After suffering through six straight losing seasons, the Michigan women's basketball team put a sunrise on the cover of this year's media guide, and called this season 'A New Beginning.'
And the beginning of the season was nothing but sunshine for the Wolverines.
Under the guidance of first-year head coach Sue Guevara, Michigan opened the 1996-97 campaign with an 8-1 non-conference record, and they did it by playing an up-tempo, exciting style of basketball.
Guevara was hired on an interim basis in July after the resignation of Trish Roberts, but she ran the program like someone who planned to be at Michigan well into the future. And on February 11, Athletic Director Joe Roberson ensured that Guevara would lead the Wolverines on a permanent basis by removing "interim" from her title.
The start of Big Ten conference play in January brought stiffer competition, and Michigan had problems being consistent. The Wolverines beat Illinois - which finished in a first-place tie with Michigan State and Purdue - and won for the first time ever at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
However, Michigan also lost to eventual 10th-place finisher Ohio State, and lost three times to an Indiana team that finished below .500 in the conference.
While Michigan's shooting was erratic at times, its effort was fairly consistent. Guevara's enthusiastic attitude rubbed off on her players. Michigan played with emotion and a competitive fire all season, even when it was suffering from one of its all-too-frequent shooting slumps.
Against Michigan State on January 19, Michigan was down by as many as 21 in the second half, but fought back to make the final score a respectable 76-67.
Michigan finished Big Ten play with a 7-9 mark, tied for eighth with Indiana, and lost to the Hoosiers in the first-round of the Big Ten tournament - the Wolverines third-straight first-round exit.
While the Wolverines were disappointed that they didn't make a longer run in the conference tournament, the season on the whole can only be viewed as a successful one.
Michigan's go-to lady all season long was junior center Pollyanna Johns, who led the team in scoring and rebounding. The only way to stop her in the post was to make sure she didn't get the ball. Johns was named to All-Big Ten second team for the second year in a row.
Another Wolverine receiving post-season accolades was freshman Stacey Thomas. She became the first Michigan player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the year. All season she frustrated Wolverine opponents with her offensive rebounding and quick hands, averaging almost three steals per game.
The Michigan seniors, Catherine DiGiacinto, Amy Johnson, Mekisha Ross and Silver Shellman, were the first class in seven years to win their final home game.
Captains DiGiacinto and Shellman provided leadership all season, and Johnson leaves Michigan tied with teammate Jennifer Kiefer for the lead in career 3-point field goals made.
Although only Shellman was starter a this season, they can all leave Michigan proud of this season, and proud that they were a part of 'A New Beginning.'
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
Led by new head coach Sue Guevara, the Michigan women's basketball team had its first successful season in six years.
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
The Michigan women's basketball team lost in the first round of the Big Ten tourney.