By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bedford North Lawrence will start the 2025 campaign with a clean slate, including a new coach.
After losing six seniors from the seven-player lineup that won the first sectional championship since 2010, after veteran head coach Joni Stigall stepped down following her successful stint with her alma mater, the Stars will look completely different. That’s nothing new for Ian Dillman.
Dillman, a 2018 BNL grad and former college player at IU East, is now pulling double duty. He took over the BNL boys team under similar circumstances last fall. Now he will start the fresh rebuilding process with the girls program. The cupboard looks a little bare, but he plans to stock it with young talent.
“They didn’t leave much,” Dillman said. “It’s another building year. Right now we’re just trying to get the numbers, it’s trying to get our strength out there. The progress has been astonishing. They’re making progress, day in and day out. It’s small steps, but they will make huge strides.”
Emma Conover, a fixture at No.2 doubles last season, is the lone holdover.
“With Emma coming back, she will be able to tell everyone how it needs to be, how it should be going, just to keep the morale up,” Dillman said. “She knows what it’s like to win a sectional.”
The other spots are wide open. Dillman expects freshmen doubles duo Emma Voris and Claire Edwards to claim a double spot, and senior captain Lauren Salzman will be somewhere in the lineup.
”I’m really excited about the freshmen,” Dillman said. “We’re trying all types of new things. I have an idea of who my top people are. We’re trying to figure it all out, and it’s getting closer every day.”
The Stars will start the regular season on April 3, hosting Brown County.
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