WBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[WLCALUM83]

5 minutes left in 2nd:  Falcons down some 25 points--see ya later.

(It still beats not getting an NCAA bid at all--which happened with NAthCon Women's Volleyball.)

[WLCALUM83]

Sounds like Lakeland's going to be looking for a new women's basketball coach:

The 3 WLC/Lakeland match-ups this poster remembers from April Arvan's tenure:

1999-2000 LMC Tournament:  (On Lakeland's home floor Final--WLC 72, Lakeland 59.    That was after the Muskies had hammered the Warriors by some 20 points or so in each of the 2 previous meetings that season.

2000-2001 LMC Tournament:  Lakeland 69, WLC 40. (Muskies return the favor in '01 final, on WLC's home floor in Sara Zondag's last game as a Warrior.

2002-2003 LMC Tournament:  WLC over Lakeland again.


Best to her.

[dodgeball]

I think WLCALUM83 deserves to lose his posting privileges if that's what he remembers of Lakeland's April Arvan.  He talks as if that's all she will remember are her WLC loses and he says, "her last game was a win, anyway."  as if she never compiled a winning record before. 

Where does one even start with a coach like Arvan.  Let's see how about 266 wins and only 84 loses or a winning record of .760 overall and .823 in conference play.  8 conference titles and 6 conference tournament titles.  5 appearances in the NCAA tournament and how about 6 conference coach of the year awards.  That's just the facts there but above all she is a great person and was well respected by her team and opponents.   

Name me another coach in the LMC or NAC with that kind of coaching career.  I almost pitty you WLCALUM83, for not knowing very much about Arvan, you missed out on probably the best coach our conference will ever see.   

[WLCALUM83]

Let me clarify:

1--  I said "I'd remember" meaning in the context of tournament final rivalry action between the two schools. I didn't say "she'd remember" that.

2--  I don't intend to go around "coach bashing".

3--  I will admit that your complaints are justified, and I'm guilty of posting without thinking again on this one.  I didn't mean to come off implying that she was a bad coach. I'm sorry to have given you reason to feel that way.

4-- I didn't mean to cut the woman down with the last full sentence. (I just removed it from my original post.)

5-- I also in my rush failed to cite the good job she did given the number of personnel she lost to graduation prior to this season.

      (I have been posting on these boards for almost 8 months now, and it seldom is my intent to maliciously put anyone down.)

         I don't want to get into an argument.

        Further words fail me. 

[Illinihoops4]

April's accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. I think that everyone in the conference knows the history of Lakeland basketball and the tremendous job  that she has done in her tenure as coach. One might remember all the players that have gone through her program and how successful they've been. Who could forget Julia who came to play basketball , Jill Dewayne, Casey Thousand, and countless others. April is well respected in the profession.

I've been reading WLCALUM83's posts for the past 8 months and he's a WLC fan   I think he stated his personal memories of a great rivalry with his team. No harm in that.

April has been a fantastic coach and whoever Jane hires will have some very big shoes to fill. It's very sad to think that we won't see Coach Arvan on the sideline next season. She's the classiest coach in the league and her teams have been a blast to watch over the years.

Best of luck to her in her new/expanded duties.

[strikingviking]

Wow I didn't know Lakeland's coach had been that successful!  Any ideas on who might be up for the job, hopefully they will get someone with more than a couple of years experience to take carry on her winning tradition!

[WLCALUM83]

The Muskies have 3 assistant coaches to choose from if the search is kept "in-house." Sounds like Mr. Oestereich (sp) has the most experience. Kristi Thill played for Coach Arvan  (was a fine player in her own right--. (If they do go "outside" like Edgewood did when Edgewood hired Tola Neils--just for example) one would hope the timing would be such that things would still run relatively smoothly.

[Illinihoops4]

strikingviking- you obviously aren't too familiar with Lakeland women's basketball.
Sheboygan is a tough draw, but there will be plenty of applicants. I'm sure in house applications will be thrown in, but I'm sure that Jane will hire a female for the position. If that's the case, Teri Johnson comes to mind, who is an alum and is the current head coach at MacMurray in Jacksonville, IL. One might look at Casey Thousand- current Carthage assistant. The way to experience is to be given a chance. Both of those individuals know the school well and that's a major selling point with Lakeland- both also went through Arvan's program and I'm sure have taken many of her philosophys with them.

[strikingviking]

Quote from Illinihoops4

I'm sure in house applications will be thrown in, but I'm sure that Jane will hire a female for the position.

I have no problem with that if they are the most qualified candidate!

[libero]

Not that anyone cares (Alverno might not even care), but Sue Hanson is stepping down as AD and as coach.

[WLCALUM83]

That effective immediately or at the end of the school year?

[Illinihoops4]

Wow, I didn't see that one coming. Sue Hanson is another standout person in the NAC. It has had to have been a difficult job at Alverno in terms of athletics. I can't imagine trying to recruit to an all female school.

Any word on what her future plans are?

[borderjumper]

   I have not posted all year but felt the need to say Congratulations and good luck to outgoing Lakeland coach, April Arvan.  April has decided to spend more time in the classroom and has resigned from her coaching duties as of this past week.  Her enthusiasm, dedication and success will be a tough act to follow.  All who have known her can attest to the fact that she put everything she had into her team-both on and off of the court.  It has been fun as a fan to follow the rise of the LC program in the past years and I wish April all of the best as she continues to make Lakeland College a wonderful educational institution. 

[borderjumper]

 First of all, this is the first I've heard of Coach Hansen stepping down at Alverno--all the best to her in whatever she tackles next.  I really wanted to just add to what some of the LC alums have posted here regarding Coach A--April Arvan.  Those of us who know her know that she gave her all, 24/7 or more if she could, to the rise of the LC program.  In addition, there are  many who graduated from LC and were given the opportunity to playDIII hoops...when they had been overlooked by other institutions.  Not only were these young people given the chance to participate in an outstanding program, once their playing days were over, the connection to LC continued.  I know that the alums feel strongly about the program and the school and a big reason is April.  She will be a wonderful asset to the further programs at Lakeland and I wish her only the best as she embarks on this next phase of her life.  I would have to agree with an earlier post  where the only memories of Coach A were the LC/WLC games....how sad that would be!  I have a tie to WLC myself, and I know that there is MUCH more to Coach A than just that small part of things.  I will not forget that first NCAA game vs. Wheaton or just the excitement of that first "announcement show"...fond memories for sure. 

Good luck to AD Bouche as she searches for the next to carry the torch at LC!
From the ex-Green Girl  8)

[WLCALUM83]

Not that anyone cares (Alverno might not even care), but Sue Hanson is stepping down as AD and as coach.

05-06 basketball season, Alverno got 3 in-LMC wins (Maranatha twice and MSOE). From what limited things I've seen, I don't think it was so much the Inferno getting that much worse the season just completed--The Crusaders had more depth to work with this last season--8 additional players on MBBC's roster--and in the last Alverno/MSOE match-up the Inferno had the lead at halftime and MSOE shot the nets to shreds in the second half to get the win. (I'm not knocking Alverno here, folks.)

Also, a 3-point shooter, (Leah Colon) was lost to injury early in the conference season. (She wasn't available to play the one live Alverno game I took in--against Concordia-Chicago.)

Hopefully, the transition will run smoothly enough.