Photo by: Steve McLaughlin
Women's Basketball Season Preview
11/9/2021 10:58:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SHU opens the season at Hartford on Wednesday
THE OUTLOOK: After a season in which Sacred Heart missed the Northeast Conference postseason for the first time in more than 20 seasons, the Jessica Mannetti-led Pioneers will look to find their way back to postseason basketball.
Sacred Heart finished the pandemic-riddled 2020-21 season with an 8-10 record, including an even 9-9 in league play. Even though the team missed the condensed four-team tournament, Sacred Heart has never had a losing record in conference play since it joined the NEC in 1999.
"Our standards are unchanged," Mannetti said. "Having a group of players returning who are a little veteran but not as experienced, the standards are still being carried over."
With navigating through the pandemic season, Mannetti alluded to the fact she felt her team was not as connected last season as a result of numerous shutdowns and isolations throughout the season.
After an uncharacteristic ending to last season, a new locker room with faces of former Sacred Heart standouts help Mannetti remind her players of the expectations that come with playing for the program.
"You walk down the hallway and you see Callan Taylor, Alissa Apo, and Amanda Pape on the wall," Mannetti added. "You see players that have taken it to the next level to the NCAA Tournament. It's a constant reminder in a really good way for who we play for."
THE PRESEASON POLL: In the Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll, Sacred Heart was slotted to finish fourth. While Sacred Heart has hopes of making it back to the conference tournament after missing it last season, Mannetti said that her senior leaders in Nikki Johnson and Adrianne Hagood did not want to leave Sacred Heart without leaving their mark.
"They looked back and thought 'what have we done?'," Mannetti said. "When Nikki came back, she put the team on her back. When Dri decided to come back, she always was able to follow some strong leaders. Her emerging as a leader both verbally and physically, she's a different kid. They're excited about leading, and I don't have to force any pressure on them, they do it themselves."
1. Mount St. Mary's (unanimous)
2. Wagner
3. Saint Francis U
4. Sacred Heart
5. Fairleigh Dickinson
6. St. Francis Brooklyn
7. Bryant
8. Merrimack
9. LIU
10. Central Connecticut State
THE GUARDS:
Locked In:
Adrianne Hagood: Hagood's return to Sacred Heart for a fifth season was without a doubt the best news Jessica Mannetti's staff received all summer. SHU now has its go-to scorer and shot maker back in the program for one more season. Hagood already sits within the top 15 in program history in points (1,224) and top five in made three-pointers (170). The preseason all-conference selection will be the leading scorer for the Pioneers once again.
Nikki Johnson: When Hagood has struggled, Johnson has been the one to step up and take over offensively. Johnson, a third-team all-conference selection last season, has the ability to do a little bit of everything on the court, averaging 10.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game last season. She will be that second scoring option this season but will look to improve on her three-point shot from last season (shot 28.7% from deep).
Sonia Smith: In just her sophomore season, Smith began to show signs as an emerging leader in the eyes of her head coach. Similar to Johnson, Smith finds ways to impact the game both as a reliable rebounder as a guard and as a primary ball handler. With departures to Olivia Dabney and Jayla Davis, Smith will have more minutes available to her as a junior leader.
Off the Bench:
Tiffany Hammond: With Hammond's minutes fluctuating throughout the season, Mannetti has high hopes for the sophomore. Hammond's defense was the main point of improvement last season and is one of the better one-on-one ball handlers Sacred Heart has. After a first-year campaign in which she averaged just under 18 minutes per contest, Hammond's responsibilities will grow as the likely first guard off the bench.
Olivia Tucker: Tucker transferred to Sacred Heart from St. Bonaventure prior to the 2020-21 season but sat out last season as she recovered from double hip surgery. Mannetti has said many times that Tucker is one of the best three-point shooters she has ever coached. Tucker will likely see time at both the guard and forward spots, but regardless of where she fits, she will help Sacred Heart improve on its 28.5% mark from three last season.
In the Mix:
Afia Owusu-Mensah: Owusu-Mensah enters SHU as a part of one of the more talented first-year recruiting classes in recent memory. Owusu-Mensah will be fighting for minutes behind the experienced depth of guards Sacred Heart has. Mannetti has praised her for her offensive ability with the ball in her hands, but like most rookies, defense will be a work in progress for her as she begins her first-year campaign.
