Leelanau Sports Guy’s World

Three neat articles about three talented ladies who starred at little schools in northern Michigan. Liz Shimek and Dana Westover attended Glen Lake High School and Erin Carney attended Traverse City St. Francis. All three were stars “Up North” and all have continued to flourish on the big stage.

Takin’ it to the next level
Glen Lake’s Shimek turning into a leader for Michigan State
Record Eagle article by Dennis Chase

Traverse City - Liz Shimek’s imprint is all over the Michigan State women’s basketball program.

And, as it turns out, the media guide.

The junior forward had 12 of her teammates up north last summer for a camping weekend in Leelanau County.

The getaway, which gave Shimek’s teammates a glimpse into her upbringing on the family farm, produced some humorous stories and lasting memories, some captured in snapshots that appear in the media guide. In fact, the team picture on the inside cover of the guide was taken in the Shimek’s corn field.

“It was definitely a different experience for some (team members),” Shimek said. “Some had never even slept in a tent before.”

The trip illustrates Shimek’s growing role as a leader on a Spartan team that’s 17-3 and ranked No. 11 in the country.

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Westover bounces back for CMU
Record Eagle article by Mark Urban

Traverse City - When it came time to head to Central Michigan University to play basketball, Dana Westover brought two things: her own mouthpiece and a recent knee injury.

The latter prevented the former Glen Lake standout from using the former in the fall of 2003.

Now the 6-foot-2 red-shirt freshman forward has banged her way into the starting lineup for the Chippewas.

Westover, a 2003 graduate of Glen Lake, was a little shocked to learn she had earned a spot among the top five after sitting out the 2003-04 season.

But the time away from the game made her want to return even more.

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TC St. Francis grad earns starting spot as a freshman
Record Eagle article by Jeff Peek

Traverse City - Erin Carney isn’t easily intimidated - by the jump to the college game or its premier teams - and that has helped land her a starting spot on one of the top-ranked NCAA women’s basketball teams in the country.

Carney, a Traverse City St. Francis graduate who was among the senior finalists for Miss Basketball last season, is averaging 6.6 points and 6.5 rebounds for 17th-ranked DePaul (16-3).

She is one of two freshmen in the Blue Demons’ starting lineup, a distinction that DePaul head coach Doug Bruno said Carney has earned.

“I don’t write out the starting lineup, the players do,” Bruno said. “So Erin starting isn’t my doing, it’s her doing.

“She made it a no-brainer to the coaching staff,” he said. “And she made it a no-brainer to the players.”

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