Gilbert Leads Lady Hoopsters

It is very rare to find a person who has good enough qualities to leave a lasting impression on a school in many different aspects. Ann Gilbert, head coach of the women's basketball team, and an assistant track coach, has been leaving those kind of impressions on people ever since she was old enough to play basketball.

Gilbert began catching people's eyes in Elyria, where she earned just about every award possible in her four yours at Elyria High School. She received a scholarship to play basketball at Ohio University, but ended up coming back to her roots in Lorain Country.

"I visited Oberlin during the spring semester while I was at Ohio University, and I had a great visit. I believed in the philosophy of the focus on academics that Oberlin offers." Little did she know the kind of impact she would bestow on Oberlin College in the remainder of her college career.

After transferring, she went on to break 21 school records, all of which she still holds. Gilbert also broke the Division III scoring record for points in a game after pouring in 61 against Allegheny in 1991, a record no one has yet matched. So after shattering virtually every women's basketball record possible, in 1994 she came back to coach a women's program that hadn't won a game in two years. This is definitely no small task for even the most experienced of coaches.

However, Gilbert has risen to the challenge and has done more than turn the program around into a yearly contender. Along the way, she has broken yet another record at Oberlin. Gilbert is the winningest women's basketball coach in Oberlin's history, with 42 wins in six seasons. It is not just her knowledge from personal experiences that make her a great coach. It is her ability to relate to her players on and off the court.

"Since my freshman year, Coach Gilbert and us [the team] have gradually learned from each other," senior co-captain Rachael Barbee said.

Don Hunsinger, an Oberlin coaching veteran who is entering his third season as an assistant to Gilbert, said, "She is really open to suggestions and brings in a great team concept. Ann is supportive of her players as athletes, students and as people."

This is the busiest time of year for Gilbert, as she and her team have begun practice for her seventh season at Oberlin. She noted that she wouldn't even be here without help from friends and family.

"I am really close to my family, and they have been very supportive in everything I have done," she said.

The team is looking to make a big impact in the conference this season, and things are already going well for the team.

"I'm pleasantly surprised with the group so far. We are young this year, but I'm very optimistic about this season," she continued.

Gilbert also added that with an experienced group of returning letterman and a great first-year class, her team is deeper than before and will be able to really put the pressure on opponents.

5'6" sophomore guards Nzinga Broussard and Sonja Spencer return for the Yeowomen, and junior post players Rachael and Heather Barbee will lead the inside attack this season. Guard Malisha Richardson will also had depth in the backcourt for the team.

Some new faces for the Yeowomen this season are first-years Tessa Stephens, Emily Wells and Lucy Yarnell. Stephens and Yarnell will have to help out the Barbee sisters take control of the inside game for Oberlin to dominate the boards.

"We have solid guard play, and we are going to be more of an up-tempo team than last year. Three of the conference's top point guards graduated last year, and one opted not to play, so we should be difficult to guard at that position," Gilbert said.

Everything has gone by in a flash for Gilbert, who in no time at all has gone from a playing star to a leader and role model for her players.

Said Gilbert, "It seems like it was only yesterday when I was here playing."

But for Gilbert it's time to get back to work, and to use her past experiences at Oberlin to help lead a new group of athletes leave the kind of impressions on the school that last.

The team left last night to compete in a tip-off tournament at Hanover College tonight and tomorrow, then they head to Cleveland to battle it out with Case Western Reserve at 5 p.m. on Tuesday night.

While most of us will be eating turkey and watching football on Thanksgiving, the Lady Crimson will be eating up their opponents at the Marietta Turkey Shoot down in Marietta College. Their home opener is not until Saturday, Dec. 9 against Wittenberg at 2 p.m.

This article will appear in a slightly different form in an upcoming College Realtions publication of "Around Oberlin."