THE FORWARDS:
Locked In:
Kelsey Wood: Simply put, Wood put herself on the map in the Northeast Conference without even winning the league's Rookie of the Year award. The sophomore made the most in her nearly 20 minutes a night, averaging nine points and seven rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. While she will still share time with Carly Stroemel, Mannetti hopes that she will see more time on the court and thus more production.
Carly Stroemel: It was believed within the team that if Stroemel would have been able to stay healthy for the entirety of the season that she would have been in the running for the league's Most Improved Player. The hope still holds this season as Stroemel will look to build upon her impressive season, creating a productive 1-2 punch with Wood.
Off the Bench:
Asia McCray: McCray played some meaningful minutes for the Pioneers last season before missing the final seven games of a season to a knee injury. McCray's ticket to playing time is her grittiness inside the paint while not being afraid of contact, and it certainly showed. In eight of her 11 games last season, McCray picked up at least two fouls. Not a bad thing when you aren't seeing long minutes on the court.
In the Mix:
Maya Bergdorf: Bergdorf could also be another rookie that could compete for minutes throughout the season. She brings a mix of guard skills and an interior presence in practices and fits perfectly between Wood's and Stroemel's skillsets. On nights when either Wood or Stroemel fall into foul trouble, Bergdorf will play important minutes in the frontcourt.
THE NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Sacred Heart's schedule provides Mannetti a chance to expose her team to different playing styles and systems. Her hope for the mix of teams during non-conference play is to prepare her team for the mix of play styles once conference play arrives.
Sacred Heart's season begins on Nov. 10 on the road against Hartford. The team then returns home to open its home schedule on Nov. 14 against Brown. The team's home opener is one that Mannetti is looking forward to.
"Our fans are the best fans in the world. We have first-year and sophomore students here that have yet to go to a basketball game here," Mannetti said. "Think about the energy and excitement they will bring. People are coming out and want to go to events. The energy is incredible, so having the ability to play in front of fans is huge."
Following their three-game homestand against Brown, Yale and Army, Sacred Heart goes on the road against Monmouth and cross-town rival Fairfield. The Dec. 6 matchup against Fairfield renews a rivalry that has not met since 2016.
The team comes back to the Pitt Center for two more games against Iona and Southern Connecticut State before closing non-conference play on the road against two high-major teams in La Salle and Boston College.
Sacred Heart finished the pandemic-riddled 2020-21 season with an 8-10 record, including an even 9-9 in league play. Even though the team missed the condensed four-team tournament, Sacred Heart has never had a losing record in conference play since it joined the NEC in 1999.
"Our standards are unchanged," Mannetti said. "Having a group of players returning who are a little veteran but not as experienced, the standards are still being carried over."
With navigating through the pandemic season, Mannetti alluded to the fact she felt her team was not as connected last season as a result of numerous shutdowns and isolations throughout the season.
After an uncharacteristic ending to last season, a new locker room with faces of former Sacred Heart standouts help Mannetti remind her players of the expectations that come with playing for the program.
"You walk down the hallway and you see Callan Taylor, Alissa Apo, and Amanda Pape on the wall," Mannetti added. "You see players that have taken it to the next level to the NCAA Tournament. It's a constant reminder in a really good way for who we play for."
THE PRESEASON POLL: In the Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll, Sacred Heart was slotted to finish fourth. While Sacred Heart has hopes of making it back to the conference tournament after missing it last season, Mannetti said that her senior leaders in Nikki Johnson and Adrianne Hagood did not want to leave Sacred Heart without leaving their mark.
"They looked back and thought 'what have we done?'," Mannetti said. "When Nikki came back, she put the team on her back. When Dri decided to come back, she always was able to follow some strong leaders. Her emerging as a leader both verbally and physically, she's a different kid. They're excited about leading, and I don't have to force any pressure on them, they do it themselves."
1. Mount St. Mary's (unanimous)
2. Wagner
3. Saint Francis U
4. Sacred Heart
5. Fairleigh Dickinson
6. St. Francis Brooklyn
7. Bryant
8. Merrimack
9. LIU
10. Central Connecticut State
THE GUARDS:
Locked In:
Adrianne Hagood: Hagood's return to Sacred Heart for a fifth season was without a doubt the best news Jessica Mannetti's staff received all summer. SHU now has its go-to scorer and shot maker back in the program for one more season. Hagood already sits within the top 15 in program history in points (1,224) and top five in made three-pointers (170). The preseason all-conference selection will be the leading scorer for the Pioneers once again.
