McManis Sees Big Picture at The Master’s

After seven coaches in nine seasons, The Master’s College women’s basketball program apparently has found someone who plans to stick around.

Cliff McManis, 27, a 1989 Master’s graduate, set many goals when he took over the head coaching position earlier this year. Topping the list was a desire to bring stability to a program that has not had a winning record since the 1984-85 season.

“I think this year’s team is going to be a lot more disciplined than the women’s teams have been here in the past,” McManis said. “Traditionally, they just haven’t been that serious here about the women’s program and I want to change that. . . . I plan to coach here a while.”

His first job is to transform a team full of several two-sport athletes into a cohesive unit.

“About half our team played either soccer or volleyball so we haven’t had a whole lot of practice time together,” he said. “We’ve definitely got some catching up to do.”

Guard Deborah Prociw is the lone returning starter for the Mustangs (9-15, 3-11 in NAIA District 3 play last season).

Prociw, a 5-foot-8 junior, averaged 13.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.

She will be joined in the backcourt by 5-8 senior Amanda DeRidder, who took last year off to focus on academics.

Freshman Kim DeVries (5-10) and senior Julie Kamminga (5-8) start at forwards, with freshman Sharlene TeVelde (6-0) at center.

McManis hopes for quality minutes from senior Jennifer Larson, sophomore Connie VanWingerden and freshmen Berta Downey and Erika Koss, his top reserves.

“I think we’ve got a great shooting team,” he said. “I think that will definitely be one of our strengths. Our weakness could be a lack of depth. If a couple of our starters get into foul trouble too often, we could be in trouble.”