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USD Notebook: Yoerger Solidifies Leadership Role
BY JEREMY HOECK
jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net
VERMILLION — Since coming to the University of South Dakota four seasons ago, Bridget Yoerger has been, put simply, the bridge between past and current success.
Cliched or not, one glance at the numbers shows the effect the Hinton, Iowa, native has had on the USD women’s basketball program. Yoerger has started 93 of 98 games played, has been a part of three significant transitions and is now the focal point of the USD offense.
Asked how she’s handling the adjustment from strictly role player to now team leader, Yoerger’s response was nothing short of candid.
“To be honest, I haven’t felt any pressure at all,” the senior forward said this week. “I think it’s been easy to adjust to after starting all these games. If I hadn’t gotten that much playing time, I’m sure I’d be a nervous wreck.”
The 5-foot-11 post player began her USD career on the 2005-06 Coyote team that went 15-13 under former coach Chad Lavin. Yoerger started 22 of 27 games that season and averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds.
That period in Coyote history, she joked, may forever be referred to as the “pre Hoffman-Hoffman-Daly era.”
The trio of Jeana Hoffman, Jenna Hoffman and Shannon Daly, with Yoerger in the starting lineup, guided USD to a 55-11 record over the next two seasons - culminating in an appearance in last season’s Division II national title game.
Now, this season, everything has changed:
• Lavin resigned and was replaced by Ryun Williams, himself a former Coyote.
• USD lost four senior starters off last season’s team, with Yoerger as the only returner this season.
• No longer in Division II, the Coyotes are in the first year of a four-year transition to D-I.
• No longer in the North Central Conference, USD is now a member of the Great West Conference but will not begin full league play until next season.
“We all knew coming in (this season) it was more than just a new coach,” Yoerger said. “Everything around was new. We had to really prepare ourselves, but it was hard, because we didn’t know what to expect.”
With four new starters and a completely revamped coaching staff, the Coyotes (6-1) have relied heavily on Yoerger for not only on-court leadership, but scoring. And so far, she’s responded, leading the team in both points (22.3) and rebounds (10) per game.
“Things have gone so much better then I thought,” she said. “Coach Williams is cooler then I ever thought he’d be. We all love playing for him, and even though it’s only been seven games, it’s easy to forget that he just got here.”
With 22 games remaining, Yoerger needs just one point to crack the all-time top 10 scoring list at USD. Also, her 672 career rebounds ranks ninth in program history.
During last season’s run to the national championship game, the Coyotes utilized a motion offense, predicated on passing, spreading the floor and three-point shooting. As a result, the team rarely used a set post, leaving Yoerger open for more drives and cuts to the basket.
Now, this season, she’s back to her familiar moves.
“I love posting up. That’s where I think I can be more successful,” she said. “We started the season with a different offense, but now we’ve gone back to more of a spread look. And so far, it’s really worked.”
The Coyotes, riding a six-game winning streak, host the University of Sioux Falls at 3 p.m. on Sunday. It begins a streak of seven games at home during the month of December.
USD Vs. Chadron State
With Tuesday’s matchup with seventh-ranked Notre Dame in the rearview mirror, the USD men’s basketball team turns it attention to Saturday’s 3 p.m. home game with Chadron State College.
But again, the Coyotes will face a team capable of putting up big points.
The CSC Eagles (3-1), of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, dropped Division I exhibitions to Colorado State and Nebraska before defeating Augustana College 83-78 in the season opener.
Against Augustana, Chadron State sophomore Tim McLaurin recorded just the second triple-double in school history, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. And the Coyotes are familiar with McLaurin’s exploits. Last season, as a freshman, the 6-foot-3 guard dropped 32 points on USD, but the Coyotes used a 26-0 run in the first half to win 104-89 in Vermillion.
Although the two teams were not originally scheduled to face each other this season, USD had a game fall through and contacted Chadron State about a fourth matchup in the all-time series — one USD leads 2-1.
“When they asked if we were available, we jumped at the chance,” Chadron State head coach Brent Bargen said this week. “It’s a good opportunity for our kids to play in a big environment. And plus, we’ve always done well against them, so we’re anxious to play.”
McLaurin is Chadron State’s leading scorer (22 ppg) and rebounder (6.8 rpg) this season and has connected on 50 percent (28-of-56) of his shots from the field.
“He’s extremely versatile; one of the best pure scorers I’ve seen in a long time,” said Bargen, who was an assistant at Long Beach State and Kansas State before coming to CSC. “He can be a tough matchup for some people, with his size and strength.”
Swimming In Minneapolis
The USD men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams will be one of 18 squads competing in this weekend’s Falcon Invitational, held at the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
The meet, featuring area schools ranging from Division III to I, is the nation’s largest collegiate swimming invite. When the Coyotes were at the meet last year, it was a 12-team, one-division format, but has grown significantly for 2008.
“We’re looking at it as a chance to use a great facility and see how our kids do, individually,” USD coach Jason Mahowald said. “It’s a unique event and is definitely growing.”
Teams competing in the Red Division will be Carroll College, Gustavus Adolphus, Grinnell College, Minnesota State-Moorhad, St. Benedict, St. John’s, St. Thomas, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wisconsin-River Falls.
Teams competing in the White Division will be Gustavus Aldophus (members in both), Luther College, Minnesota State-Mankato, Minnesota (non-traveling members), North Dakota, USD, Wisconsin-La Crosse and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“We’ll be resting a majority of our team for the meet, but we’re anxious to see how we fare rested,” Mahowald said. “We definitely wanted to come back to this and I hope we’ll come back again in the future.”
