1999-00 Season Previews

Northeast Region page

Bates
In five years at the helm of the Bates women's basketball program, coach Jim Murphy '69 has produced three 20-win seasons and three NCAA tournament berths. He has coached a pair of Academic All-District selections and four first-team All-NESCAC picks. Two 1,000-point scorers have graduated, while another two are still on the roster. It's no surprise that Murphy became the winningest coach in school history in 1999, reaching the 75-victory plateau in two fewer seasons than any of his predecessors.

The 1999 Bobcats will have to survive without Colleen McCrave '99 (Walpole, Mass.), the all-time steal and assist leader at Bates, and Amy Taylor '99 (Orono, Maine), the school's top 3-point threat, but they won't be short on talent. Senior captains Emily King '00 (Lebanon, N.H.) and Jolene Thurston '00 (Post Mills, Vt.) have both started every game of their three seasons. King was the fastest player to reach 1,000 points when she did it in the 67th game of her career. She has been named first-team All-NESCAC, ECAC and New England for two years running, earning honorable-mention All-America status last season. Thurston was the Bobcats' second GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in three years in 1999, while finishing second on the team in scoring and earning third-team All-NESCAC and All-ECAC honors. Juniors Katy Dutille '01 (Lebanon, N.H.) and Kate McLaughlin '01 (Laconia, N.H.) both battled injuries last season, but remained important contributors.

Nov. 1 marks the start of preseason, with the Bobcats' first competition coming three weeks later. While Bates' 24-game schedule includes a tournament at WPI, their NESCAC schedule means the Bobcats get tested regularly. Four conference foes reached the postseason in 1999, while traditional non-conference opponent Southern Maine is a year removed from appearing in the national championship game.

The Bobcats play their home games in Alumni Gymnasium, an intimate playing arena in which Bates' fans provide a decided home-court advantage. "Alumni Gym is one of the best places to play basketball games," says Murphy. "It's just this old, quaint, cozy New England gym, and when you get several hundred people in there, it sounds like 20,000. When we played our NCAA game with Salem State here, there is no question we got a huge lift from the sellout crowd." The Bobcats won that game, 71-67, after trailing by three points with less than two minutes remaining.

Bowdoin
In just her first season as the head coach of the Bowdoin women’s basketball team, Stefanie Pemper had quite a start. In 1998-99, she helped the Polar Bears tie the school record for wins in a season (19) and make their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III national tournament. With all five starters returning in 1999-2000 along with a talented first-year class, Bowdoin will again be in contention for a NCAA bid.

Leading the way for the Polar Bears this season will be co-captains Samantha Good (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and Lauren Myers (South Boston, Mass./Fontbonne). Good, one of three seniors on the team, has been a rock in the backcourt for the Polar Bears the last three seasons. She was the second-leading scorer on the team last season, averaging 12.0 points per game, and was also second in assists (105) and steals (59). Perhaps Good’s finest performance came in the NCAA tournament first-round game against Bates when she scored 14 points in the second half to rally the Polar Bears to a 49-44 victory. She needs 71 points to become the sixth 1,000-point scorer in school history.

"Sam is so important to our team," said Pemper. "She is typically recognized for her scoring and ball-handling, but this year I think she’ll contribute equally as a defender, rebounder and team leader. Sam is as good an all-around player as we have in the conference."

From her spot at small forward, Myers has been the Polar Bears’ leading scorer since she arrived on campus two years ago. In her first year she averaged 16.9 points and she again paced the team last year with 15.6 points per outing. Last season, Myers was the leading scorer in 13 of the 25 games while also pacing the team in rebounds (6.7 per game). She and Good were both selected as Second Team All-NESCAC players at the conclusion of last season.

"Lauren had an outstanding year last year, not only statistically but in terms of improving as a player and maturing as a team leader," said Pemper. "We’ll count on Lauren for a lot of things this year, most importantly her competitive intensity and her ability to impact games."

Joining Good in the backcourt will be sophomore Jessie Mayol (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook). Mayol started every game at point guard during her rookie campaign, averaging 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest. In addition, she paced the team in assists (113) and steals (63) while also knocking down 27 three-point shots -- second most on the team.

Junior Monika Dargin (Fitchburg, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) started all 25 games last season at the small forward position and she provides Pemper with a player who can both drive to the basket and nail the three-pointer. Dargin finished fourth on the team in scoring with 8.5 points per game, led the team in threes made (29) and was tops in the state of Maine in three-point percentage (.409). Dargin’s biggest game of the season came in the NCAA second -round game against Williams when she shot 5-for-7 from three-point range for a career-high 22 points.

