Hard learning experience

Craig Quellhurst

Monday, March 31, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

CINCINNATI -- Nicole Bellinghausen's dream season fell one game short.

"I thought it was meant to be," said Bellinghausen following Old Dominion's loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Women's championship game Sunday night.

Bellinghausen, a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School, didn't play in the championship game, but had a rare opportunity this past week to experience college basketball's premier event.

"This has been really overwhelming," said Bellinghausen, a reserve freshman forward who played in 20 games this season, scoring a career-high 13 points in one game. "It's my first year and it's just been unbelievable to be part of this."

She said it's also been a "hard" learning experience at Old Dominion.

"When I came here, I was a star in high school," said Bellinghausen, who averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds at Gorman.

"Then I had to face players like Mery Andrade and Clarrise Machanguana in practice and I thought, 'Oh, my gosh. I'm not good enough to be here. What am I doing here?'

"But now, when we make it to a place like this, it's all worth it."

Lady Monarch's coach Wendy Larry sees potential in Bellinghausen, saying she made a major contribution to the team's success with here spirited play in practice. Day after day, the 6-foot Bellinghausen went against two All-America quality players in the 6-5 Machanguana and the 6-1 Andrade.

"I have a role to keep them going in practice, to be physical with them like it will be in a real game, and I accept that role," said Bellinghausen, who scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds this season for the 34-2 Lady Monarchs.

"But it's just a matter of time before I get better and get as smart as Mery and Clarisse are, so by the time I'm a junior or senior I'll be where they are right now."

A talented singer who dreams of being the "next Whitney Houston," Bellinghausen is studying voice at Old Dominion. When she does tackle the rigors of recording, she's sure to have at least one famous entertainer in her corner -- comedian Bill Cosby.

"He's a very, very good friend of my family," said Bellinghausen, whose mother and father reside in Las Vegas. "Whenever Mr. Cosby comes out to Las Vegas, my mother and I visit him and he's always got some new advice for me."

Asked about Cosby's son, Ennis, who was killed recently, she said, "I never met him. But I saw pictures of him and thought he was very handsome. My mother know him better because she's in physical therapy and that was Ennis' major."