Canada. Calberry’s international experience could help her become a key component in Nebraska’s success in 2008-09.

Danielle van der Meer, an international bowler from Hilversum, Netherlands, entered the Nebraska lineup after being recommended by former Husker star Diandra Asbaty. van der Meer represented Holland on its national team before joining the Huskers.

"The best part of Danielle is not only is she a good athlete, but she’s had a lot of international experience," Straub said, "I hope that will help her manage the pressure of college bowling."

Three Nebraska bowlers also joined the 2008-09 roster, including Kristina Mickelson, Erin McCarthy and Chelsey Mero. Omaha natives McCarthy and Mickelson both built fundamentals with ex-Husker Jamie Martin prior to coming to Nebraska.

McCarthy, a Millard North High School graduate, was a two-time all-state captain in high school. She recently won the North Pointe Invitation, a tournament only available to graduating high school seniors. According to Straub, McCarthy defeated a competitve field filled with national-level success.

Mickelson, a 2008 graduate of Bellevue East, helped her high school team to a fourth-place finish at the Nebraska state championships. Mickelson has been an all-state tournament team captain for three years.

Mero rounds out the list of newcomers as a four-year Lincoln North Star letterwinner, helping her team to a state title last season. According to Straub, Mero has had a lot of experience as a leader and will soon help the Husker team succeed.

With an outstanding blend of bowlers from across the world, Nebraska once again hopes to be one of the top teams in the nation. NU will begin its 2008-09 campaign on Nov. 7 at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational in Fort Atkinson, Wis., before competing in two more tournaments in the fall season. NU will return to action on Jan. 16 at the Mid-Winter Classic in Jonesboro, Ark. The Huskers will play in three additional tournaments during the spring season before the NCAA Championships in Canton, Mich.

"Canton has been a very well-known bowling town for a lot of years," Straub said. "It’s in the factory belt, so that tends to have more bowlers involved. We’re hoping that being in a city like Detroit, that has such a history of being involved in competitive bowling, it will involve not only a good turnout of spectators, but also real supportive people who know what bowling is all about. I’m hoping that will make things more easy for our success."