2003-04 Women's Basketball Preseason Prospectus
9/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 16, 2003
The 2003-04 Sacred Heart women's basketball team will have a young and fresh look this season with the return of reigning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year, Nicolle Rubino and the addition of six freshman to an already solid nucleus. The Pioneers aren't looking to rebuild but to move forward and take the next step towards a conference title. "Our strength is our depth. This year's team is deeper than in year's past," commented head coach Ed Swanson. "That's going to allow us to do lots of things both offensively and defensively."
2003-04 Team Captains... Sacred Heart's three seniors Ashley Kohl, Kate Maher and Shannon Quinlivan have been elected captains of the women's basketball team for the 2003-04 season announced by Swanson. "These three will have a big challenge ahead as they will be counted on to provide the leadership required to lead a group of seven underclassmen next season," stated Swanson. "Each has shown, as unanimously chosen by their teammates and coaches as captains, that they epitomize what we look for in leadership on and off the basketball court."
Kohl played in all 28 games in 2002-03 and found herself in the starting point guard role 13 games into the season. She responded by leading the team to 18 wins on the season, the second highest total in school history. In addition to her accomplishments on the court, she was named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-America District I University Division second team. Kohl holds a 3.98 grade point average, the highest on the team, with a major in Psychology. Maher was one of the Pioneer's most tenacious defenders in 2002-03, often playing injured throughout the 28 game schedule. The junior forward cracked the starting lineup in 10 of the last 11 games last season, and led a Pioneer defense that held teams to just 55.0 points per game and 36.9% shooting from the field over that stretch. Quinlivan missed the first two games last season recovering from a preseason ankle injury, but rebounded to become a solid role.
A Loaded Back Court... Senior Ashley Kohl is back at the point for her senior campaign. Kohl started last year coming off the bench at shooting guard and took over the starting point guard roll when Allie Bagnell was loss to injury. The team was 12-5 in games that Kohl started, with the senior averaging 9.1 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per-game. On the season, she finished with a 6.7 per-game average, handing out 2.5 assists per game and shooting 35.3% (47-133) from behind the three-point line. Kohl's best performance in 2002-03 came in record fashion, when she buried a school record eight treys against Robert Morris to tie the mark for three-point makes in a game. The key to the back court could be the return of junior Allie Bagnell, who returns to the mix after missing most of last season with a knee injury. "The key is how Allie can come back," stated Swanson. "Kohl played very well last season when she had to move to the point. Getting Allie back healthy will allow us to see where everyone else is going to fit in." Before her injury, Bagnell was in the midst of a solid sophomore year, averaging 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Sophomore Nicolle Rubino, last year's second leading scorer, has a tight grip on the starting two guard spot as she looks for a carry over of last season's success. Rubino averaged 12.3 points per game last season and was tops on the team with 53 steals. She also showed she could fill it up from beyond the arc, hitting 43 treys last season. She also has proven an asset at the charity stripe, knocking down 76.5% (62-81), second on the team in 2002-03. "Nicolle is coming off an outstanding freshman campaign," stated the head coach. "We look forward to her continued progress this year."
Three of the Pioneer newcomers will play at the guard position and not only bring depth and versatility but will be counted on to contribute this year. Much heralded freshman Amanda Pape will look to step in and push the upper classmen for playing time early. Pape enters SHU off an outstanding high school career where she was selected as the Gatorade Female Player of the Year in Connecticut and ranks second among Connecticut's top-scorers in girl's high school basketball history. "Amanda can give us some easy buckets from the two spot," said Swanson. "She's a great finisher who we are hoping can give us some instant offense." Joining her are freshmen Mary Rush and Kerri Burke. Rush, at 5-10, could also see time at small forward while Burke will push for minutes at the point this season. "Mary is a very versatile, strong athletic player who can play at the two or three positions," stated Swanson. "Kerri is going to push for time at the point. She is the kind of player who can score inside and create for herself."
Inside the Paint... The graduation of Brooke Kelly, SHU's third all-time leading scorer, and Brooke Rutnik leave a big hole in the Pioneer back court to be filled. "Our inside game is our the big question mark heading into the season," stated Swanson. Seniors Kate Maher and Shannon Quinlivan are ready to fill the void. Maher averaged 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and grabbed a total of 147 rebounds on the season, her highest total in her three years in the program. Maher also improved her passing last season, handing out a career-high 60 assists. Defensively, she has grown into one of the Pioneer's and the conference's most feared defenders. "Kate proved last year she can be our four out there," stated the head coach. "She's a great defender and rebounder and can really run the floor and pass. We will be looking to her to pickup her scoring this year."
Quinlivan, who missed the first two games last season recovering from a preseason ankle injury, rebounded to become a solid role player off the bench for SHU. She averaged 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game and turned in a career-night against Robert Morris, coming up with a season-high 11 points to go with seven rebounds, six assists and five steals, all career-highs. Juniors Colleen Duggan and Colleen White also return to the lineup this year. Duggan will look to become more of a presence in the middle this season. A solid defender, she was second in the NEC in blocked shots last season with 26 swats for a 1.2 per game average. Coach Swanson and the Pioneers will be looking for more of a scoring punch and added rebounding from the junior center as she averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season.
The addition of three six foot-plus players this season should go a long way to giving Sacred Heart a big inside game. Freshmen Aleisha Mott, 6-2, Jasmine Walker, 6-1, and Colleen Bray, 6-1, are ready to join the mix and be a force in the paint this season. "The additions of Jasmine, Colleen and Aleisha will put pressure on our returnees for minutes and bring depth and size to our lineup," commented Swanson.
The 2003-04 Schedule... The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team's 27-game schedule features a challenging slate of out-of-conference opponents including an appearance at the University of Maryland's Tournament. The season tips-off with two home games, starting on Friday, November 21st when the Pioneers host the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen and continuing on Tuesday, November 25th against the Lafayette College Leopards. From there, SHU will hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday as they take part in the Maryland Tournament with Louisiana-Lafayette, Maryland-Eastern Shore and the host Terrapins. Three home games against Ivy League opponents gets underway on December 3rd as the instate rival Yale Bulldogs pay a visit to the William H. Pitt Center. Princeton, and Columbia follow with a trip to fellow Ivy member Brown on the slate for later in the season. Sacred Heart will travel to Chestnut Hill, MA to take on Big East power, Boston College on December 21st. The two teams met once before back in 1979, with the Pioneers coming away with a 60-48 win over the Eagles in the Bentley Tournament.
"We get UMass at home to start the year who will give us a big challenge after beating us pretty good last season," stated Swanson. "Playing in the Maryland Tournament at the Comcast Center and traveling up to BC, who made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, will give us a solid test and get us ready for our tough conference schedule."
The team opens the Northeast Conference portion of the schedule on December 13th on the road at Wagner College. The Pioneers will play each of the other ten schools in the NEC twice, with the exception of Fairleigh Dickinson and St. Francis (PA).
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