Freshmen look to boost lineup

While all of last year's roster is returning to play for IU coach Kathi Bennett and the Hoosiers, there are two new faces for the cream and crimson. Freshmen Nikki Smith and Kelli Agness joined Bennett and her squad for the 2004-05 campaign and hope to make an impact early for IU.\nSmith, a Sylvania, Ohio, native and a second team All-Ohio honoree, joins the Hoosiers after leading her high school, Northview, to a 65-10 record, a pair of league championships and a district title during her three years. Bennett said Smith should complement the Hoosiers' post players because of her ability to shoot off the dribble and pass the ball.\n"Nikki has shown that physically she is the best freshman we've had come in," Bennett said. "The conditioning is a whole different level compared to high school. Not a lot of incoming freshman understand, but Nikki has a really good grasp of it. She has such a great feel for the game. She can pass as well as shoot, and we really need that. She is not just a three-point shooter; she can shoot it off the dribble and she can find open people. I have high hopes for her."\nThrough three games, Smith has averaged 10.5 minutes per game while scoring an average of two points per game.\nAgness, a 5-foot-4 standout from North Central High School in Indianapolis, is the first ever walk-on in the Bennett era. During her All-Conference and All-County senior year, Agness helped lead her team to a state title. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Agness succeeded scholastically, as well. Agness maintained a 4.0 grade point average and was on the high honor roll for all four years in high school.\nThe freshmen duo are grateful for having an opportunity to play for Bennett and the Hoosiers. \n"I love being a part of this team. It has been a great experience so far," Smith said. "All of our coaches and teammates have been really helpful in the whole process of adjusting. We have all become like a family."\nBoth Smith and Agness have already set goals for themselves prior to the beginning of the season and hope to make strides throughout the year to reach their goals.\n"My goal is to get better on defense," Smith said. "This is most definitely a defense-oriented team. I am not really used to that. I'm still learning the system. I know I can improve on some of my defensive skills."\nAgness, on the other hand, wants to get stronger as the season passes.\n"I know I can play stronger," Agness said. "I also really want to make everyone else around me better. Giving 100 percent everyday is also something I strive to do."\nAlthough playing time might be hard to come by for the newcomers, they will have an opportunity to practice with among the best guards in the Big Ten. Junior guards Cyndi Valentin and Kali Kullberg as well as sophomore guards Leah Enterline and Annika Boyd will all look to take the freshman duo under their wing and help them make the adjustment to Division I basketball.\n-- Contact staff writer Matt Ostrega at mostrega@indiana.edu.