UNLV seniors want to make history

Steve Guiremand

Friday, March 15, 2002 | 11:11 a.m.

University of Minnesota

Nickname: Golden Gophers.

Location: Minneapolis.

Enrollment: 45,361.

Record: 21-7, 11-5 in Big Ten.

NCAA history: 1-1. Last appearance: 1994, (second round).

Coach: Brenda Oldfield, 21-7, in first season at Minnesota.

Starters: G Lindsay Whalen, 5-8, So. (21.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 55.6 FG percent); F/C Janel McCarville, 6-2, Fr. (13.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 58.3 FG percent); G Corrin Von Wald, 5-9 Jr. (12.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg); F Kadidja Andersson, 5-11, So. (10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg); Lindsay Lieser, 5-10, Jr. (8.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg).

Reserves: C Kim Prince, 6-2, Jr. (7.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg); G/F Leslie Hill, 5-10, So. (2.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg); C Kim Bell, 6-7, Sr. (2.0 ppg).

Overview: Oldfield has worked an impressive turnaround after inheriting a team that was 8-20 last year. Gophers weren't considered a contender in preseason. Whalen is a versatile player who has thrived in the new uptempo attack. Gophers lost their first game in the Big Ten tournament and lack NCAA experience.

What a way to go out.

Four years ago, Linda Frohlich, Erin Johansson, Kinesha Davis and Courtney Swanson became the members of Regina Miller's first recruiting class at UNLV.

The foursome were joining a Lady Rebel team that was coming off back-to-back 4-23 years and had won a grand total of eight conference games in three years.

But UNLV never won fewer than 17 games in any of their four seasons in Las Vegas. And the closely knit group gets to go out on the ultimate high this weekend when the Lady Rebels (23-7) make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994 against the University of Minnesota (21-7) at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday afternoon.

"It's much deserved," Miller said of the NCAA Tournament swan song for the foursome. "They've worked real hard to accomplish this goal. It's not just been on the basketball court. They all have made big contributions off of it as well."

Frohlich, of course, will leave behind the biggest legacy of the group, winning three Mountain West Conference MVP awards as well as garnering All-American honors, rewriting the school's record book in the process. But the 6-foot-1 Johansson also leaves with a school record for most 3-pointers in a game (7) which she accomplished twice.

Davis, a transfer from Western Illinois, excelled at both ends of the floor and became a key defensive stopper this season. And Swanson came off the bench to provide valuable minutes and leadership.

"Erin and Courtney are also both strong students," Miller said. "Erin was almost like a coach for me. Courtney was a good leader off the court and was an extremely hard worker. Every day you could count on her giving you her best. And Kinesha Davis accepted a role for us that had her doing whatever we needed to be successful.

"And Linda obviously will leave quite a legacy here. I just think that whole group set a standard of what it takes to be successful at this level so you can get to this tournament."

Because they came in when the program was still at rock bottom, the foursome believe they'll enjoy the NCAA Tournament that much more than some of their underclass teammates.

"I guess I'm biased but I'd say that we do appreciate it more," Swanson said. "We've been here for four years. Coming in we knew how much work we'd have to do just to bring this program to the caliber it is today. As seniors, playing in the NCAA Tournament is like icing on the cake."

"The four of us have been through a lot," Johannson added. "I think this team has a chance to go again (to the NCAA Tournament) next year, but we feel that we and Coach Miller brought this team along and kind of laid the foundation."

Frohlich may have summed it up best.

"The bond we share is that when we first got here, UNLV really didn't have a name (in women's college basketball)," Frohlich said. "Now when we're leaving people at least know the name UNLV."