The key word for this year’s NIU women’s basketball season is teamwork.

After relying on many individual performances last year because of a small squad, the team has added some depth this season and should really be able to employ the full concept of teamwork.

At Monday’s annual Media Day luncheon, the concept of teamwork was stressed by both the coaches and players. They all believe hard work and a team attitude will carry them into the NCAA Tournament.

“Personal goals don’t mean much to me,” said senior center Carol Owens. “I think getting the team ready for the season and getting the team into the NCAA’s is important right now—nothing else.”

Depth and versatility are the reasons the Huskies may be able to achieve their goal of earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Along with returning standouts Owens and Tammy Hinchee up front, the Huskies have Tracy Mondek and freshmen Tiana Burkholder and Soyini Chism to help out in the post.

The returning guards from last year—Denise Dove, Kris Weis, Denise Lipnisky and the oft-injured Dee Dee Jeske—will be aided by the return of red-shirted players Lisa Foss and Toby Meeks.

Foss, the 1987-88 team MVP, said the team is responding well to the teamwork attitude that head coach Jane Albright has instilled in them.

“I think sitting out a year has helped me learn a lot about the game,” Foss said. “I learned it from the coaches’ side, instead of knowing it just as a player, and I think working as a team is going to make us successful.”

Both the coaches and the players feel playing a tougher schedule this year will help their chances of getting into the NCAA Tournament. Included among Huskie opponents are four Top 20 teams from last year and defending national champion Tennessee.