2018-19 #HLWBB Preview: Cleveland State
Cleveland State Vikings
Last season: 19-11 overall, 11-7 Horizon League
Head coach: Chris Kielsmeier (1st year)
By Joey Yashinsky, Horizon League Contributor. Follow on Twitter @OneSeatOver
For the past 15 years, the name Kate Peterson Abiad had been synonymous with Cleveland State women’s basketball. The program’s all-time winningest coach authored a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament and led her squads to 206 victories. Wanting to spend more time with her family, Peterson Abiad decided it was the right time to step down following last season.
The clipboard and whistle now belong to Chris Kielsmeier, a ten-year head coach at Division II Wayne State College in Nebraska. All he did there was post a record of 237-72 for an eye-popping 76.5 percent winning percentage.
“Everything is brand new right now and there’s an excitement about that,” said Kielsmeier. “Obviously, there are also some challenges that come along with that. But you have to remember to be patient and that this is a process, and just work hard to get better each day.”
The Vikings will have a whole new look on the floor as well, losing top scorers Ashanti Abshaw, Khayla Livingston, and Olivia Voskuhl. That trio combined to score 71 percent of the Vikings’ points last season.
The top returning point-producer will be Jade Ely, a versatile 5-foot-10 junior guard who will look to raise her 7.5 PPG mark from a year ago. Fellow junior guard Mariah Miller will pair with Ely to give the Vikings some valuable veteran leadership out of the backcourt.
“Their experience is what stands out,” said Kielsmeier. “They know how hard they have to play, how physically and mentally tough they have to be to prepare for the season.”
Ely and Miller will get support from the Vikings’ two seniors, Rachel Slaney and Mariana Bautista.
Formerly one of the top junior college players in the country, Slaney made a smooth transition to Division I, registering double-digit performances off the bench against Oakland and Youngstown State. With a year in the Horizon League under her belt, Slaney will be counted on to be a key member of Kielsmeier’s rotation.
What can Cleveland State fans expect style-wise from a Kielsmeier-coached squad? Effort, and a whole lot of it.
“If you talk to people that have known how our teams have played in the past, I think the first thing people would say is just how hard we play and how tough we are, mentally and physically,” said Kielsmeier. “I just want people that watch us play this year to say, ‘They really care about the game. They’re passionate. They play extremely hard and they’re tough as heck.’”
The Vikings will miss the services of Shadae Bosley, a Horizon League All-Defensive team honoree last season. But the Cleveland State roster does boast five players at least six feet tall, so Kielsmeier will have some options to try and fill that hole in the middle. Sophomore Anyia Pride (6’1”) and redshirt freshman Nadia Dumas (6’0”) will look to make their presence felt in the paint throughout the year.
While the Vikings bring back just one starter (Ely), expect to see all-out effort from as many as a dozen different players.
“We will have 12 players that I really feel have the opportunity to help us a lot,” said Kielsmeier. “We’re going to be one of the youngest teams in the country, no question about it. That can be a concerning thing for a coaching staff, but it’s also an exciting thing. All players ever want is a chance.”
“All of our players are going to suit up up for us this year with a tremendous opportunity to help establish a foundation for Vikings basketball moving forward.