Cliched or not, one glance at the numbers shows the effect the Hinton, Iowa, native has had on the USD women’s basketball program. Yoerger has started 93 of 98 games played, has been a part of three significant transitions and is now the focal point of the USD offense.
Asked how she’s handling the adjustment from strictly role player to now team leader, Yoerger’s response was nothing short of candid.
“To be honest, I haven’t felt any pressure at all,” the senior forward said this week. “I think it’s been easy to adjust to after starting all these games. If I hadn’t gotten that much playing time, I’m sure I’d be a nervous wreck.”
The 5-foot-11 post player began her USD career on the 2005-06 Coyote team that went 15-13 under former coach Chad Lavin. Yoerger started 22 of 27 games that season and averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds.
That period in Coyote history, she joked, may forever be referred to as the “pre Hoffman-Hoffman-Daly era.”
The trio of Jeana Hoffman, Jenna Hoffman and Shannon Daly, with Yoerger in the starting lineup, guided USD to a 55-11 record over the next two seasons - culminating in an appearance in last season’s Division II national title game.
Now, this season, everything has changed:
• Lavin resigned and was replaced by Ryun Williams, himself a former Coyote.
• USD lost four senior starters off last season’s team, with Yoerger as the only returner this season.
• No longer in Division II, the Coyotes are in the first year of a four-year transition to D-I.
• No longer in the North Central Conference, USD is now a member of the Great West Conference but will not begin full league play until next season.
“We all knew coming in (this season) it was more than just a new coach,” Yoerger said. “Everything around was new. We had to really prepare ourselves, but it was hard, because we didn’t know what to expect.”
With four new starters and a completely revamped coaching staff, the Coyotes (6-1) have relied heavily on Yoerger for not only on-court leadership, but scoring. And so far, she’s responded, leading the team in both points (22.3) and rebounds (10) per game.
“Things have gone so much better then I thought,” she said. “Coach Williams is cooler then I ever thought he’d be. We all love playing for him, and even though it’s only been seven games, it’s easy to forget that he just got here.”
With 22 games remaining, Yoerger needs just one point to crack the all-time top 10 scoring list at USD. Also, her 672 career rebounds ranks ninth in program history.
During last season’s run to the national championship game, the Coyotes utilized a motion offense, predicated on passing, spreading the floor and three-point shooting. As a result, the team rarely used a set post, leaving Yoerger open for more drives and cuts to the basket.
Now, this season, she’s back to her familiar moves.
“I love posting up. That’s where I think I can be more successful,” she said. “We started the season with a different offense, but now we’ve gone back to more of a spread look. And so far, it’s really worked.”
The Coyotes, riding a six-game winning streak, host the University of Sioux Falls at 3 p.m. on Sunday. It begins a streak of seven games at home during the month of December.
USD Vs. Chadron State
With Tuesday’s matchup with seventh-ranked Notre Dame in the rearview mirror, the USD men’s basketball team turns it attention to Saturday’s 3 p.m. home game with Chadron State College.
But again, the Coyotes will face a team capable of putting up big points.
The CSC Eagles (3-1), of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, dropped Division I exhibitions to Colorado State and Nebraska before defeating Augustana College 83-78 in the season opener.
Against Augustana, Chadron State sophomore Tim McLaurin recorded just the second triple-double in school history, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. And the Coyotes are familiar with McLaurin’s exploits. Last season, as a freshman, the 6-foot-3 guard dropped 32 points on USD, but the Coyotes used a 26-0 run in the first half to win 104-89 in Vermillion.
Although the two teams were not originally scheduled to face each other this season, USD had a game fall through and contacted Chadron State about a fourth matchup in the all-time series — one USD leads 2-1.
“When they asked if we were available, we jumped at the chance,” Chadron State head coach Brent Bargen said this week. “It’s a good opportunity for our kids to play in a big environment. And plus, we’ve always done well against them, so we’re anxious to play.”
McLaurin is Chadron State’s leading scorer (22 ppg) and rebounder (6.8 rpg) this season and has connected on 50 percent (28-of-56) of his shots from the field.
“He’s extremely versatile; one of the best pure scorers I’ve seen in a long time,” said Bargen, who was an assistant at Long Beach State and Kansas State before coming to CSC. “He can be a tough matchup for some people, with his size and strength.”
Swimming In Minneapolis
The USD men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams will be one of 18 squads competing in this weekend’s Falcon Invitational, held at the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
The meet, featuring area schools ranging from Division III to I, is the nation’s largest collegiate swimming invite. When the Coyotes were at the meet last year, it was a 12-team, one-division format, but has grown significantly for 2008.
“We’re looking at it as a chance to use a great facility and see how our kids do, individually,” USD coach Jason Mahowald said. “It’s a unique event and is definitely growing.”
Teams competing in the Red Division will be Carroll College, Gustavus Adolphus, Grinnell College, Minnesota State-Moorhad, St. Benedict, St. John’s, St. Thomas, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wisconsin-River Falls.
Teams competing in the White Division will be Gustavus Aldophus (members in both), Luther College, Minnesota State-Mankato, Minnesota (non-traveling members), North Dakota, USD, Wisconsin-La Crosse and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“We’ll be resting a majority of our team for the meet, but we’re anxious to see how we fare rested,” Mahowald said. “We definitely wanted to come back to this and I hope we’ll come back again in the future.”
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