Senior Alli Marshall (Eliot, Maine/Marshwood) should round out the starting five for the Polar Bears in 1999-2000. Marshall started in 16 games last season, averaging 5.2 points and 6.1 rebounds. A ferocious rebounder, Marshall enters this season with 515 career boards, putting her seventh on the all-time Bowdoin list.

The Bowdoin bench will be deep this season with four letterwinners returning along with a talented first-year class. Providing depth in the backcourt will be senior Raegan LaRochelle (Augusta, Maine/Cony). An adept defender and passer, LaRochelle makes things happen on both ends of the court. Rookies Allison Ananis (Milton, Mass./Milton) and Nicole Fava (Londonderry, N.H./Bishop Guertin) will be counted on to provide minutes at the guards spots.

Three returners bolster the Polar Bear frontcourt. Sophomore Jessica Farmer (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) converted 89-of-143 field attempts for a .622 percentage while averaging 8.9 points a game coming off the bench at center. Junior forward Cynthia Maxwell (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) averaged 6.1 points and 4.0 boards at the power forward spot and junior forward Jamie Bennett (Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough) added 3.7 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 74% from the foul line. First-years Kristi Royer (Lewiston, Maine/Lewiston) and Corinne Pellegrini (Canton, Mass./Canton) will also see time under the basket.

The road back to the NCAAs will be a challenging one as Pemper has scheduled one-third of her games against NCAA qualifiers from the 1998-99 campaign. In addition to the tough New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schedule -- which includes NCAA participants Williams and Bates -- regional powers Salem State, Southern Maine and Babson appear on the docket in 1999-2000. The Polar Bears will also be making a trip to the Big Apple to face NCAA qualifier New York University.

"I am extremely pleased with the 13 women who showed up for practice this year," said Pemper. "I have been especially impressed with the leadership shown by our captains, our seniors, and Jessie Mayol. I am also very happy with the first-years and appreciate the effort the team has made to integrate them into our program."

Curry
Things are definitely looking up for the Curry women’s basketball team after a disappointing 1998-99 season. "It’s a whole new attitude this year," says Head Coach Michael Barrett, "and we’ll surprise a lot of people."

Barrett now has all of 1999-2000 in which to shape a winning program. "Taking over after the season had begun gave me very little time to implement a system," says the Colonels’ second-year mentor. "Now we have that familiarity, so it’s just a question of how quickly the players adapt to each other."

Eight of Curry’s 11 players from a year ago are back in the fold, including a pair of sophomores -- Tara Osterkamp (Hollis, NH) and Maggie Walker (Hull, MA) -- who led the team in points and rebounds, respectively, during their debut season.

Osterkamp played at small forward last year, and her shooting constituted nearly all of Curry’s outside game. She was a reliable long-distance threat -- setting school marks for three-pointers in a game (6) and in a season (40). Barrett still refers to Osterkamp as the squad’s "shooter." But he knows that opponents will key on her more this year, and he needs her to work even harder to get open looks at the basket. "Not only will Tara have to fight for her shots," says Barrett, "she’ll have to adjust to the more rapid transition game that we’re implementing."

A pair of 5-10 forwards -- Nikki Leckie (Gales Ferry, CT) and Megan Gean (Alfred, ME) -- could see considerable playing time if they adapt quickly to Barrett’s fast-break style. Junior Leckie has the swiftness to score by slicing through the lane. She’s also an aggressive rebounder. Freshman Gean -- a transfer from the University of New England -- has what Barrett calls "the team’s best vertical leap."

Walker -- who had nearly as many offensive rebounds as defensive a year ago -- will set up underneath again this season, looking for first, second or even third-time scoring chances. "Maggie will be tough, even dominant, if she wants to be," says Barrett. The team’s tallest player runs the floor well, and has added a left-handed hook shot to her arsenal.

Senior forwards and co-captains Angela Mattola (Everett, MA) and Kelly Allen (Cape Elizabeth, ME) each made solid contributions last season. Mattola finished third on the squad in points scored (166) and second in rebounds (128). Allen saw playing time in just 15 games, but committed a team-low 19 turnovers, and showed her accuracy underneath by laying in 13 of 15 shots in a game against Endicott. Both players will need to be at the top of their games so that Walker will have some breathing room in the paint.

