Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Athletics Celebrates Women's History Month: The Sweet 16 Team
March 30, 2017 | General, Women's Basketball, Falcon Club
Throughout the month of March, BGSUFalcons.com will be highlighting some of the women who have impacted the University, the community and the athletics department. From pioneers to more recent members of the department, Matt Markey will be providing the stories of our history. Our final story of this series highlights the 2007 Sweet 16 women's basketball team.
Part One - Hayley (Wiemer) Bradford
Part Two - Valerie Newell
Part Three - Stephanie Heldt-Sheller
Part Four - Denise Van De Walle
Part Five - Marny Oestreng-Unnli
Part Six - Ginny McGee Beneke
Part Seven - The Chiricosta Family
A year ago, BGSUFalcons.com produced a similar series for Black History Month. Fans can review and re-read those stories by CLICKING HERE.
A decade has passed since their historic Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Tournament, but the memories have only become more cherished, and the images more vivid for the players and coaches of that 2006-07 group of Falcons.
"We were a bunch of blue-collar kids that learned the benefits of working together from a great coaching staff, and it produced something truly amazing," said Liz Honegger, who in her senior year, helped BG go 31-4 and notch wins over Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt in that memorable tournament run. Honegger today works as the director of basketball operations at Indiana University.
"We all knew our roles and we all contributed. We found strength through each other and through the great fan support we received. We were treated so well at Bowling Green, and treated to a lifetime of experiences. I can't believe 10 years have passed, because it still feels so special to be a part of something like that."
Kate Achter, an All-American point guard on that Sweet Sixteen team, said that group of Falcons had the ideal blend of size and skill, plus a wealth of intangibles.
"Obviously there was a lot of talent and ability and good athletes, but our greatest strength was the comradery," she said. "You recruit a skill set and then try and match the personalities, and I think we matched extremely well. My teammates were my best friends, and we're still close."
Achter, who just completed her first season as the head coach at Loyola University Chicago, finished her BG career as the Falcons' all-time leader in both assists (688) and free throws made (551). After one year of professional basketball in Greece, she joined the coaching ranks, where the lessons learned as a Falcon have served her well.
"More than anything, that staff at Bowling Green taught us resiliency, perseverance and selfless play, and that nothing really valuable comes without hard work," she said. "We were put in difficult situations and expected to perform, and that pays dividends for me as a head coach. We learned so much, and without my experience at BG, I certainly wouldn't be where I am today."
Honegger, who started 127 of the 128 games in her Bowling Green career and helped the Falcons win three Mid-American Conference regular season titles and three conference tournament championships, has found that her playing days provided her with a solid foundation for a move to the coaching ranks.
"As a student-athlete, you learn the time demands and how to prepare and manage all of your responsibilities. You learn how to deal with the highs and the lows and work with different people," she said. "I do the same thing now, and I got the training for this while I was at BG, without really knowing it at the time."
Curt Miller, who coached that Sweet Sixteen team and compiled a 258-92 record at Bowling Green, said that particular group of Falcon women bought into the "championship culture" that he had sought to establish.
"You can't win a championship without that approach, and that team had the best will to win that I have ever seen," said Miller, who won the MAC regular season title eight times and the tournament title five times and was the league's coach of the year six times.
"That team certainly had all of the intangibles, but what made us so tough to beat is that they were so competitive, and they were like a family. They loved to compete, they loved to win, and they never wanted to disappoint each other."
Miller said that team, which made the only Sweet Sixteen run in the history of MAC women's basketball, was also blessed with great versatility, and depth.
"That made us very difficult to defend, so you could do some special things with that group," he said. "We had great athletes, a great bench, great length and some great defensive players. We were so dominant because we were so versatile with so many capable scorers. Our opponents could never focus on one or two players, because that whole group was just too good."
Achter said her days as a Falcon have had much to do with her success in the coaching ranks.
"My experience as a female athlete at BG was off the charts, and I think all of my teammates would share that viewpoint," she said. "We worked hard, played together, and we won a lot of games. But we also received great preparation for life after our playing days."
Part One - Hayley (Wiemer) Bradford
Part Two - Valerie Newell
Part Three - Stephanie Heldt-Sheller
Part Four - Denise Van De Walle
Part Five - Marny Oestreng-Unnli
Part Six - Ginny McGee Beneke
Part Seven - The Chiricosta Family
A year ago, BGSUFalcons.com produced a similar series for Black History Month. Fans can review and re-read those stories by CLICKING HERE.
A decade has passed since their historic Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Tournament, but the memories have only become more cherished, and the images more vivid for the players and coaches of that 2006-07 group of Falcons.
"We were a bunch of blue-collar kids that learned the benefits of working together from a great coaching staff, and it produced something truly amazing," said Liz Honegger, who in her senior year, helped BG go 31-4 and notch wins over Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt in that memorable tournament run. Honegger today works as the director of basketball operations at Indiana University.
"We all knew our roles and we all contributed. We found strength through each other and through the great fan support we received. We were treated so well at Bowling Green, and treated to a lifetime of experiences. I can't believe 10 years have passed, because it still feels so special to be a part of something like that."
Kate Achter, an All-American point guard on that Sweet Sixteen team, said that group of Falcons had the ideal blend of size and skill, plus a wealth of intangibles.
"Obviously there was a lot of talent and ability and good athletes, but our greatest strength was the comradery," she said. "You recruit a skill set and then try and match the personalities, and I think we matched extremely well. My teammates were my best friends, and we're still close."
Achter, who just completed her first season as the head coach at Loyola University Chicago, finished her BG career as the Falcons' all-time leader in both assists (688) and free throws made (551). After one year of professional basketball in Greece, she joined the coaching ranks, where the lessons learned as a Falcon have served her well.
"More than anything, that staff at Bowling Green taught us resiliency, perseverance and selfless play, and that nothing really valuable comes without hard work," she said. "We were put in difficult situations and expected to perform, and that pays dividends for me as a head coach. We learned so much, and without my experience at BG, I certainly wouldn't be where I am today."
Honegger, who started 127 of the 128 games in her Bowling Green career and helped the Falcons win three Mid-American Conference regular season titles and three conference tournament championships, has found that her playing days provided her with a solid foundation for a move to the coaching ranks.
"As a student-athlete, you learn the time demands and how to prepare and manage all of your responsibilities. You learn how to deal with the highs and the lows and work with different people," she said. "I do the same thing now, and I got the training for this while I was at BG, without really knowing it at the time."
Curt Miller, who coached that Sweet Sixteen team and compiled a 258-92 record at Bowling Green, said that particular group of Falcon women bought into the "championship culture" that he had sought to establish.
"You can't win a championship without that approach, and that team had the best will to win that I have ever seen," said Miller, who won the MAC regular season title eight times and the tournament title five times and was the league's coach of the year six times.
"That team certainly had all of the intangibles, but what made us so tough to beat is that they were so competitive, and they were like a family. They loved to compete, they loved to win, and they never wanted to disappoint each other."
Miller said that team, which made the only Sweet Sixteen run in the history of MAC women's basketball, was also blessed with great versatility, and depth.
"That made us very difficult to defend, so you could do some special things with that group," he said. "We had great athletes, a great bench, great length and some great defensive players. We were so dominant because we were so versatile with so many capable scorers. Our opponents could never focus on one or two players, because that whole group was just too good."
Achter said her days as a Falcon have had much to do with her success in the coaching ranks.
"My experience as a female athlete at BG was off the charts, and I think all of my teammates would share that viewpoint," she said. "We worked hard, played together, and we won a lot of games. But we also received great preparation for life after our playing days."
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