Oct. 31, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
Keith Kula wasn't sure Katie Donovan would take him seriously. But the Odyssey coach is glad the former Illinois State star forward remembered an off-hand remark he made after Donovan scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished-out five assists in last year's 85-65 Illinois State basketball exhibition win over Odyssey.
"As we passed at the press room door, I said to Katie `maybe next year when we play here, you can trade that ISU uniform for a black Odyssey jersey,'" said Kula, a Chicago attorney who also coaches high school basketball at suburban Cary-Grove. "Fortunately, she took me seriously."
This year, when Odyssey lines up against Illinois State at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in Redbird Arena, Donovan will be playing for Kula's team against Robin Pingeton's Redbird squad.
"Katie called me," said Kula. "She said `you know, you kind of asked me to be on your team last year.' I remembered what I'd said after the press conference. We're very happy to have Katie. Our team enjoys playing Robin's team and coming to Redbird Arena."
Donovan, who is completing her studies for her bachelor's degree at Illinois State, finished her Redbird career ninth in scoring, eighth in rebounding, first in free throws made, fourth in three-point field goals made and 10th in assists.
Among her Odyssey teammates will be former Drake star Nicole McBean, ex-Iowa star Amy Herrig-Tanney (who had 24 points against the `Birds last year) and former Notre Dame star Alicia Ratay. Another Odyssey player, Mary Cofield, played for Robin Pingeton when the current Redbird mentor was head coach at St. Ambrose, and later at Iowa State when Pingeton was associate head coach for the Cyclones.
The Redbirds counter with a young team--just one player, junior Catherine Graham, has been on the court for the `Birds more than one year. Returning starters Megan McCracken, Holly Hallstrom and Amber Shelton lead a team which struggled during the regular season a year ago, but put together an incredible run to win the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament bid. ISU was 13-18 last season.
This year, Pingeton's crew has four freshmen and four sophomores among its 12 squad members.
"There will be some growing pains," said Pingeton, who lost Donovan and No. 2 scorer Jaci McCormack along with three other 2004-05 seniors. "But this team is as close-knit as any I've been around. It's a tight group."
Illinois State's second exhibition is at 2:05 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 vs. Northwest Missouri State in Redbird Arena. The regular-season opener is Nov. 1
