Women's Basketball | 8/5/2016 4:01:00 PM
Interviews: S. Dimba | S. Shelstead | Head Coach J. Goodenough
ABILENE - The defending regular-season Southland Conference women's basketball champions from Abilene Christian take their first international trip under head coach
Julie Goodenough next week to Canadian metropoles Ottawa and Montreal.
Goodenough decided to take a foreign trip as a thank you to the outstanding senior class of Lizzy and
Suzzy Dimba,
Alexis Mason and
Sydney Shelstead.
"They were my first recruiting class who came here on a mission to build the foundation for DI women's basketball at ACU," she said. "They have done an incredible job so far of that and still have goals to attain this season!"
ACU's seniors have been fixtures in the starting lineup since their arrivals on campus and have won 61 games in three seasons. Last year's team not only won the league's regular-season title with a 17-1 record, but the Wildcats also received their first taste of national attention, qualifying for the WNIT and finishing with a No. 18 ranking in the
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
The Wildcats' gutsy performance vs. UTEP in the WNIT's first round and overall record of 26-4 further impressed organizers to merit an invitation to the WNIT preseason tournament, which kicks off ACU's 2016-17 season at Missouri on Nov. 11.
Now that the Wildcat is out of the bag regarding this ACU program, Goodenough and her coaches had to create an opportunity that would put them several weeks ahead of the competition in preparing for this season – a legitimate grind that will include a minimum of three WNIT games, plus nationally ranked programs from Baylor and Texas A&M.
The Wildcats have scheduled an influx of fun activities during their weeklong trip to the Great White North, but to get there they'll first have to leave the Big Country next Monday at 3 a.m. to catch an 8 a.m. flight out of DFW. From there ACU will be delivered to their hotel in Ottawa, where the Wildcats begin preparations for Tuesday night's game at Queens University (Kingston) and Wednesday's contest at Carleton University (Ottawa).
The Wildcats will sightsee around the Canadian capital prior to their exhibition, and Thursday they depart for Montreal, which includes a thrill-seeking itinerary of zip lining, jet boating and a ghost walk. The team also will compete in its own version of The Amazing Race and visit Notre Dame Basilica.
"I'm so excited to coach this new team in games," said Goodenough. "I'm also thrilled to spend a week with them immersed in a new culture and sharing a once in a lifetime trip with this awesome group of young ladies. We are extremely blessed to have this international travel opportunity in which to be ambassadors for ACU!"
Lizzy Dimba is still on the mend from her February injury, but the rest of the team (12 women) expects to be in action for both exhibitions. The Wildcats return their four senior starters along with talented reserves in
Sierra Allen,
McKenzie Martin and
Sara Williamson, who recently switched her uniform number to No. 11.
Fans of the program also are anxiously waiting to see the contributions of five newcomers; high school prospects
Dominique Golighty,
Pamela Herrera,
Lexi Kirgan and
Breanna Wright and junior college transfer
Taudenciah Oluoch.
The Wildcats return back to Abilene Saturday, Aug. 13 and begin their fall term the following Monday, Aug. 22.
