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Head Coach Brenda Mechels
When head women’s basketball coach Brenda Mechels took
over the team in 2003, she knew she was in for a challenge.
The team had difficulty winning and had an average grade point
average of 2.1.
To turn the team around, Mechels focused on a philosophy of
teaching the game and allowing her student athletes to learn
through their experiences.
Since then, the team has begun a complete turnaround.
“ We have a family atmosphere on our team,” Mechels
said. “You’re a part of the Dana basketball family.” |
Mechels asked her
players to “Accept the Challenge,” one
of the team’s mottos. She also offered the players an
opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
The result has
been a marked improvement in play, which the Vikings expect
to turn into
wins in upcoming seasons.
Mechels herself is a former Dana Viking.
She was a leader on the team and in the classroom, earning
Academic All-America
honors. She came
back to lead the Vikings after coaching high school teams and
serving
as an assistant at College of St. Mary.
She brings a philosophy
of hard work and is dedicated to the program and committed to each
student athlete’s improvement both on and
off the court. She’s also a mentor to her players.
Mechels
said she’s happy to be back at Dana and back with the
women’s basketball team.
“ This is where I want to be. Dana is home.”
Office:
402-426-7283
E-Mail: bmechels@dana.edu
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Assistant Coach Shannon Struby
Former Creighton University standout Shannon Struby is her
third year with the Lady Vikings. Struby brings a variety of
playing and coaching experiences to Dana College. She was a
starting forward for the Nebraska Express (a pro-league before
the WNBA) for two years. Struby’s coaching career started
in 1995 here at Dana, as an assistant coach under Kris Grappendorf,
and she later became the head coach at College of St. Mary
in Omaha, Neb. Currently, she is a Physical Therapist Assistant
at Orthosport in Omaha. |
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