Newcomer Megan Varricchio (Cold Springs, NY) rounds out Barrett’s front court -- and the coach has been impressed with what he’s seen. "Megan is a solid post player with good moves, who hits her layups and will surprise people," he says.

The Colonels will have the luxury of depth in this year’s backcourt. "We have the personnel at the guard position this year," says Barrett. "Now, our success will be dependent on how well these guards handle the pressure."

Last year, senior co-captain Liz Londergan (Hull, MA) was nearly asked to go it alone -- running the point while also maintain her role as an outside scoring threat. It took its toll on Londergan, who failed to match the incredible numbers she posted during her sophomore campaign. But all that should change with the return of Kristin Williams (Wells, ME).

A sophomore point guard, Williams tore her ACL during a pre-season scrimmage and was forced to sit out the entire season. Her presence will make a world of difference, according to Barrett. "Liz and Kristin will complement each other," he says. "Liz will run the up tempo game, while Kristin will maintain the discipline." Barrett believes that once Williams learns to take charge, Londergan will be opened up for more shooting.

There’s even more good news in the backcourt with the arrival of Shannon Brock (Wrentham, MA). The sophomore is an excellent ball handler and a reliable shooter who will also see playing time at the point.

The two remaining guards -- Shirley Garcia (Lawrence, MA) and Jence Salas (N. Miami Beach, FL) -- offer help at different ends of the court. Sophomore Garcia could provide some offense with a noticeably improved shot, while rookie Salas is skilled in the art of man-to-man defense.

For 1999-2000, Barrett has intentionally laid out a tough non-conference schedule to test his reinvigorated team. Curry has two contests against Rowan University -- one of the elite Division III women’s basketball programs in the country. In the CCC, Barrett’s charges will once again deal with perennial powerhouses Colby-Sawyer (which barely escaped an upset last season in Milton with a 55-52 win) and Eastern Nazarene.

"I believe this team is up to the challenge," says Barrett. "The stability and familiarity we’ve gained should pay off with a much better season."

Maine-Farmington
The University of Maine at Farmington looks to challenge for a trip to the NAIA National Tournament this winter as they return a veteran nucleus of talent to the floor. The Beavers, who have dual membership in the NAIA and NCAA and finished 15-8 last year, lost no players to graduation and added several key players to last year's squad.

At the helm of the 99-00 team will be interim head coach Jamie Beaudoin (UMF '97) who assisted with the UMF's men's team last winter. Beaudoin inherits a talented team led by senior captain Cara Moir (Millinocket, Maine). Moir led the team in rebounding at 9.6 rpg while shooting 70% from the line and scoring 10.3 ppg. Other key players include Rebecca Roak (Portland), an undersized post player who led the Beavers in scoring at 15 ppg, and sophomore Rachel Bard (Winslow), an ultra-quick guard who led the team in steals while scoring 6 ppg. UMF will receive help in the backcourt from scrappy junior Kelly Hartman (Limestone) and junior 3 point threat Jen Roberston (Biddeford).

Frontcourt depth will be the question; six-foot first-year players Samantha Hunt (Farfield) and Jocelyn Sawyer (Cornish) will have to contribute early in their careers.

UMF boasts a strong schedule as they play Maine Athletic Conference powers Husson and St. Joseph's. In non-conference action, UMF will face some of the strongest teams in New England Division III such as Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Springfield, and Colby-Sawyer.

Mass-Dartmouth
Three returning starters from last season and the return of a key starter from two years ago give Lynn Sheedy a reason to be optimistic as she heads into her second season with the women's basketball team at UMass Dartmouth.

A solid nucleus of experienced players and a host of newcomers to the program should give the Corsairs a very different look from the team which went 4-19 overall and 2-12 in the Little East Conference last year.

"We were in every game last season. Even when were down by 25 points, we could always get it down to the last two or three minutes of the game," said Sheedy, a former standout player and coach at Providence College. "I would say our goal is to move up in the conference standings toward the middle of the pack. We are going to go into every game playing to win."

What is going to make the Corsairs a more formidable team in the 1999-2000 season will be the play of three returning starters from last year. Sophomore forward Carla Ferreira (Marion, Mass.) and junior forward Kate Douglas (Sharon, Mass.) are back along with sophomore Jess Cummings (Middleboro, Mass.) at the shoot-guard position.

Also returning to the lineup after a year competing in winter track and field, senior guard Natarsha Silva (Brockton, Mass.) will give the Corsairs backcourt additional speed. Silva was an outstanding defensive player for the Corsairs as a sophomore, leading the Little East Conference in steals.

