WINONA LAKE – She spent four years leading Grace College on the basketball court. In the shadows of the Orthopaedic Captial Center, Allison Kauffman will have a chance at a new type of leadership.

Kauffman will take over the Lakeland Christian Academy girls basketball program this winter, her first head coaching gig, and the third coach LCA has had in three years. The look from the bench for one of Grace’s most prolific scorers will be a different, but a welcomed change in viewpoints.

“I think the biggest challenge is the fact that it is all new to me,” Kauffman said. “I spent years playing the sport and listening to someone coach me, and now I get a huge change of perspective. After playing for many different coaches and seeing many different ways to coach, I need to narrow down what I want in my players and how I want to teach them.”

LCA will welcome back its top three scorers from last season in seniors Rachel Sand and Hannah Delp along with junior Melissa Goss. Sand came into her own last season in recording over a half-dozen double-doubles and led the team in scoring at 13.2 points per game. Sand’s 5.9 rebounds per contest also led the team as did her 11 blocked shots.

Delp was a glue player for the Cougars last season, stacking up per game averages of 11.0 points, 2.8 steals, 2.5 assists and 1.7 rebounds. Delp also hit 29 threes and was asked to run the offense from the point.

Goss also emerged in a similar role at guard with averages of 4.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a block per game.

Carissa Urshalitz, another senior, has significant varsity experience and brings 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game to the table.

“We have a strong class of seniors this year to lead the team,”stated Kauffman. “Hannah will be our threat from the outside and Rachel will add to our inside game. Carissa Urschalitz will also have a strong presence on the inside with her rebounding and physicality.”

Kauffman also lists seniors Brighty Walters and Gabby Catron, junior Ellie Nieveen and sophomore Brady Gross on the opening day roster.

“I definitely see a lot of potential in this year’s team,” Kauffman said of the team that went 7-17 a season ago under the leadership of coach Brian Harshman. “I do not just want to be able to compete with bigger schools this year, but I want to be able to pull out the win against some tough opponents.

“I think it starts with toning some of the basic fundamentals of the game in the girls. It starts in practice every day by pushing the girls to work their hardest. This year, defense is going to be the key to pulling out the big wins. We have some good offensive threats, but we need to be physical and play tough on the defensive end.”

LCA will open its season Tuesday, Nov. 10, hosting Caston.