Lubbock Christian Women

Experienced Lady Chaps seek three-peat

By DAVE WOHLFARTH

For a team seeking its third straight national championship, what could be better than having three of its best players, seniors last year, back for another season?

That’s the scenario for Coach Steve Gomez as he begins his 19th season at LCU. Yes, his Lady Chaps will seek a three-peat as Division II champs. They won in 2019. They had a good shot at repeating in 2020, but the season was canceled the day before they entered the regional tournament. So, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no national tourney.

Last spring the Lady Chaps captured the national title, completing a 23-0 season. That was their second undefeated national championship campaign, LCU having gone 35-0 in 2016. They’re the only NCAA Division II team to have two unbeaten seasons.

Five seniors led the Lady Chaps last year. They were: • Allie Schulte, a 5-10 guard from Nazareth, led the Lady Chaps in scoring (15 points per game), assists (3.5 apg) and 3-point shooting percentage (.484). She also grabbed 4 rebounds per game. Schulte was a first-team All-America selection by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and second-team All-America by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. She was named the most outstanding player in the national tournament and on the all-tournament team. She was on the Lone Star’s all-conference first team and on the LSC’s all-defensive team. • Ashton Duncan, a 5-9 guard from Lubbock Trinity Christian, led the team in 3-pointers made (67), shooting.424 from long range, and averaged 11.7 ppg. Duncan, daughter of LCU men’s coach Todd Duncan, was a second-team all-LSC selection. • Emma Middleton, a 6-1 forward from the home-schooled Lubbock Titans, was second in scoring (13.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg) for the Lady Chaps. She was a D2CCA third-team

Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps Roster Name, Ht., Pos., Class, Hometown

Grace Foster, 6-1, F, Fr., Childress, Texas Ashton Duncan, 5-9, G, Gr., Lubbock, Texas Maci Maddox, 5-7, G, Soph., Frenship, Texas Audrey Robertson, 5-8, G, Soph., Kerrville, Texas Rachel Haase, 5-8, G, Fr., Amarillo, Texas Laynee Burr, 5-9, G, Sr., Stratford, Texas Savannah Sumrall, 5-9, G, Jr., Wellington, Texas Channing Cunyus, 5-9, G, Sr., Canyon, Texas Shaylee Stovall, 5-6, G, Soph., Idalou, Texas Carli Bostwick, 5-9, F/G, Fr., Lubbock, Texas Allie Shulte, 5-10, G, Gr., Nazareth, Texas Juliana Robertson, 5-10, F, Gr., Kerrville, Texas Brylee Winfrey, 5-9, G, Jr., Canyon, Texas Audrey Spugin, 6-1, P, Fr., Fredericksburg, Texas Whitney Cox, 6-1, F, Jr., Flower Mound, Texas Reese Schumann, 6-2, P, Fr., Clear Lake, Texas

Allie Schulte of Lubbock Christian drives against Central Missouri in the NCAA Division II national semifinals March 24 in Columbus, Ohio. Schulte scored 24 points as the Lady Chaps won 63-61 and went on to defeat Drury 69-59 for the 2021 national title. (Photo by Jay LePrete for LCU Athletics)

All-America selection and an all-LSC second-team pick. She also made the LSC all-defensive team and the Elite Eight alltournament team. • Juliana Robertson, a 5-10 forward from Kerrville, topped the Lady Chaps in rebounding at 5.8 rpg and scored 7.4 ppg. She was third on the team in assists at 2.3 apg. Robertson made the all-LSC third team. • Madelyn Turner, a 5-8 guard from Abernathy, averaged 6.2 ppg and was second in assists at 2.5 apg. She was honorable mention all-conference.

The NCAA decided to grant seniors the option of an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID complications last season. Schulte, Ashton Duncan and Robertson, all enrolled in LCU’s graduate school, decided to take advantage of the offer.

“These kids get a chance to play again, so they need to make the most of it,” Gomez said. “It’s a rare opportunity.”

The trio’s return is LCU’s strength.

“Yes, that definitely is,” Gomez said, “because it’s not like putting us at ease, but we know what those kids have been through – two national championships. They’ve been through some stupid losses, some good wins, and so we’ve just got to trust them.”

The other two seniors chose different destinations. Middleton transferred to Division I Abilene Christian, where she is playing. Turner is a graduate speech therapy student at Texas Tech.

Channing Cunyus, a 5-9 guard from Canyon, and Laynee

(Continued from previous page) Burr, a 5-9 guard from Stratford, played a ton off the bench as juniors last season. Cunyus averaged 5.9 ppg and Burr 5.5 ppg. Along with the five senior starters, Cunyus and Burr meshed into a Super Seven.

With Schulte, Duncan and Robertson returning as starters, Cunyus and Burr likely will fill the other two spots.

Had the COVID extension not been in play, LCU would have been pretty well wiped out in terms of experience.

“Now we’ll have five seniors this year, and next year they will all graduate,” Gomez promised.

Whitney Cox, a 6-1 junior post from Flower Mound, and Savannah Sumrall, a 5-9 junior guard from Wellington, figure to see plenty of action.

So will Audrey Robertson, who played a lot as a freshman last season. Audrey, a 5-8 sophomore guard from Kerrville, is the younger sister of Juliana Robertson and the third Robertson to play at LCU. The eldest, Olivia Robertson, was a senior on the 2019 national championship team.

Maci Maddox, a 5-7 sophomore guard from Frenship; Brylee Winfrey, a 5-9 junior guard from Canyon; and Shaylee Stovall, a 5-6 sophomore guard from Idalou, provide additional depth.

