Profile: Mercedes Van Wagner

Vitals:
Player: Mercedes Van Wagner
Height: 6’1”
Number: 53
Class: Senior
Hometown: Mullica Hill, N.J.
High School: Clearview Regional
Major: Elementary Education
Position: Center
Depth Chart: Starter

Stats: Mercedes “Benz” Van Wagner is KU’s all-time leader in blocks. She had 136 coming into her senior season and eclipsed Becky Savage’s previous mark of 164 on Jan. 19. Van Wagner also joined the 1,000 point club earlier this season, making her just the 11^th KU women’s basketball player to reach that mark. Benz was the 2004-05 PSAC Rookie of the Year and was named to the All-PSAC second team following the 2006-07 season. Last season, she recorded a career high 11.2 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. Van Wagner has shot over 50 percent in each of her seasons at KU. This season, she is third on the team in scoring (8.4 PPG), second in rebounding (6.4 RPG), and first in blocks (48).

Breakdown: Van Wagner has been an impact player ever since her arrival at KU four years ago. She has been a fixture in the Golden Bears’ starting lineup, notching a start in all but 6 of the games she has appeared in. Benz has been a constant presence in the lane, forcing opponents to base their game plan around her. She generally has either a very good or a very bad day, usually depending on how the defense handles her. If Van Wagner makes a few buckets in a row, it could be a long day for the opposing frontcourt.

Strengths: As mentioned, Van Wagner is hard to stop when she is on a roll. She is 6’1” and very few players in PSAC can match up with her. If she gets the ball on the block, there is a good chance she will finish. Teams will tend to double her when she gets the ball inside, which certainly limits her offensive ability. Van Wagner is even more of an asset defensively. The PSAC’s premiere distributor of blocks over the last few seasons, Benz is also a monster on the glass, averaging near a double-double on most occasions. Opposing centers generally have a hard time scoring on her in the lane.

Weaknesses: Van Wagner often gets rattled once defenders shut her down a few times early in games. Her impact on a game generally will rely heavily on those first few opportunities. If she scores a few times, she will be fired up and have a big game. If she gets the ball blocked away or misses a few close range shots, it could be a long day. Although she generally has the size advantage, she sometimes tries to do too much in the lane and ends up shooting poorly from the field. Van Wagner does not move around too well so, like most centers, she struggles when she gets the ball and isn’t within a few feet of the net. Benz doesn’t have great hands and defenders can often knock the ball out of her grasp following a rebound or once she receives a pass not directly to her.

Impact: Van Wagner could be utilized better on the offensive end, but there is no doubt that she is a superior defensive asset. With more opportunities offensively, she would likely be much more of an impact player. As mentioned, her major flaw is becoming rattled early and allowing that to cost her throughout games. The reason she excels when she starts off well is because her confidence is sky high and she gets aggressive, using her body to pound the ball inside and score possession after possession. If KU hopes to recover and make the PSAC playoffs this season, much of it will hinge on Van Wagner. She is coming off a big game against West Chester and if she can carry that momentum and confidence into the remainder of the team’s games, there is no reason to believe she can’t score 20 in each outing.