Wheels In Place for A Lakehead Makeover For 2013-2014 Season

To say that the Lakehead University Thunderwolves have been busy would be an enormous understatement.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario University team has been recruiting their sock off so far this season. For the 2013-2014 season they have secured Cassandra Soulias (5’4”, G, St Ignatius-Thunder Bay, 2013), Katelyn Andrea (5’11”, F, St Ignatius-Thunder Bay, 2013), Abeer Farhat (5’3”, PG, Algonquin College transfer), Gillian Lavoie (6’0”, P, Hammarskjold-Thunder Bay, 2013) and Blair MacNaughton (5’11”, F, Forest Heights, 2013).

And with their most recent commitment, Kylee Kutcha (5’7”, G, Memorial, 2013) from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, they will now have 6 commitments lined up for next season.

An active Thunderwolves’ Head Coach, Jon Kreiner, is proud of the players that he has been able to secure, and believes that each one fits the ideal student-athlete mold that he has been in search for: One that will fit his in his system on the court, has great character and will do well in the classroom.

With his set of new players, he now hopes that the rough waters that come with having to stress over this number of commitments, will be met with recruiting tranquility over the next few years, allowing him to focus on being successful on the court where he will be striving for progress above all.

“Our recruiting has been terrific for the upcoming season. We have already committed a strong recruiting class for the 2013-14 season but more importantly we will have consistency and growth for the next four to five years”, said Kreiner.

“We want to put the pressure on teams for forty minutes through defensive pressure, attacking off the dribble and shooting from long range from all angles on the court.”

With this in mind, Kreiner went about his plan, focused on tightening up his team’s Guard play, raising the overall level of leadership and toughening up.

In order to meet those needs, Kreiner started his focus on securing a quality backcourt with Guards that he felt would come in and make an impact right off the bat.

“Our first priority was to lock in two point guards that will lead this team immediately and in the future. We did that with a OCAA transfer in Abeer Farhat and high school graduate Cassandra Soulias.  Five of our six commitments are high school graduates who were leaders on their high school and club teams. We needed strong leadership and improved toughness and I
believe we have been successful in both areas.”  

Of the all of the players that he has committed, Kreiner went on to say that “they fit our system and will be able to contribute immediately. The meshing of our committed players with our
returning players will improve our team. We will have two 5th year senior
guards and a fourth year guard (along with a fourth year forward).”

Despite all of the acquisitions, Kreiner is still on the hunt for one or more final pieces to his puzzle.

“We are still looking to commit a standout player that will provide us immediate scoring and if the fit is right, a standout defender or a post that can defend and rebound (that can come in and make an immediate impact).”

Based on all of the changes, it is a safe bet that the Lakehead Thunderwolves will be a totally different team.  But, the expectation is now in place that the team makeover should be one that will bring high energy, girls basketball to Thunder Bay.

“I think very highly of the new and returning players and feel strongly that our exciting brand of basketball be strengthened.”