Sheehan's 'Shimmy' working wonders for No. 1 Titans

The calendar only reads February but 2009 has already been quite memorable for Claire Sheehan.

In January, Sheehan earned College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors on two separate occasions.

"It's the first two times in my collegiate career that I've been named Player of the Week," said Sheehan.

The entire 2008-09 season has been one filled with firsts for the St. Charles resident.

That happens when you're the leading scorer for the nation's top-ranked Division III women's basketball team, according to the latest USA Today/ESPN poll and D3hoops.com poll.

These days, the former St. Charles East standout is a starting guard averaging 14.9 points per game for Illinois Wesleyan's No. 1-ranked squad.

"It's awesome," admits the 5-foot-8 senior. "Two years ago, we hit the top 25 for the first time and we've been slowly moving up ever since.

"Now that we're ranked No. 1, it's pretty unreal. With this being my senior year, it's more than I could have imagined."

Four years ago, Sheehan was left with a difficult decision after leading St. Charles East to its first Class AA regional title in 17 years and berth in the sectional championship game (losing to Bartlett 78-63).

"It was tough," she said of her collegiate decision. "It came down to the University of Chicago, Washington University (Mo.) and Illinois Wesleyan. I chose Illinois Wesleyan because it felt like the right fit for me - both academically and athletically."

Titans coach Mia Smith remembers the final time she saw Sheehan play for the Saints.

"There were four college coaches there to speak with her," said Smith. "I waited until the last. She was just as excited to talk to me as she was to talk to the other three coaches. I knew right then that her upbringing had come from a humble and polite family.

"A quality person makes for a quality player."

A quality player who has been a consistent contributor for the Titans, who upped their record to 19-0 with Tuesday night's 94-49 romp over North Park.

Shooting 51 percent from the field, Sheehan has connected on 42 percent of her 3-point attempts and 76 percent of her free-throw tries.

Sheehan, who has led Illinois Wesleyan in scoring seven times this season, also has amassed 47 rebounds, 46 assists, 31 steals and 5 blocked shots.

As good as her numbers are, it's her intangible qualities that have impressed her coach most.

"Claire is a great leader," said Smith, "maybe more so by actions. She is never outworked or out-hustled on the floor. When things are not at the pace they need to be, her voice is the first one heard encouraging the others to pick it up."

Illinois Wesleyan favors an up-tempo approach, evidenced by its scores, which include a 101-53 triumph over Fontbonne, a 109-52 win over Augustana, and an 87-50 victory over Elmhurst.

"I think our record is what it is because of a combination of things," said Sheehan. "It's our style of play along with our ability to run the ball and shoot 3s. We've also got a strong inside presence and deep bench. And we play good defense."

One of three senior starters, Sheehan has made huge strides since her arrival in Bloomington in 2005.

"Her biggest improvement has literally been to find multiple ways of scoring which has made her a complete player," said Smith. "She plays awesome defense, better than anyone on our team."

"I'm more comfortable knowing when to shoot, pass or dribble," said Sheehan. "It helps a lot that I'm on a team where everyone is a scorer."

During her sophomore year, Illinois Wesleyan earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

Last season, the Titans gained an automatic National Tournament spot by capturing the CCIW Tournament title.

At 19-0, the Titans should be a lock to make their third consecutive national tourney appearance.

They'd like a little bit more this time around.

"We'd like to win out in conference, host the conference tournament and win it again," said Sheehan. "One of our goals is to make it to the Final Four at Hope College (in Holland, Mich.).

While Sheehan, a biology major, will attend the UIC Dental School next fall, Smith could see her returning to basketball somewhere down the line.

"Claire is extremely coachable and I actually think she would make a very good coach someday," said Smith. "She really has a feel for the game."

No matter what happens the rest of the season, Sheehan has made her presence felt during her collegiate career.

"I'll remember just about everything about her," said the coach. "She is accountable for one, dependable for another. Those qualities are hard to find. Some players feel as if you owe them - not Claire. She is there to do whatever it takes. I will miss her toughness, her compassion and her desire to win as well as her talent. She is just a great player.

"But the thing I will most is when she executes the 'Sheehan Shimmy,' a move where she gets to the paint, squeezes her way between defenders and finishes with a basket - and then hearing her teammates shout with excitement, 'Shimmy.'"