Noelle Young

41/40

Year:
Junior
Hometown:
Rushville, IN
Position:
C/F
Height:
6-1

SOPHOMORE YEAR (1985-86)
If Indiana were to pick the most improved player in 1985 the winner of the award would have to be Noelle Young. With the brand new coaching staff, Noelle immediately found a starting position in 25 games, proving herself capable of hitting the boards harder than anyone else on the team. She earned top team rebounder laurels in 12 of 28 ball games. the word that comes to mind when watching Noelle play is feisty. If the ball was within her reach, she was there scrapping for it. Her scoring average went from 3.4 as a freshman to 7.1 last season. Noelle scored a career high 16 points in the 77-75 loss to Michigan near the end of the season. In fact, Noelle had career highs in every category. Her field goal percentage this year of 48.4 percent bettered the 48.0 percent she had her rookie season. She and Cindy Bumgarner took turns playing in the center and forward positions. Indiana's inside game was a key to the Hoosiers success and Noelle Young was an intricate part of that inside game.

FRESHMAN YEAR (1984-85)
Although she was a major contributor in keeping IU competitive on the boards during pre-conference games, Noelle Young's game came together late in the season when the Indiana squad was struggling to find its fifth starter. Young started six games and played in 27, averaging 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. She was shooting 67 percent during her last three games and finished the season with an overall field goal percentage of .480, the fourth best on the IU squad. Young was fifth on the team in rebounding with a season total of 81. While Young's contributions were most noticeable during the Big Ten Season, she set her career highs while IU was on the road during the holidays. She scored 12 points against Jackson State at the Women's Court Classic and had nine-rebound totals against South Carolina and Fairfield. According to former IU coach Maryalyce Jeremiah, she has an effective outlet pass off the boards, which could make her a key factor in new coach Jorja Hoehn's fast break.

PREP
it's hard to imagine that a player who was twice an all-state selection, a second team AAU all-American, the leading rebounder in the 1982 AAU National tournament, an Indiana all-star and a Wade Trophy medalist was cut from the first basketball team she tried out for. Rather than hanging up her hightops, Noelle Young, with the help of her father, practiced all summer after that junior high school disappointment. The following year she not only made the team, but the starting five. The rest is history. Noelle's determination earned her not only starting spots at Rushville's Consolidated High School, but six of the school records.Under the coaching of IU graduate Cinda Brown, Noelle had a prep career average of 17.8 points and 14.9 rebounds per outing. Her accomplishments include a single game high of 32 points and 24 rebounds as well as a career point total of over 1,000. Noelle was also a volleyball and track standout. She was the volleyball team's MVP her senior year and was twice an all-conference selection.