Carlsen aims for postseason return in 2018-19 DeKALB – Northern Illinois women’s basketball coach Lisa Carlsen likes to begin her practices with an inspirational quote. “Commitment to winning means winning requires commitment,” Carlsen said in a team huddle before practice June 22. Local news, prep sports, Chicago sports, local and regional entertainment, business, home and lifestyle, food, classified and more! NIU forward Abby Woollacott (32) plays the ball in the paint. After one of the program’s most successful seasons and a Women’s National Invitational Tournament appearance in 2016-17, NIU suffered a setback in 2017-18. The Huskies went 15-15 and were bounced from the Mid-American Conference Tournament in a first-round game. The final record at the end of the season, however, was far from the true identity of the team, Carlsen said. The Huskies suffered three season-ending injuries before conference play started, including torn ACLs to major contributors Myia Starks and Janae Poisson. ![]() Quarkxpress 2017 mac keygen. [Shaw Media file photos] The 2017-18 season was about adjustment for the Huskies. They were left without a true point guard after the injuries to Starks and Poisson. “[A torn ACL] is every basketball player’s worst fear,” Carlsen said. “After they got hurt, we had players playing out of position, trying to fill that role of point guard.” Now, both Starks and Poisson are close to being healthy again, and the Huskies are ready to rock approaching the 2018-19 season. NIU’s revamped roster includes four newcomers and returning top-scoring seniors Courtney Woods and Mikayla Voigt. “I think if we’re healthy, we can be even better than we were two years ago and in a different way – we should be deeper,” Carlsen said. “We have obviously some key returners. With Mikayla and Courtney back, you have a guard/forward duo who can score a lot of points in a short amount of time. “Myia, before she got hurt, she was really coming into her own as far as playing the point and running the team, considering the year Janae had as a freshman. “There’s no reason to not believe with the return of those pieces, if healthy, provides a lot of optimism.” Starks and Poisson are participating in noncontact drills. Carlsen has the end of September circled for their full-recovery return date. “They’re on track, we’re hoping they are really cleared and ready for contact and everything by our first practice on September 25,” she said.“That’s always been the goal. They’re running and shooting, but they’re still a little limited on their change of direction.”. Junior Abby Woollacott is the only player missing significant time this offseason because of injury. Woollacott underwent surgery last week to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to be back by the beginning of the season, according to Carlsen. “It shouldn’t hinder her return for the season,” Carlsen said.
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