Upperclass Leaders Key To Bring Talented Freshmen Along

BOULDER — Linda Lappe's fifth season as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes ended last March with offensive optimism, defensive frustration and three open starting spots created by departing seniors Jasmine Sborov, Jen Reese and Lexy Kresl. Those spots are open to anyone, true freshmen included.

As she looks to the Buffs' Nov. 14 season opener, Lappe admits to thinking back as she prepares for the future.

Entering her freshman year at Colorado in 1998, Lappe vied for playing time alongside four other newcomers, and she flashes back to the experience when coaching this year's recruits. So much young talent warrants a clean slate for Colorado's coaching staff, and its enthusiasm should catalyze the rebuilding process.

“There were five freshmen in that ('98) class, just like there's five (newcomers) in this class,” Lappe said at CU's media day Wednesday morning. “Just the competitive spirit to come in and revive a program that has been pretty good but not where we want to be.”

So the question mark that remains is who will secure a spot in the starting five?

Of Colorado's returners, senior Jamee Swan and junior Haley Smith both had starting spots to end last season and should lead the Buffs in their home opener against Loyola Marymount. Their improved consistency in the offseason, according to Lappe, will translate into strong leadership for this young team. Swan's mindset in camaraderie and accountability is inspired by the senior leadership of the 2012-13 season, when she was a freshman talent herself.

“Chucky Jeffery was the senior leader, along with Meagan Malcolm-Peck and Brenna Malcolm-Peck, and they didn't put up with anything,” Swan said. “I want to recreate that, and have Haley Smith be the Meagan Malcolm-Peck of our team, (returning junior) Lauren Huggins be the Chucky Jeffery of our team and have people that will make sure that everybody is on target and on the same page, all at once.”

Huggins, whose No. 15 ranking on Colorado's all-time career 3-pointers list warrants her as an offensive force, has been called upon to make her voice heard and officially step into a leadership role. After last season, Smith is poised to truly fill those Malcolm-Peck-sized swingman shoes in the coming year. Lappe specifically championed her as a solid, consistent force for the Buffaloes. Both upperclassmen are said to enter this year as more multi-dimensional utilities on the court.

“Freshman year, and on to sophomore year I've worked a lot on my shot and just extending my range, and I've continued to do that working back to the 3 (point line),” Smith said. “But now I'm working towards being able to get to the rim, being more explosive and being more of a threat in that way.”

But the most important improvements the Buffs must make to succeed are in defense. When it comes to reaching Lappe's goal of consistently keeping opponents under 50 points, any hustle that can stop ball is welcome in the starting five.

“Coach Lappe tells us every day, 'If you can play defense, you're going to play,'” Swan said. “So, if we have a freshman on our team that plays the best defense, she'll play. She'll start. She'll do everything, because without defense you can't win.”

Freshman, sophomore or upperclassman, all Lappe wants is to fill defensive holes and have her players in the rights spots to stop runs and put points on the board. Specific names mentioned at media day include freshmen Monica Burich, whose skills at the three and four positions are evident, and Makenzie Ellis, who Lappe recognized as one of Colorado's “best defensive players, especially on the weak side.”

Burich is a Roseville Area High School graduate out of Minnesota who averaged 18.7 points as a senior forward, but can play other positions positions. Ellis is coming off of an ACL injury, but put up an average of 12.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game as a junior at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Ok.

The coaching staff is still experimenting with player combinations in practice, and a starting lineup likely won't be decided upon until the season opener.

“Up until day one, that's exactly what it will be — figuring out who can do what and who can be where, who has the best defensive game and who can ultimately lead on the court,” Swan said. “Right now, we're just trying to get the team chemistry down before we get the starting five chemistry down.”

But until then, Buffs fans can rest assured this season's options are far from scarce.