December 17, 2003

     SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Tanya Iwanski was interested in Bryant College because she loved its academic reputation. Bryant women's basketball coach Mary Burke was interested in Iwanski because she loved the Manchester native's work ethic. It's been a perfect match.
     "Tanya is an outstanding example of what a student-athlete should be," Burke said of her senior forward. "She has her priorities straight. She's a great person, a great student, and does a great job for us.
     "She's such a hard worker. I followed her in high school and there are some things that don't change. She has a ton of heart and soul and has been a major factor here for four years."
     Iwanski made her 82nd consecutive start for the Bulldogs in their 72-58 win over Southern Connecticut on Dec. 9. The 5-foot-10 Iwanski gave up height in the post but never backed down. She had 12 points and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes as Bryant (6-2) pushed its winning streak to five. "I can't believe this has all gone by so fast," Iwanski said. "I remember when I was a freshman I would look at the seniors and think they were so much older and so much more mature. Now I'm the oldest.
     "I'm approaching every game like it's my last. I used to think that I had next year. Well, now I don't. This is the year." Through eight games, Iwanski is fourth in scoring (8.6), first in rebounding (8.4), and third in assists (1.8) for the Bulldogs. She is shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 70.4 percent from the foul line.
     She has 749 points, 702 rebounds and seven double-doubles in 95 career games. She'll have to pick up the pace to join Bryant's 1,000-point club, but that doesn't concern her.
     "Scoring is a big part of it, but if you ask anyone it's defense and rebounding that wins games," Iwanski said. "I love doing the dirty work - banging people in the post and pushing people off the block. I was a scorer in high school, but that doesn't matter now. I'm going to do what I do best: Give 100 percent, play defense, and rebound."
     Iwanski was a four-year all-Central Connecticut Conference East and four-year Class LL All-State performer at Manchester High under current Bryant assistant coach Mark Caruso.
     Bryant was at the top of her college list even before the recruiting process got rolling.
     "I wanted to come here for the academics and to study business," Iwanski said. "Then when I heard they were interested in me, that was the best thing ever."
     Burke liked what she saw, but couldn't give Iwanski a full ride for her first year. Iwanski would pay her own way as a freshman and then would be on scholarship for three years.
     She had four-year offers, but Burke's offer was too good for her to pass up.
     "It was an easy decision," Iwanski said.
     She admits she was nervous coming in as a freshman, but playing behind senior stars Ali Curry and Stephanie Tobey was beneficial. But injuries hit the Bulldogs midway through the season and on Jan. 16, 2001, Iwanski made her first career start against AIC in Springfield.
     She hasn't left since.
     "Tanya really started to come on that second semester and she took off from there," Burke said.
     For Iwanski, it was a matter of time.
     "It was a big adjustment coming here because I had never sat on the bench before in my life," she said. "Playing behind Ali and Steph, I didn't get that much of a chance to show what I could do. But I never doubted myself. I'm a competitive person and I don't like being unsuccessful. If I'm going to do something, it's going to be at 100 percent. That helped me adjust."
     She's been the Bulldogs' leading rebounder each season and one of the Northeast-10 Conference's best.
     This season, Burke named her as one of Bryant's senior captains.
     "She's a leader by the way she acts, how hard she works, and the example she sets," Burke said. "It's always about team and not individual things with Tanya. Those are huge characteristics to have in a captain."
     Iwanski, though, is not satisfied.
     Bryant has increased its win total for three straight years, finishing 19-12 a season ago and reaching the ECAC Tournament in back-to-back years.
     Iwanski's goals as a senior are a Northeast-10 championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
     The Bulldogs return to action following the break for final exams on Dec. 29 when they face St. Leo in Boca Raton, Fla.
     "Before it always seemed like we had this unstoppable team but we'd come up short," Iwanski said. "We'd lose close games because no one would step up in the last 3:00. But now we have a lot of juniors and seniors and we've learned from our mistakes.
     "We're determined to get it done no matter what. We have players that want to take the big shot, get that rebound, or make that steal. We're going to leave it on the floor and I see us going far."
     And she knows in a few months it will be time to move on.
     The Dean's List student, who turned 22 last Friday, will receive her bachelor's degree in business with a concentration in Computer Information Systems in May. She's not quite sure where that will take her, but she is developing a plan.
     "I'd like to have my own business," Iwanski said. "I just figured this out. For 22 years I've been on someone else's schedule. I want to be on my own schedule so I can do the things that I enjoy doing."
     The real world may be about to meet its match.
     ©Journal Inquirer 2003