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Friday, February 18, 2005
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Shared glory 1996 squad used team effort to bring home CLC's first national title Sports Writer
Nine years ago they were the toast of Central Lakes College. That was when the Raiders brought back the 1996 NJCAA Division III national women's basketball championship to Brainerd.
On Saturday, the members of the 1996 team will be toasted again as they're inducted into the Raiders Hall of Fame along with former CLC athletes Anthony Bonsante, John Olsen, Tim Veith and Carl Hendrickson.
All inductees will be introduced at halftime of the CLC women's game against Vermilion at 1 p.m. with a social hour and banquet following the 3 p.m. men's game.
The Raiders were ranked No. 2 in the nation for much of the '96 season and finished with a 27-2 record. CLC beat top-ranked Monroe Tribunes 71-57 to claim the school's first national title in any sport.
Raider greats to be honored
What: Raiders Hall of Fame induction ceremony
When: Saturday at halftime of the 1 p.m. CLC women's game. Social hour and dinner follow the men's game at 3 p.m.
Inductees: Anthony Bonsante, John Olsen, Tim Veith, Carl Hendrickson; The 1996 CLC women's basketball team of Nikki (Iverson) Mallak, Tally Jo Satterlee, Tina (Bosch) Sarff, Amber (Thyen) Erickson, Jill Casper, Tiffany (Nelson) Krueger, Angie (Evenson) Tizzano, Jodi (Wikelius) Christenson, Jaclyn (Klinker) Fitzwater, Angela Klockman, Nicole Stephens, Carolyn Kotaska, Susan Beaulieu, assistant coach Jill Nelson and head coach Dennis Eastman.
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Raiders guard and Isle native Jill Casper was named the tournament MVP and a first team All-American. She was second on the team in scoring with a 15.6 points-per-game average.
Casper pointed to team chemistry as a big reason why the Raiders were successful.
"We weren't all awesome, big-time players," said Casper. "We were just a bunch of small town girls that wanted to play ball. Anyone could come into the game and replace someone. We understood our roles."
In the semifinal game against Illinois Valley, an 89-87 CLC overtime victory, Casper tied a then-record by hitting six 3-pointers and scoring 22 points. Casper made 12 3-pointers in the tournament.
"At the beginning of the season we really didn't have many fans but as the season went on more people came to support us."
Angie Klockman
Member of 1996 national champion Raiders
"That was a very intense game," Casper said. "Illinois was a very obnoxious, loud team but they played really hard and physical. I remember missing a three and (Angie) Klockman getting the rebound and rolling it to me. I then made that three to tie the game as time expired.
"When I think of nationals that's the game I remember most because it was so intense."
Said Klockman: "Jill was hot that game and we knew who we had to get the ball to. We didn't really worry about personal glory, we just wanted to win."
Nikki (Iverson) Mallak tore her ACL during the 1993-94 season and almost didn't come back to CLC. But it was a motivational card that Raiders coach Dennis Eastman sent her over the summer that helped make up her mind.
Mallak played the following year and used a medical redshirt from her freshman year to play on the national title team.
"I came back because of Dennis and my friends on the team," said Mallak. "Dennis is one of the most dedicated coaches I've ever had. He'd pull things out of us that we didn't even know we had. He really was like a father figure to us."
Mallak was also quick to point out that it was the consecutive losses to Fergus Falls and North Dakota State College of Science just before the state tournament that helped the Raiders the most that season.
"I really think those two losses helped us get stronger," said Mallak. "They helped us refocus and we beat Anoka for the state championship. Those two losses were pivotal in our overall success."
Klockman was CLC's 6-foot-2 center who led the Raiders with 18 points and 17 rebounds in the title game against Monroe. Klockman averaged 24 points and 17 rebounds a game at nationals and was named to the all-tournament team.
One of the more endearing memories the players had of that season was pulling into the CLC parking lot and having fans waiting to welcome them home.
"Having everyone at the gym waiting for us was a great feeling," said Klockman. "At the beginning of the season we really didn't have many fans but as the season went on more people came to support us.
"We gained respect for women's basketball and women's athletics. That's something no one can take away from us or the school."
TROY GUNDERSON can be reached at troy.gunderson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5865.
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