Rebounding a strength for V-Hawk women

The Viterbo women's basketball team has had their fair share of struggles so far this season. 

The team is currently 2-6, with four of those losses coming by 20 points or more. Injuries have again been a problem for coach Bobbi Vandenberg's squad, with starting point guard Brooke Anderson out for the year with a knee injury. The team is shooting only 37 percent from the field and has turned the ball over almost 25 times per game. With the more than half of the roster being freshmen, the team has had to overcome the steep learning curve that all newcomers face at the college level.

With all of those factors considered, there is one area that Viterbo has excelled in this season: rebounding.

The V-Hawks have out-rebounded their opponents by about seven boards per game, which is even more impressive when you consider that their opponents' field goal percentage is almost 10 points higher than Viterbo's. 

Six foot senior Katina Mandylaris is the team's leading rebounder at 9.9 per game. Last season, Mandylaris set a school record by averaging 11.6 rebounds per contest. Sally Colby and Joni Stanek are also excellent on the boards for the V-Hawks. Freshman Dani Templin, a six-foot guard, gives Viterbo a fourth six-footer in their lineup. 

The V-Hawks will look to continue their edge on the boards while entering their conference schedule. With a little more experience for the underclassmen, Viterbo will likely find themselves improving in other areas as well.