Whither the Cardinal?

Summer ’09 has found the Stanford women scattering across the nation and around the world.

The entire team, except for freshmen Mikaela Ruef and Joslyn Tinkle, who are barred by NCAA rules, will go to Italy in September. (More on that in another article.)

Here’s a roundup of what they’ve been doing in the meantime, according to associate head coach Amy Tucker.

Mikaela, from Ohio, and Joslyn, from Montana, both forwards, are attending summer school, working out on campus and playing in the San Francisco Pro-Am league, where their abilities have caught the eye of Cardinal fans.

Sophomore guard Grace Mashore is at home in Virginia working out.

Fellow guard Lindy La Rocque also has spent much of her summer working out at home in Nevada, but she was to return to campus for hoops camp sessions July 22 to 29.

Sophomore center Sarah Boothe is at home in Illinois rehabbing from surgery for a stress fracture in her foot. She’s making good progress, but it’s uncertain when she’ll be able to play. “We will tend to be conservative” to avoid further problems, Amy said. The injury forced Sarah to withdraw from the USA’s U-19 team entering the FIBA world championship tournament in Thailand this month. She was disappointed, but “she’s keeping a positive attitude,” Amy said.

Sophomore forward Nneka Ogwumike of Texas left for the U-19 tournament July 17. “She’s going to have a great time,” Amy said.

Junior forward Kayla Pedersen of Arizona and guard Jeanette Pohlen of California returned home from Belgrade, Serbia, in mid-July after helping the USA team win gold at the World University Games. The two “were major factors on the team,” said Amy, citing conversations with their coaches. Like Lindy, Jeanette returned to campus to help at hoops camp.

Junior forward Ashley Cimino is at home in Maine and working out. She missed spring workouts because of a sore Achilles tendon. Amy said she assumes Ashley is OK.

Junior guard Hannah Donaghe of California is attending summer school while continuing to rehab from ACL surgery. She’s doing well and getting stronger, but she’s not ready to play, Amy said.

Senior center Jayne Appel of California also is in summer school and rehabbing from minor knee surgery after the season. She’s been running and doing strength exercises. “She’ll be ready to play when we need her,” Amy said, citing the conservative approach. She’s joining Jeanette and Lindy at hoops camp

Senior guard JJ Hones is attending summer school after spending the spring term with a Stanford international studies program in Spain, where “she had a great time,” Amy said. Like Hannah, she’s rehabbing from ACL surgery, but she’s further along because she was injured before Hannah. JJ is running and is expected to be cleared to play soon, but she won’t actually start playing until supervised practices this fall, Amy said.

JJ and Jayne stopped by Amy’s office during the interview. Both looked good and seemed to be in good spirits.

Senior guard Melanie Murphy is home in New York recuperating from toe surgery. She’s also recovering from a recent bout of tonsillitis.

Senior forward Michelle Harrison is home in Utah rehabbing from minor surgery to remove a cyst from her knee. She had been bothered by it during the season, but it wasn’t diagnosed right away. Now that it’s gone, she feels much better, Amy said.

Fifth-year guard Rosalyn Gold-Onwude of New York is working in sports marketing for Nike in Los Angeles. She also worked for Nike on an internship last summer in Oregon.

Recently graduated forward Jillian Harmon of Oregon will be playing professionally in Lake Como, Italy, where she’ll be reunited with center Brooke Smith, ’08. Brooke, who also plays for the Phoenix Mercury, will join her after the WNBA season ends. Amy is hoping that Jill will be in Lake Como when the Cardinal team is there.

Jill’s classmate, forward Morgan Clyburn of Texas, is sticking close to campus and is happy to do so. She has been hired by a biotech company in Palo Alto.

Amy and her fellow coaches – head coach Tara VanDerveer and assistant coaches Bobbie Kelsey and Kate Paye – have been on the road a lot, especially this month, one of the busiest for recruiting the high school class of 2010. They’re also compiling a list of 2011 prospects in preparation for the first allowed recruiting contacts Sept. 1.