The Wake

Last year, Gopher women’s basketball ranked sixth nationwide in average attendance. This means the sport has quickly become more popular thanks to departed Gopher All-American and current WNBA star Lindsey Whalen. And while Whalen may have helped put the U of M women’s hoops squad on the national map, it’s the team’s perennially potent defense that has kept them there.

A Big Ten power in recent years, the Gophers always-improving defense was able to hold two conference foes (Purdue and Indiana) under 40 points, on each respective team’s home court last season. Then, in post-season play, last year, Minnesota nearly set an NCAA Tournament record, allowing its first-round opponent, St. Francis (Pa.), a mere 33 points – the 2nd-lowest point total allowed in tournament history.

Leading Minnesota’s nationally acclaimed defense is Shannon Bolden. “She embraces defense, she’s tenacious out there and works her tail off,” says head coach Pam Borton, “and it’s made her one of the best defenders in the nation.”

Borton, who came to Minnesota from Boston College, says she knew very little of Bolden before she arrived at the U because she was coaching on the East Coast and Bolden was “one of those small town, in-state recruits” for Minnesota. Borton does say she’s grateful to have met this diamond-in-the-rough from Marshall, Minn. because from moment they met “Shannon’s always been a really positive person who’s always willing to work hard.”

Bolden decided to attend the U of M in 2001, making the trip to Minneapolis from her home town of Marshall, Minn. Marshall is located in southwest Minnesota with a population just over 12,000 people. Bolden played five years of basketball for Marshall High School. She made varsity as an eighth-grader, started in ninth and guided the Tigers to the state tournament as a sophomore. By her junior and senior years, Shannon was averaging more than 20 points per game and lead Marshall High to back-to-back Class-AA State Titles in 2001 and 2002.

In coming to the Gophers, Bolden had to switch focuses and adapt to a more defense-oriented role. “It takes a special kind of player to pinpoint their efforts as a defensive player,” says Borton. “Not many players are willing to accept the role she’s taken, it’s not like it’s glamorous, she’s not scoring the ball or being noticed in the box score or things like that.” Entering her 18th season of coaching NCAA Division-I basketball, Borton was not hesitant in saying Bolden “hands down” is the best defensive player she’s ever coached, but she’s also quick to point out “she’s a good shooter, too.”

With some of the All-American offensive talent the Gophers have possessed over the past few years – Whalen (a ’02, ‘03 and ’04 All-American) and recent No. 1 overall WNBA pick Janelle McCarville (two-time All-American, ‘04 and ‘05) – Borton has called upon Bolden for her take-no-mercy defensive ability than for her shooting or scoring.

Bolden, who began her Gophers career in 2002-2003, has a good shooting percentage (44.2 percent, including 45.1 percent from three-point range), but hasn’t always had the chance to exhibit her offensive talents. This season will be different.

“I think this year I’ll be able to be a lot more aggressive on the offense end and take a lot more shots,” says Bolden of her 2005-2006 season, “just taking more open shots and penetrating and finding different ways to score.”

Borton, who became Minnesota’s head coach Bolden’s freshman year (2002-03), says she’ll be looking to her senior guard/forward for her offense and leadership this season. “We’ve had Kodak All-Americans these past three seasons, so Shannon’s been depended on for her defense,” says Borton, “this year we’ll be looking for her to shoot more and be a leader of this team.”

Besides the encouragement from her coach, Bolden feels fortunate that she can always count on two of her favorite fans supporting her from the stands. Shannon’s parents,Lionel and Cindy Bolden ,drive more than three hours from Marshall for every home game. “Oh yeah, it’s a drive, but we love coming here,” says Lionel Bolden, who, along with Cindy, attended Minnesota’s Nov. 9 exhibition game.

The Boldens say they are looking forward to enjoying the final season of Shannon’s collegiate career. They’ve seen their older daughter, Stephanie Bolden, lead the South Dakota State Jackrabbits to an NCAA Division-II national title in 2003 and have followed Shannon through her first three seasons with Minnesota, which have all resulted in Sweet Sixteen appearances (including one Final Four) in the NCAA Division-I tournament. “It’s great to have them here,” says Bolden of her parents. “This is the last year for them to see one of their daughters play, so their excited for the season and coming up to cheer us on.”

Lionel said Shannon has always had a strong passion for basketball, recalling Shannon’s keen interest for the sport as a fourth-grader. He says Shannon has always been really talented, but a six-inch growth spurt somewhere in her early teens helped Shannon to mature physically and become a better player on the court. “She became much taller, it helped her thin out a bit,” says Lionel about Shannon’s rapid height increase. “Her athleticism changed so much, so fast, [and] she was able to gain more confidence and become a quicker athlete.”

“I think the ninth grade was when she really took off,” says Shannon’s mom, Cindy. “By her sophomore year, they [Marshall] finished third at state, they then won it in her junior and senior years.”

The Boldens say Shannon earned scholarship opportunities with several other schools, but feel she’s always wanted to be a Gopher. Now, as Bolden enters her fourth year with the Gophers, Shannon says she’s enjoyed her time playing with Minnesota but also realizes her basketball career most likely will soon be coming to an end.

As graduation day approaches, Bolden’s been preparing herself for her post-collegiate years. This past summer, she worked as a corporate sales intern for the Minnesota Twins.

“It was a great experience, it helped me learn I enjoy working with promotions and I enjoy working with sales,” says Bolden, “it gave me a chance to see what I did and didn’t like about the business.”

Bolden also credits her internship there for helping her leadership skills, which she plans to bring to the court this season. Joined by her backcourt running mates, Shannon Schonrock and April Calhoun, Bolden serves as one of three captains for Minnesota this season.

Bolden, one of six Gophers seniors, will be trying to lead Minnesota to a fourth straight Sweet Sixteen appearance. Minnesota has home battles with Nebraska (Dec. 3), Washington State (Dec. 10) and Iowa State (Dec. 22). The Gophers will then take their tenacious defense and offense into Big Ten play with a road contest against Northwestern Dec. 29.