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Growth, records mark basketball career

By NANCY MORGAN
Published April 8, 2007

When Jen Hansen selected the U.S. Military Academy in 2003, Seminole High's female athlete of the year hoped to contribute to the women's basketball program.

From her first year to her final season, Hansen played a key role in Army establishing itself among the best in the Patriot League.

"When I first came to the Academy, there wasn't a lot of pressure to excel," said Hansen, 22. "As you grow with the program, an increase in your performance is naturally expected. This year, I had more of a leadership role as team captain. By your fourth year, opponents know what you can do and you have to adjust and use your knowledge and experience to be able to continue to perform."

Hansen met the expectations and completed her career with a school-record 202 3-pointers and a career-record .873 free-throw shooting percentage.

In her first year at Army, Hansen stepped up to the challenge of college basketball and was named to the Patriot League all-rookie team, just the fifth Black Knight to earn the recognition.

Her second year, Hansen set a single-season school record of 65 3-pointers, followed by a stellar third year in Army's first season in Division I. This season, Hansen was the team's third-leading scorer with a 9.4 average.

Hansen's achievements came in spite of being directed by three coaches in a four-year period. After being coached by Sherri Abbey-Nowatzki her first two years, Hansen and her teammates then were led by Maggie Dixon in the 2005-06 season. After a stellar season for Army that included making the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance, the 28-year old Dixon unexpectedly died. Army rebounded with the help of Dave Magarity and posted a school-record 24 wins in a 30-game season.

Hansen graduates next month with a degree in civil engineering. After a 60-day leave she will begin her five-year active and three-year reserve duties.

SWIMMING: Freestyler Lindsey McKelvey St. Petersburg helped her UNF squad to a fifth-place finish in the Pacific Coast Swim Conference championships with her 200 free relay. The senior also swam the 50, 100 and 200 free events.

BASEBALL: For the first time in his professional career, Chris Heintz (Countryside/USF) made the Minnesota Twins' 25-man roster and joined the other major league players in opening-day activities. Heintz, 32, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1996 and played for several teams before being signed by the Twins in 2005. Heintz primarily plays catcher, but has seen action at first, second and third bases.

- In Yale's first 23 games, senior first baseman Marc Sawyer (Canterbury) is third on the team in hitting with a .364 average and 32 hits and is second in RBIs with 13.

- Casey Allen (Gibbs) has played in the first 37 games for Savannah College of Art and Design, mostly in rightfield. The senior is averaging .273 on 30 hits with 14 RBIs.

- Sean Barber (Lakewood) has started 13 of 24 games for Savannah in either the outfield or first base.

VOLLEYBALL: Florida Southern 2005 graduate Rachelle Konczal (Northeast) was named volleyball coach at Lake Gibson High in Lakeland. In her senior year with the Lady Moccasins, the outside hitter was named to the Division II all-South Region team and second team all-Sunshine State Conference squad. In four years, Konczal placed 12th in all-time blocks for Florida Southern (299) and was sixth all-time in games played (461).

TRACK: Georgia Tech senior Ashlee Kidd (St. Petersburg) ran NCAA regional qualifying times in the 400- and 200-meter races in the Yellow Jacket Invitational. Kidd won the 400 and was second in the 200.

News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan, 445-4119; e-mailed to namorgan@tampabay.rr.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include phone number.

[Last modified April 7, 2007, 22:22:21]