HOUGHTON - The Michigan Tech women's basketball team was recognized Thursday at the Houghton Rotary Club's weekly meeting.
The team was ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season, hosted and won their conference and regional tournaments before participating in the NCAA Elite Eight tournament in St. Joseph, Mo. last month.
"It's an extraordinary, exceptional team and we've gotten to know all of them so well, and each one of them is a great person," said Ron Helman, a past president with the club and also organizer of the Center Court Club, which helps welcome the team to the Copper Country. "It's a really unique group of young ladies."
Head coach John Barnes, who was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coach of the year this season for the third time in his seven years coaching, spoke to the club.
"It was definitely an exciting season," he said. "We're proud of the team and what we accomplished."
Barnes said the biggest accomplishment was that every eligible player on the team earned a spot on the GLIAC All-Academic Team, speculating that it was the first time that has been done.
Barnes thanked the Rotary for their support as well as the Center Court Club, before commending the community in general, noting that the regional tournament in Houghton had the highest attendance of any of the eight NCAA Div. II regional tournaments.
Several members of the team were also present and spoke of their experience.
"I've had so many good memories, but the best was winning the Regional Championship in front of 3,131 fans," sixth-year senior Sarah Stream said.
Barnes was impressed with the ceremony, and thankful for the support.
"It's nice to be recognized by a group like the Rotary, they do so much good work, not just in the Copper Country, but around the world," Barnes said. "It's also nice to sit down and have the team meet more people from the community."
In other business, the club:
announced the 2010-2011 officers and board members: President - Elden Johnson, Past President - Steve Zutter, President Elect - Carrie Richards, President Elect Elect - Cindy Enterby, Secretary - Ellen Sherry, Treasurer - Debbie Bradford and board members: Cheryl Ries, Bill Musselman, Karyn Olsson, Dennis Kamrad, Anil Jambekar.
named Houghton High School junior Jaya Narain as student of the month.
Michael H. Babcock can be reached at mbabcock@mininggazette.com.