Five freshmen round out the roster, and Gomez expects those youngsters to contribute.

“It’s not a year for those kids to watch and wait and learn,” he said. “Some years that’s been the case, but probably not this year.”

The five frosh are: Grace Foster, a 6-2 post from Childress; Rachel Haase, a 5-8 guard from Amarillo High; Carli Bostwick, a 5-10 forward/guard from the Lubbock Titans; Audrey Spurgin, a 6-1 post from Fredericksburg; and Reese Schumann, a 6-3 post

(Continued on next page)

Coach Steve Gomez

Juliana Robertson

Whitney Cox Allie Schulte

Channing Cunyus

Savannah Sumrall Ashton Duncan

Laynee Burr

Brylee Winfrey

(Continued from previous page) from Clear Lake.

The Lady Chaps overcame some challenges – an abbreviated schedule, two-game sets against conference foes on weekends and numerous postponements – last season. They won their second straight LSC Tournament and took the South Central Regional title without too much trouble.

In the Elite Eight played in Columbus, Ohio, LCU downed Daemen College 66-49 in the quarterfinals. The Lady Chaps had to come back from a 10-point deficit and hung on to nip Central Missouri 63-61 in the semifinals. LCU kept rolling with a 69-59 conquest of Drury in the finals.

The Lady Chaps weren’t only tops on the court, but off it, too. Their combined 3.783 grade point average was the best among all Division II teams.

Gomez was named the LSC coach of the year, the sixth time he has garnered that honor at a conference level. His 448-125 record at LCU represents a .782 winning percentage.

In addition to the three Division II championships, his teams dominated the old Heartland Conference with a 118-17 record for an .874 winning percentage. Before LCU joined the NCAA, Gomez led the Lady Chaps to 10 consecutive NAIA Division I women’s national tournament appearances.

Gomez is coaching at his college alma mater. He was a standout guard for the Chaps in the late 1980s and set a school record for career free throw percentage at .855.

He is guarded in picking the LSC teams that may pose the greatest threats to his Lady Chaps this season.

“Every team, every game. Every single game we play, that team is good enough to beat us,” he said.

He did mention West Texas A&M, Angelo State and Texas A&M-Commerce as traditionally tough conference foes, however.

The Lady Chaps will open their 2021-22 season with a threegame slate at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic in Billings, Montana, Nov. 5-7. LCU will take on the University of Montevallo (Alabama), Montana State and the University of Tampa in the event.

Later, they’ll play in the RMAC/LSC tourney in Lakewood, Colorado, their own Lady Chap Classic and the Oahu Thanksgiving Classic in Honolulu. Lander (South Carolina) and Daemen, (New York), both Elite Eight qualifiers last spring, will be in the

Lady Chap Juliana Robertson moves past a Southwestern Oklahoma State defender in the finals of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional in Canyon March 15. LCU won 78-65, and Robertson scored 16 points. (LCU Athletics photo)

Lady Chap Classic.

Lone Star Conference action begins Dec. 31 when LCU travels to face Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Wherever and whomever they play, the Lady Chaps will wear the proverbial targets on their backs as they seek to three-peat. They were voted the preseason No. 1 nationally in polls by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Division II Sports Information Directors Association.

“We should expect people to give their best against us,” Gomez said. He commented on his players’ reaction: “They carry some pressure of the tradition. At the same time, that doesn’t count for any points. It’s a blessing and a curse, just like anything.”

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

Nov. 5 Montevallo @ Billings, Montana 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6 Montana State @ Billings, Montana 8 p.m. Nov. 7 Tampa @ Billings, Montana 4:15 p.m. Nov. 12 Colorado Christian University @ Lakewood, CO 2:30 p.m. Nov. 13 Colorado State Pueblo @ Lakewood, CO 12 p.m.

LADY CHAP INVITATIONAL

Nov. 19 Southern Nazarene vs. St. Mary’s 2 p.m. Nov. 19 Daemen College vs. Angelo State 4:30 p.m. Nov. 19 Lander University 7 p.m. Nov. 20 Angelo State vs. Southern Nazarene 3 p.m. Nov. 20 Lander University vs. St. Mary’s 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 Daemen College 8 p.m. Nov. 25 Minnesota Crookston @ Honolulu 7 p.m. Nov. 26 Hawaii Pacific @ Honolulu 8 p.m. Dec. 7 West Texas A&M University 6 p.m. Dec. 11 Western New Mexico @ Silver City, NM 5:30 p.m. Dec. 16 Cameron University 5:30 p.m. Dec. 31 @ Texas A&M Kingsville 2 p.m. Jan. 2 Texas A&M International University @ Laredo 1 p.m. Jan. 6 University of Arkansas Fort Smith 5:30 p.m. Jan. 8 Oklahoma Christian University 2 p.m. Jan. 13 @ Texas A&M Commerce University 5:30 p.m. Jan. 15 @ UT Tyler 2 p.m. Jan. 20 St. Edward’s University 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 St. Mary’s University 2 p.m. Jan. 27 @ San Angelo State University 5:30 p.m. Jan. 29 UT Permian Basin @ Odessa 2 p.m. Feb. 3 Midwestern University 5:30 p.m. Feb. 5 Texas Woman’s University 2 p.m. Feb. 10 West Texas A&M University @ Canyon 5:30 p.m. Feb. 12 Cameron University @ Lawton, Oklahoma 2 p.m. Feb. 17 Eastern New Mexico @ Portales, NM 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 Eastern New Mexico 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24 Western New Mexico 5:30 p.m.

LSC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mar. 3-6 TBA TBA