Nikki Johnson: When Hagood has struggled, Johnson has been the one to step up and take over offensively. Johnson, a third-team all-conference selection last season, has the ability to do a little bit of everything on the court, averaging 10.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game last season. She will be that second scoring option this season but will look to improve on her three-point shot from last season (shot 28.7% from deep).
Sonia Smith: In just her sophomore season, Smith began to show signs as an emerging leader in the eyes of her head coach. Similar to Johnson, Smith finds ways to impact the game both as a reliable rebounder as a guard and as a primary ball handler. With departures to Olivia Dabney and Jayla Davis, Smith will have more minutes available to her as a junior leader.
Off the Bench:
Tiffany Hammond: With Hammond's minutes fluctuating throughout the season, Mannetti has high hopes for the sophomore. Hammond's defense was the main point of improvement last season and is one of the better one-on-one ball handlers Sacred Heart has. After a first-year campaign in which she averaged just under 18 minutes per contest, Hammond's responsibilities will grow as the likely first guard off the bench.
Olivia Tucker: Tucker transferred to Sacred Heart from St. Bonaventure prior to the 2020-21 season but sat out last season as she recovered from double hip surgery. Mannetti has said many times that Tucker is one of the best three-point shooters she has ever coached. Tucker will likely see time at both the guard and forward spots, but regardless of where she fits, she will help Sacred Heart improve on its 28.5% mark from three last season.
In the Mix:
Afia Owusu-Mensah: Owusu-Mensah enters SHU as a part of one of the more talented first-year recruiting classes in recent memory. Owusu-Mensah will be fighting for minutes behind the experienced depth of guards Sacred Heart has. Mannetti has praised her for her offensive ability with the ball in her hands, but like most rookies, defense will be a work in progress for her as she begins her first-year campaign.
THE FORWARDS:
Locked In:
Kelsey Wood: Simply put, Wood put herself on the map in the Northeast Conference without even winning the league's Rookie of the Year award. The sophomore made the most in her nearly 20 minutes a night, averaging nine points and seven rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. While she will still share time with Carly Stroemel, Mannetti hopes that she will see more time on the court and thus more production.
Carly Stroemel: It was believed within the team that if Stroemel would have been able to stay healthy for the entirety of the season that she would have been in the running for the league's Most Improved Player. The hope still holds this season as Stroemel will look to build upon her impressive season, creating a productive 1-2 punch with Wood.
Off the Bench:
Asia McCray: McCray played some meaningful minutes for the Pioneers last season before missing the final seven games of a season to a knee injury. McCray's ticket to playing time is her grittiness inside the paint while not being afraid of contact, and it certainly showed. In eight of her 11 games last season, McCray picked up at least two fouls. Not a bad thing when you aren't seeing long minutes on the court.
In the Mix:
Maya Bergdorf: Bergdorf could also be another rookie that could compete for minutes throughout the season. She brings a mix of guard skills and an interior presence in practices and fits perfectly between Wood's and Stroemel's skillsets. On nights when either Wood or Stroemel fall into foul trouble, Bergdorf will play important minutes in the frontcourt.
THE NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Sacred Heart's schedule provides Mannetti a chance to expose her team to different playing styles and systems. Her hope for the mix of teams during non-conference play is to prepare her team for the mix of play styles once conference play arrives.
Sacred Heart's season begins on Nov. 10 on the road against Hartford. The team then returns home to open its home schedule on Nov. 14 against Brown. The team's home opener is one that Mannetti is looking forward to.
"Our fans are the best fans in the world. We have first-year and sophomore students here that have yet to go to a basketball game here," Mannetti said. "Think about the energy and excitement they will bring. People are coming out and want to go to events. The energy is incredible, so having the ability to play in front of fans is huge."
Following their three-game homestand against Brown, Yale and Army, Sacred Heart goes on the road against Monmouth and cross-town rival Fairfield. The Dec. 6 matchup against Fairfield renews a rivalry that has not met since 2016.
The team comes back to the Pitt Center for two more games against Iona and Southern Connecticut State before closing non-conference play on the road against two high-major teams in La Salle and Boston College.
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