"Silva will probably handle the ball most of the time at point guard. I'm looking for her to read defenses and orchestrate the offense, " said Sheedy, who will again be joined by assistant coaches Christine Elliott and Peter Lyons. "We need Jess Cummings to get open and take her shots. She can score at will but she needs to get herself free by using screens to get those shots."

After year of shouldering much of the offensive load up front, Douglas is going to benefit from the play of newcomers like junior forward/center Melissa Gears (Rochester, N.Y.) and first-year guard Krysten Coutsoumbos (Brockton, Mass.).

Sheedy sees Douglas, the Corsair's second leading scorer a year ago with 11.05 points per game, playing both up front or in a three-guard set to take full advantage of all of her skills. Last season, Douglas led the Corsairs with 8.3 rebounds per game (5th in the LEC) and was among the top free throw shooters in the conference, making 65-92 (70.7%).

"Being surrounded by increased talent this year will enable Katie Douglas to really excel by playing her natural position," said Sheedy. " Because of this factor, I think she's going to have a big year. Ferreira had a solid rookie season for the Corsairs, averaging 8 points and 8.13 rebounds per game. Ferreira and Douglas were among the top seven rebounders in the LEC a year ago. Ferreira also added 26 steals and 12 assists in her 23 games.

Sheedy is confident the addition of Coutsoumbos and Gears will have a positive impact on the Corsairs this season. Coutsoumbos will get some playing time in the Corsairs' backcourt because of her quickness and three-point shooting range. At 6-1, Gears will be a plus up front, teaming with Ferreira and Douglas to give the Corsairs a solid front line.

"What we have this year are more scorers and that is important," said Sheedy. "Everyone on the court is a scoring threat this year which means we don't have to rely on one or two people to do all the scoring. This is going to force defenses to guard us differently which will create scoring opportunities for everyone."

UMass Dartmouth will also have a deeper and more talented bench this season with the addition of first-year players Sarah Bourque (Rochester, MA), Holly Lima (Fall River, Mass.), Allison Monaghan (Manhasset, N.Y.), Larissa Morse (Sterling, Mass.) and Melissa Walsh (Watertown, Mass.).

"We've added some talented new players and things are getting better as the players start to learn their roles," said Sheedy. It is going to be important for us to improve every day and we have to stay healthy."

The Corsairs will face the season without the services of senior captain Becky Nault (Millbury, Mass.). Due to an injury, Nault will not be able to play this season.

A year ago, Sheedy felt the Corsairs made some improvements, especially in the eyes of their opponents. A year later, with more experience and an improved overall level of talent, she is hoping her team will play hard every night and force opponents to recognize UMass Dartmouth as an up and coming team.

"Teams are going to have to play hard for 40 minutes every night to beat us," Sheedy said.

Springfield
Fresh off a 20-6 record that was its best showing in 15 years, Springfield hopes to challenge for the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) crown this season with four returning starters. The Pride was second in the inaugural NEWMAC season last winter with a 6-3 mark and participated in its fourth consecutive ECAC New England Division III Tournament.

Leading the Pride attack are 5-6 sophomore guard Carah Dawe (North Dighton, MA/Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School), junior point guard Cara McMahon (Westfield, MA/Springfield Cathedral High School), 6-0 junior center Brianne Barker (Bar Harbor, ME/Mount Desert Island High School), and 5-8 sophomore forward Becky Kanupka (Rocky Hill, CT/Rocky Hill High School).

Dawe, the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, led the team in scoring with a 12.0 average while averaging 4.0 rebounds a game. McMahon was second in scoring and first in assists with averages of 11.8 and 4.4, respectively. Barker averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 50.6% from the field. Kanupka averaged a double-double (11.9 points, team-high 10.1 rebounds) before missing the final 10 games of her rookie season with a knee injury. She impressed enough coaches to be voted both the ECAC New England Division III and New England Women’s Basketball Association Division III Rookie of the Year. Springfield has another top player in 5-8 junior forward April Spurlock (Bath, ME/Morse High School) who averaged 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 26 games (16 starts). Also back are 5-8 junior forward Chrissy Hannon (Middleboro, MA/Middleboro High School), 5-6 sophomore guard Andrea Sweet (Northwood, NH/Coe-Brown Northwood Academy), and 5-7 sophomore guard/forward Jackie Filion (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington High School).

