After her team returned to Loyola from spending the fall semester at seven different universities, DoBee Plaisance, women’s basketball coach, issued a mission statement: Do not come back as victims. According to Plaisance, the team has fully answered her call.
“The girls have been inspiring in their efforts. They’re fearless. We [told them] not to come back as victims but as part of the solution to rebuild the university and the city,” Plaisance said.
The team started practicing on Dec. 18 and had less than three weeks to prepare for conference play. The ‘Pack is 1-2, after losses to Mobile and Belhaven and a win over LSU-Shreveport. The other Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams have been practicing together and playing games since August.
“They’re not complaining,” Plaisance said. “It’s very rewarding to work with them. They have shown great leadership and are focusing on our goals.”
Hurricane Katrina scattered members of Loyola’s athletic teams and coaches to all parts of the country. Michael Giorlando, athletic director and men’s basketball coach, said that the coaches had to re-recruit all the players.
The athletic department made no cuts, and 94 percent of the athletes returned. The only scholarship player not returning is freshman guard Chase Kosterlitz. He is now playing for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Giorlando found his way to Baton Rouge, where the LSU athletic department gave him an office. Director of sports information Brett Simpson eventually joined him.
“It was pretty difficult keeping in touch. Communication was shot for the first couple of weeks. I’m proud of our staff that worked diligently. They put Loyola in the forefront,” Giorlando said.
The athletic offices in the Recreational Sports Complex received damage from the storm. The carpets and some desks needed to be replaced, and Simpson said water damaged a $4,000 computer. LSU helped by reconfiguring its computers to fit Loyola’s system.
“We were very fortunate through my positive relationship with LSU,” Giorlando said. “We worked there every day and prepared for the anticipated spring semester. It was tremendous to have that resource.”Baseball coach Doc Beeman, whose wife was nine months pregnant when they evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, said he was able to contact all of his players on his way out of town.
The baseball team starts its 2006 season on Jan. 27 against Faulkner at Segnette Field. The team will play a 49-game schedule, with 27 games at its home field.
Simpson said that the storm destroyed the fencing at the field as well as the mounds and batting cage screens. Last weekend Beeman and several players restored the fence themselves.
Beeman said he is excited that his team will have a season, especially for the seniors.
“That’s outstanding,” Beeman said. “The seniors get to come back and play a full slate of games and graduate from Loyola. That’s the most important thing. I’m happy [that they get] this last year as part of the Wolfpack.”
With reporting by Michael Nissman.Gene guillot can be reached at [email protected].
Forward Dani Holland, criminal justice junior, dribble past mobile defenders Monday at The Den. Mobile defeated Loyola 62-57 as the ´Pack fell to 1-2. (Steve Kashishian)
