Without senior leadership, Hoosiers still upbeat about start

The women's basketball team takes the floor for the first time this year in an exhibition match-up with the Athletes in Action, 2 p.m. Sunday at Assembly Hall.\nUnder the tutelage of fourth-year coach Kathi Bennett, the Hoosiers are looking to improve on last year's eighth place finish in the Big Ten.\nBennett said she has been pleased with the intensity level from her team, especially in workouts earlier this summer. \n"In individual workouts, when you have three or four months to go before your first game, it's hard to keep a good intensity level," Bennett said. "This group, they come and compete. We have had very few down days."\nThe team has only been practicing for three weeks, but coaches and players feel that things are headed in the right direction. \n"Practice has been going good," junior forward Jenny DeMuth said. "Just getting the younger players in and having them learn what we want to do is a big step."\nSenior forward Jamie Gathing's knee injury has left DeMuth as the eldest Hoosier to have seen action last year. The team's only other junior, guard LeeAnn Stephenson, tore her ACL in practice last year after transferring from Lincoln Trail Community College in Illinois. \n"(Gathing) is still going to be one of our main leaders," Bennett said. "Jenny DeMuth and LeeAnn Stephenson will have to step up to provide a core of leadership for this team."\nDeMuth was IU's leading scorer last season, averaging 12 points per game and shooting 40 percent from the field. \nWhat the team lacks in seniority, it makes up with chemistry, DeMuth said.\n"This is the best chemistry we've had since I've been here," she said. "I think it's because we have five freshmen, and they are close. And then when you blend in the five upperclassmen, it works pretty well."\nStill, the Hoosiers have to put it all together, said IU assistant coach Trish Betthauser. \n"It's early, and we can tell it's early," Betthauser said.\nBut Betthauser said the intense play of sophomore guards April Williams and Kali Kullberg has pleased her. \n"On a consistent basis, April Williams brings a lot of energy to practice, and that is something this teams needs is a consistent energy-bringer," Betthauser said. "Kali Kullberg has been a leader with the guards as well."\nWilliams and Kullberg are two of three Hoosiers that have had major knee operations in the past year. Remarkably, both girls returned from the early season ligament damage to play in the final 10 games of last season.\n"I think our backcourt is going to be awesome," Bennett said. "Kali and LeeAnn are coming back, and they see the floor very well."\nAs for Sunday's game, Bennett is focusing on improvement.\n"We're looking at it as our first game is the 22nd," Bennett said. "We're not going to overly prepare for exhibition, but hopefully we see improvement every exhibition game and every time we practice."\n-- Contact staff writer Ryan Cost at rjcost@indiana.edu.