Four sophomores will make their varsity debuts, 5-0 guard Kristy Murray (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East High School), 6-2 center Jessica Sherman (Norwich, NY/Norwich High School), 5-6 guard Katie Strong (Newington, CT/Newington High School and 5-7 forward Kelly Thompson (Albany, NY/Colonie Central High School). The freshmen class consists of 6-3 center Janna Dietz (Fogelsville, PA/Parkland High School) and 5-11 forward Nicole Sealander (Easthampton, MA/Easthampton High School).

There are no seniors on the SC roster this season.

Trinity
With a solid core of experienced returnees and the addition of several talented newcomers, the 1999-2000 Trinity College women's basketball team will look to continue its winning tradition. Head Coach Maureen Pine enters her 13th season with an abundance of optimism for the coming year.

Leading the way will be senior forward Gretchen MacColl (Portland, OR) and sophomore guard/forward Jillian Liese (Wethersfield, CT). MacColl returns to the Bantams after studying abroad in 1999. During MacColl's last full season (1997-98), she earned All-NESCAC honors, leading the league in rebounding (10.1 rpg) and finishing second in scoring (18.1 ppg).

Liese had a spectacular freshman season, pacing the Bantams in scoring (14.3 ppg), rebounding (6.7 rpg), assists (3.3 apg), and steals (2.1 spg). Liese was named MVP by her teammates and was honored as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year. She has a complete game and can hurt opponents from the outside or going to the basket.

The Bantams also return senior starters Megan Shutte (Allentown, PA) and Caitlin Luz (Woburn, PA). Shutte, a guard, possesses the strength and ability to take defenders to the hoop, giving Coach Pine versatility and a defensive presence at the guard position. Luz is a bruiser in the post who averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest. A blood and guts player, she also took almost two charges per game.

Other top veterans include sophomores Bridget Dullea (Longmeadow, MA), Alison Hadden (Drexel Hill, PA), and Kate Toman (Mission Viejo, CA). Dullea is a versatile swing player who can hit the outside shot, take it to the basket, and score down low. Hadden, a quick shooting guard, can also bury the three-pointer or take her opponent off the dribble. Toman plays both forward spots and has a soft touch from the outside.

Not to be overlooked are returning senior center Harleigh Leach (Galway, NY) and sophomores Angela Iandoli (Worcester, MA) and McKenzie Corby (Bethel, CT). Leach, a 6-2 senior, has improved steadily over the last two years, and made significant contributions toward the end of 1998-99. Iandoli is a solid athlete who will provide depth in the paint, while Corby is lightning quick guard with a nose for the hoop.

Coach Pine welcomes three newcomers, all of whom will be counted upon to make an immediate impact. Junior transfer Jackie Siscone (Haddonfield, NJ) has two years of Division I experience, and will be a major factor at point guard. Her maturity, quickness, ball-handling, and long-range shooting will all contribute toward the team's success. Forward Kate McCloskey )Uxbridge, MA) brings a well-rounded game to the floor, and at 6-2, can dominate in the paint. Shannon Herold (Downers Grove, IL) is a quick shooting guard and can score from anywhere on the floor.

Wentworth
A year ago, the Wentworth women's basketball team finished the season with an 11-13 record and returned to the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs after a one-year hiatus. Two starters return from that team and third-year head coach Harold Hanson has built around those players in an effort to take the Leopards to the next level.

Junior Brandy Trice (Leominster, Mass.), a first team All-CCC selection as a sophomore, averaged 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 52% from the floor during last season. Senior Lindsay Kist is back to run the floor for the Leopards. Kist, the school's all-time leader in assists and steals, averaged 10.3 ppg, 4.2 assists, and 4.0 steals as a junior.

Sophomores Rhiannon Lee (Farmington, N.M.) and Kim Kane (Derry, N.H.) round out the returning letterwinners for Wentworth. Lee, a reserve point guard, saw action in 19 games last season, and Kane is a post player who provides depth off the bench.

Hanson's recruiting class was one of the strongest in school history. Included in the newcomers are forward Niambe McIntosh (Dorchester, Mass.), guard Alexandra Sylvestre (Waltham, Mass.), guard Amy Petit (Foxboro, Mass.), guard Lolita Colson (Hyde Park, Mass.), and guard Pam Osborne (Belmont, N.H.).

In addition to the 12-game CCC schedule, the Leopards are in the Scotty Wood Tournament at Muhlenberg, and have a non-league schedule highlighted by a game against perennial Division III power Rowan.

Wentworth opens the 1999-2000 season at the Scotty Wood Tournament at Muhlenberg November 19.

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