Coach: ALHS grad started ‘above and beyond’ other freshmen

By Barbara Boxleitner

A year of college experience has helped Bryn Woodside take her game to the next level.

The Albert Lea High School graduate is starting as a sophomore for the University of Jamestown women’s basketball team.

The shortest on the team at 5 foot 3 inches tall, the point guard played 18 of the first 21 games for the Jimmies (17-4) and started 16. She averaged 6.5 points, fourth on the team, and 2.8 rebounds. She led the team in assists.

“She’s doing a great job,” head coach Greg Ulland said. “She continues to get better every day.”

Ulland realized her potential last year, when she played in all 33 games and started once. She averaged 5.8 points, sixth on the team, and 2.9 rebounds. She was second on the squad with 99 assists and third with 38 steals.

“She’s above and beyond anything we’ve had coming in as a freshman,” Ulland said.

During the summer Woodside practiced her skills five days a week. She focused on her perimeter shooting, for she said the Jimmies already have enough inside players. More than a third of her points this season have come via the three-pointer.

She had a season high of 13 points twice and scored 11 once. “The games I was in double figures, I was getting out and running,” she said. “It was my teammates passing the ball to me.”

Among 16 on the roster, Woodside is seventh in field goal attempts. She doesn’t shoot too often per game; her 10 shots against Doane College matched a career high set last year. But she has delivered when necessary.

“She’s taken a lot of big shots for us,” the coach said.

Woodside’s main role is to direct the offense, which is “even more up-tempo this year,” she said.

“It’s good to push the ball,” she said.

She had a season-high six assists three times.

“She’s possessing the ball really well,” Ulland said. “She’s very, very composed and sees the floor well. She’s really that true floor leader.”

Defensively, she is one of three shorter Jimmies who create chaos for opponents, their quick hands and feet applying pressure.

“They’re creating about 20 to 25 turnovers a game,” he said.

Woodside had a season-high three steals in a win over California State University-Maritime, when she added six points, five assists and four rebounds.

“I think defense is probably my favorite part of the game,” she said.

She has maintained despite being hobbled by an ankle sprain that occurred during a game before Thanksgiving.

“The competitive nature of her is absolutely tremendous,” Ulland said. “That’s something you don’t see with every player. She’s handled everything really, really well.”