JOELLE BORDELONJoelle Bordelon, sociology senior and co-captain of the women’s basketball team, has been the starting point guard all four years of her Wolfpack career. Bordelon recently joined Loyola’s 1000-point club and holds the university record for both assists and steals. With 245 assists thus far this season, she is first in the GCAC and second in NAIA. Coach DoBee Plaisance calls the 5-foot-2-inch triple-threat the engine of the team and said she has Carl Lewis speed. “She can get the ball to the scorer or be the scorer herself,” Plaisance said. “She always makes her decisions in the best interest of the team.”
ZACK TYSONZack Tyson, business senior and starting forward for the men’s basketball, chose to play at Loyola because he wanted to stay close to home. “I wanted my parents to be able to come watch me play,” Tyson said. He is the only senior to play with the ‘Pack all four years. Recently the 6-foot-7-inch veteran was named GCAC Player of the Week, an unexpected recognition, according to Tyson. When asked what Tyson has contributed to Loyola’s basketball program, he said, “I think I lead by example.” In Saturday’s big upset against LSU-Shreveport, he led the Wolfpack with 16 points and seven rebounds.
KATE PILGREENAnyone who has been to a Loyola basketball game has heard music business senior Kate Pilgreen sing the national anthem. That is just another role that Pilgreen plays for Wolfpack basketball. She is also the co-captain and plays several positions on the court. Coach Plaisance said that although she does not play point guard, a position that she lettered in all four years in high school, Pilgreen has never griped. “It was always, ‘I’m ready, Coach,'” Plaisance said. Pilgreen said that her passion for her teammates was her biggest contribution to the team. “I never give up on them,” she said. “That wins a lot of ballgames.”
JAMES OLIVARDMarketing senior, James Olivard, said beating a ranked team was not about the seniors putting on a show for the last time that they would play in front of a home crowd. “The utmost importance was winning the game, not who scored the points,” Olivard said. “We wanted to show the freshmen that it could be done. It doesn’t matter where you are ranked or that the other team is top ranked. You can always compete.” Olivard, who transferred to Loyola his sophomore year, has a year of eligibility left after taking off last semester to shoot the movie “Glory Road.” He loaded up 18 hours this semester and plans to do the same next semester in order to graduate in December.
SKYE LANDRYWhen Skye Landry went abroad to study in Spain her junior year, she left a basketball team that wasn’t cutting it. This season she returned to a nationally recognized team ranked in the top 30 in the NAIA. “It was a big credit to her that she could step back in to become an intricate part of the team,” Plaisance said. Landry had to make adjustments to what was almost an entirely new roster. She played the guard position her freshman and sophomore years. On the new team she was one of the taller players and had to take on the post and center positions. Standing at 5-feet-9-inches, she is often matched up against players 6 feet tall. Landry said she uses their sizes to her own advantage. “Some of these girls are huge so I’m quicker and can get around them,” she said.
DANIEL SCHMIDTAlthough he graduates in July, marketing senior Daniel Schmidt would love to play his last year of eligibility next season if there was a scholarship for him. The 6-foot-1-inch guard transferred as a sophomore from Southeastern Louisiana University after redshirting one year due to knee surgery. His decision to come to Loyola was based on better academics, a program that would be less strenuous on his knee and hopes that he could start right away. Schmidt said it was at Loyola that he realized he wants to go into coaching. “Having the guys look up to me and being able to help them out made me realize that [coaching] is my calling,” he said.
James Olivard (Loyola)
Kate Pilgreen (Loyola)
Joelle Bordelon (Loyola)
