What a heady experience for 1999 Indiana's Miss Basketball!  Playing under the tutelage of legendary Tennessee head coach Pat Summit, this daughter of Connersville averaged 16.2 minutes in 38 games for the Lady Vols.  Playing a backup point guard role to fellow freshman Kara Lawson, McDivitt played 21 minutes in the NCAA National Championship game and scored 5 points against 1999 Indiana All Star nemesis Kennitra Johnson and eventual champion UConn.  April's best game came against Purdue, where she made her presence known to the home state visitors with 9 points and 2 assists. McDivitt averaged 4.6 points per game and shot 43% from 3-point range on the season, an area where the Vols could use some overall improvement. With continued success from beyond the arc, she will most likely maintain her role as first guard off the bench for UT next season.

EMILY BUTLER  (Center Grove)
5'8 G - NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Northwestern women's website - Butler player profile

Making an immediate impact, this versatile and athletic point guard started 24 of 28 games for the Big Ten's Northwestern Lady Wildcats. Averaging 27.5 minutes per game, Butler led the Lady Wildcats in assists per game with a 3.4 average and was the 4th leading scoring on the team with 6.8 ppg. Under first-year head coach June Olkowski (previously of Butler), the Wildcats went a disappointing 7-21.  However, Northwestern will return all but three players from the 1999-2000 team.  Butler will continue to play a key role for the Lady Wildcats, a young team that could make some noise in the Big Ten in a few years with some hard work.

JENNIFER CALLIER  (Cathedral)
6'3 C/F - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Michigan State women's website - Callier player profile

This freshman averaged 7.3 minutes in 31 games playing behind All-Big Ten and Spartan MVP, senior Kristen Rasmussen. Under new head coach Joanne P. McCallie, Callier will figure into the future plans of the Lady Spartans, as early as next season with an expanded role. In her supporting role as a freshman, Callier averaged 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds, and shot 50% from the field.  

HEATHER CUSICK  (Kokomo)
5'8 G - MIAMI UNIVERSITY (OH)
Miami women's website - Cusick player profile

An impact player as a freshman, this scrappy guard started 25 of 28 games and averaged 29.6 minutes per game for the Lady Redhawks. Scoring a season total of 333 points, Cusick led Miami in scoring with 11.9 points per game, and logged an impressive 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Ignoring the usual freshman year of adjustment, she took control of the floor early and set a new Miami record with 133 assists. Voted the MVP in the Northwestern Roger L. White Invitational Tournament, Cusick made an impression with averages of 17.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds in tourney play. Twice named MAC Offensive Player of the Week and voted All-MAC Honorable Mention, she finished 2nd in balloting for MAC Freshman of the Year. With rankings in the MAC Top 15 in four statistical categories, Cusick has a bright future with Miami for what looks to be a stellar college career.

The Region's top player as a senior saw plenty of action for the Lady Crusaders in her first year of college ball. On a senior-dominated team, this hard-working player toiled her way into the starting lineup early on in the season to average 28.5 minutes per game. Gray was the leading scorer in 6 games and the leading rebounder in 3 for the Crusaders as a freshman. Averaging 10.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, she was named to the Mid-Continent All-Freshman Team and was selected as a MCC All-Tournament Team member. Honored by her team at the year-end awards banquet, Gray was named Valpo's Most Valuable Offensive Player.  With the departure of a solid senior core, Gray is in line to become the central offensive threat and floor leader for the Crusaders next season.  Although a huge responsibility for a sophomore, don't expect Gray to step away from the challenge.  She is a gamer!

This outstanding shooter couldn't be happier with the move of head coach Kathi Bennett from Evansville to the Hoosiers women's program.  Recruited as a high school senior by Bennett, this could be the beginning of a storybook career at IU for Hartman, who passed up the hometown Lady Aces program for an opportunity to play at a Big Ten school.  Hartman averaged 33.9 minutes as a freshman starter for the Hoosiers in 25 of 28 games, averaging 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds.  She will be a big part of the future as IU attempts to elevate its status in the Big Ten under Bennett, who was responsible for the revival of the women's program at Evansville. Named to the Big Ten Coaches All-Freshman Team, Hartmen was 4th in team scoring and shot an impressive 52% from beyond the arc in Big Ten play.

JENNA HAYES  (Roncalli)
6'2 C/F - EVANSVILLE UNIVERSITY
Evansville women's website

In a supporting role, Hayes averaged 9.6 minutes a game for the Lady Aces, who finished a highly respectable 23-7 and qualified for the NIT.  Hayes' best freshman outing came against Centenary when she finished with an all-around game of 9 points, 3 assists and 5 rebounds. Part of an impressive freshman group that included Latasha Austin (Perry Meridian), Tami Masterson (Plainfield) and Lisa Eckart (Center Grove), Hayes averaged 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game and shot 50% from the field.  The future is somewhat a question mark for the Aces after the departure of stellar revivalist head coach Kathi Bennett to Indiana.  But with six returning starters, the Aces are not ready to change direction in their upward climb towards becoming a highly respected Division I program.

