—Photo by Iowa Central Athletics

Sabah Dickerson is excited, anxious and ready to see just how her Iowa Central women’s basketball team attacks the upcoming season.

After spending the last four years as an assistant under both Kelly Kruger and Brian Ortmeier, Dickerson was named the new head coach during the offseason after Ortmeier took the job at Briar Cliff University.

With just two returning sophomores who saw quality playing time back, the roster is much like Dickerson and the entire ICCAC for that matter: starting fresh.

Six other programs within the conference are led by new head coaches.

“It’s been a pretty smooth transition,” Dickerson said. “I’ve got a pretty good understanding of how the program runs, our recruiting stayed consistent with what we have done and I inherited a roster that I helped bring here.

“But just in terms of the league as a whole, yes, there is going to be a lot of new.”

Among those back for the Tritons are returning all-conference player Jayden Frank and Emma Scurek. Frank posted over eight points and six rebounds per game as a freshman, shooting almost 35 percent from the 3-point line.

Scurek, who played in all 32 games, posted 3.4 points and almost four rebounds a night.

“They have done a good job of leading by example for the new players,” Dickerson said. “Jayden continues to work really hard in all aspects of the program and Emma is fully healthy coming into this year.”

Among the new players standing out in the preseason include Clear Lake graduate Emily Theiss, Brynn Bass from Coon Rapids-Bayard and Kaitlyn Tendal of Estherville-LC.

“Emily played for a well-coached Clear Lake program that always is competing at state,” Dickerson said. “Brynn averaged almost 20 points per game and is feeling more comfortable with what she can do. And Kaitlyn was another 1,000-point scorer for a team that won a state title last year.

“Those three are all really stepping up so far.”

Dickerson plans to go deep into her bench, looking to play anywhere between 10-to-12 players a night.

“I like our depth,” she said. “I feel like we can really balance out our scoring and be a dangerous team with several girls stepping up on any given night.”

Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Aleaha Pommer is another of the newcomers, along with Grace Ganshert, Alivea Harms, Maggie Godfrey, Ellyse Ball, Brianna Habben, Jaci Christensen and Sara Diew. Tessa Grooms is a returning sophomore, with Jorja Hanselman also joining the program.

Dickerson will be assisted by Kelby Homeister, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Southeastern.

2022-23 IOWA CENTRAL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Roster

Sophomores

Jayden Frank, Garner; Jorja Hanselman, Van Meter; Emma Scurek, Wisconsin; Tessa Grooms, Walnut.

Freshmen

Grace Ganshert, Wisconsin; Alivea Harms, Manly; Aleaha Pommer, Fort Dodge; Kaitlyn Tendal, Estherville; Brynn Bass, Coon Rapids; Maggie Godfrey, Wisconsin; Emily Theiss, Clear Lake; Ellyse Ball, Mason City; Brianna Habben, Jefferson; Jaci Christensen, Audubon; Sara Diew, Nebraska.

Schedule

Nov. 4 — at Madison College; 5 — at Rochester Tech; 8 — William Penn JV; 12 — at Southeast; 15 — William Penn JV; 18 — Elgin; 19 — Highland; 29 — Graceland JV.

Dec. 3 — Iowa Lakes; 7 — Kirkwood; 10 — at Marshalltown; 14 — at NIACC; 17 — Ellsworth; 30 — at Minnesota West; 31 — at North Dakota SCS in Worthington, Minn.

Jan. 4 — at Northeast; 7 — Southeastern; 11 — at DMACC; 14 — Iowa Western; 21 — at Southwestern; 25 — Northeast; 28 — at Ellsworth.

Feb. 1 — Marshalltown; 4 — DMACC; 8 — at Iowa Western; 11 — at Southeastern; 15 — NIACC; 18 — at Iowa Lakes; 22 — Southwestern.

March 1 — at Kirkwood.