KENNITRA JOHNSON  (New Albany)
5'7 G - UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Connecticut women's website - Johnson player profile

The ultimate freshman experience came about for this 1999 Miss Basketball runner up.  Playing a solid 22.4 minutes a game for the 2000 NCAA National Champs, Johnson averaged 7.2 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals in 37 games.  Logging 23 minutes in the NCAA championship game against Tennessee, Johnson tallied 3 points, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 rebound to lay claim to a championship ring.  Johnson's best freshman outing came against Big Ten power Illinois, where she scored 18 points, dished 4 assists and yanked down 2 rebounds. The athletic Johnson will most likely continue to be the first guard off the bench for the Huskies, but with a year of experience under her belt, she might see some starting assignments at the point or 2 guard in tandem with All-American backcourt mate Sue Bird.  However, she will have to contend with the highly-touted skills of incoming freshman guard, Diane Tausari, considered one of the top 2000 recruits in the nation.

DORCUS LAWSON  (Terre Haute South)
5'8 G/F - BUTLER UNIVERSITY
Butler women's website - Lawson player profile

In a strong freshman role, Lawson averaged sixth in minutes for the Bulldogs with 20.2 per game. She started six times for the 10-16 Bulldogs, who placed fifth in the 8-member Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Lawson made the most of her minutes, averaging 6.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 26 games. With the departure of 1998 Indiana All Star guard Kristen Bodine (Martinsville), who has left the Butler program for Indiana University, and the graduation of leading scorer guard Alison Edgar (Eastside), Lawson could see a very expanded role next season.

Coming off of a back injury that kept her on the bench most of her senior year in high school, Lowery played in 14 of 30 games for Xavier, averaging 6.4 minutes per game for the Lady Musketeers. Lowery's best freshman outing came against Rhode Island, where she scored 5 points, pulled down 3 rebounds and dished out 1 assist.  Xavier finished with a 25-5 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference and is poised for another good run in 2000-2001 with all but two players returning. Lowery averaged 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds and is expected to eventually work her way into a solid role in the future for the Lady Musketeers.

Of note:  Although not an Indiana All Star, 1999 Homestead graduate Amy Waugh also made her mark at Xavier, emerging as a serious offensive threat with averages of 10.8 points, 5.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.  She staked her claim early, averaging 31.1 minutes as a starter in all 30 Xavier games, and is expected to play a pivotal role for the Musketeers throughout her college career there.

This prolific sharpshooter averaged 32.1 minutes as a freshman starter for the Lady Sycamores and led her team in scoring with 15.5 points, together with 3.6 rebounds per game.  She was named to the Missouri Valley All-Freshman Team and was voted All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention. As a runner-up in balloting for Freshman of the Year in the MVC, Mennen put up 20 points in a 69-66 loss to Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. She was ranked first in the MVC with a 92% free throw percentage, sixth in scoring, and ninth in 3-point shooting with 37%. Mennen is headed to Greece this summer as a member of the NACEL Open Door America All-Star Team, where she hopes to pick up some valuable experience in her first trip overseas.  Mennen made an immediate impact at ISU, and will continue to be a huge part of their offense for the next three seasons.

NATALIE WILL  (NorthWood)
5'10 G/F - NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Northwestern women's website - Will player profile

Entering into a rebuilding program, Will started 17 of 28 games as a freshman and averaged 18 minutes a game for new Northwestern head coach June Olkowski during the 1999-2000 season. She is one of several freshman who saw significant playing time for the 7-21 Wildcats, who are looking for significant improvement with time and another season of experience. Will averaged 2.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and should be one of the keys to the future for this emerging Northwestern team.  With only one incoming player and the departure of three graduating seniors, Will is positioned to work herself into a pivotal role for the Wildcats as a sophomore.

AMY ZERCHER  (NorthWood)
5'10 G/F - BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
Ball State women's website - Zercher player profile

Also stepping into a rebuilding program under new head coach Brenda Oldfield, Zercher made the most of the opportunity and averaged 34.4 minutes per game as a freshman starter for the Lady Cardinals. Ball State finished 16-13 this season, those 16 wins being the second highest win total in school history. Zercher averaged 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, with her best game coming against Marshall with a career-high 21 points. Zercher was effective from everywhere on the floor, shooting 42% from the field, 35% from 3-point range and 77% from the free throw line. Impressing the staff with her all-out play, Zercher received the Lady Cardinal Award for hustle and desire at the team's season-ending banquet.

Congratulations to the Indiana All Star Class of 1999!  We'll enjoy following your outstanding pursuits for the next three years.