Women's basketball: 2019 Atlantic 10 preview: Team-by-team breakdown

Previewing all 14 A-10 Teams

Davidson

Place (last year): 5th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G/F Sarah Donovan 5’8”: 12.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game
G Katie Turner 5’7”: 13.2 points, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Justine Lyon 5’9”: 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals per game
G Kianna Speight 5’8”: 10 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals per game
Newcomers:
G Suzi-Rose Deegan 5’10”: Played basketball, Australian Rules Football and ran cross country during her prep career. 3-time Western Australian (WA) MVP. Won a U20 Bronze Medal (WA) while averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
G Cameron Tabor 5’9”: School records held: most points in a game (45) and a quarter (20), most field goals in a game (16), most points in a season (554 as a junior), highest single-season scoring average (23.1 as a junior) and most three-pointers in a game (12).

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F Peyton Carter 6’0”: Participated in varsity basketball and golf all four years of high school. 2018 All First-Coast Second Team and 2018 All-County First Team in basketball.
F Adelaide Fuller 6’3”: Awarded scholarship to attend Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence for 2018 and 2019. Represented Brisbane Capitals in 2017-18 BQJBC U18 Premier League averaging 18.8 points per game earning team MVP honors.
Head coach: Gayle Fulks, 3rd season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 24 at Virginia Tech
Nov. 27 at Duke
Dec. 9 at Florida
Coach’s Perspective:
Goals for the season: “Of course, we want to win. I think we took a lot of strides forward last year, as far as kind of our offensive efficiency and I believe our defensive efficiency, and, you know, I think, to continue to climb in the A-10, you know, both have got to get better. And, you know, I think, as of right now, that’s happening, you know, the returning players are more familiar with my system and the freshmen that have come in are fitting in really nicely.

On the freshman: “They are a high energy group. They are naturally very competitive. And [have] a good intensity. I would say Rosie Deegan has had some very big moments for us already, but all four I think are expected to contribute.”
What she wants people to know: “I think part of the thing that makes us really special, is how balanced we are and I expect that to continue.”

Dayton

Place (last year): 4th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Araion Bradshaw 5’6″: 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists per game
G Jayla Scaife 5’10”: 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Lauren Cannatelli 5’8”: 13.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists per game
Newcomers:
F Nadjy Tyler 6’3”: Four-year letter-winner. Averaged 10.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game as a senior.
F Mariah Perez 6’3”: Four-year letter-winner. Set school record for career rebounds (1,128) in women’s basketball history and has school record for most double-doubles among all basketball players.
G Destiny Bohanon 5’10”: Four-year letter-winner. Selected to the Kentucky/Ohio All-Star team. Named GWOC National East Player of the Year.
G/F Erin Whalen 6’1″: Sat out 2018-2019 due to transfer rules. Averaged 7.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 31 games as a sophomore at Vanderbilt.
Head coach: Shauna Green, 4th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 13 vs. South Carolina
Nov. 26 vs. Connecticut
Dec. 20 vs. Wake Forest (West Palm Beach Tournament)

Duquesne

Place (last year): 3rd
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Libby Bazelak 5’9”: 7.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals per game
G Amanda Kalin 5’8”: 5.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Julijana Vojinovic 5’10”: 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists points per game
G Chassidy Omogrosso 5’4”: 12.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game
G/F Kadri-Ann Lass 6’3”: 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks per game
Newcomers:
G Bernada Rreshpja 5’10”: Averaged 27 points per game at Valley Christian Academy. Averaged 16.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 37% from behind the arc at the FIBA U18 Championships.
G/F Amaya Hamilton 6’2”: Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention
MVP of the Indiana-Kentucky All Star Game
C Precious Johnson 6’4”: Member of the U18 and U20 Swedish National Teams. Led the Wild Mustangs to a fourth place finish at the FIBA 3×3 Sweden Tour Finals.
F Snezhana Serafimoska 6’4”: Member of the Macedonian Senior National Team. Selected to the 2018 Under Armour All-American Game.
G Caroline Elliott 5’11”: Redshirted the 2018-2019 season. Led Vincentian Academy to three WPIAL and two PIAA titles and was a PIAA 2A Second-Team selection.
G Machaela Simmons 5’6”: Redshirted the 2018-2019 season. First-Team All-District 10. All-6A Occoquan Region Second-Team
Head coach: Dan Burt, 7th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 23 at Pittsburgh
Dec. 30 at Oklahoma State
Coach’s Perspective:
On the importance of growth: “Growth for us is critical because we have lost so many points and shot attempts and minutes from the four out of our five seniors signing professional contracts that we have, firstly, a new team. And so not only our players looking for growth in their games’ individually, but as coaches, we’re looking to grow our games, as individuals that coach them better.”

On what excites him about the upcoming season: “The opportunity to coach basketball. What person doesn’t dream of that? If you don’t get excited about it, if you don’t dream about this, you probably need to get out. Or you need to take a sabbatical. What am I excited about? I’m excited to be on the floor.”

On what everyone should know about his team: “Libby Bazelak our starting point guard kind of makes us go, and she’s very underrated in my eyes and doesn’t get the recognition from me and outside sources like she should. She’s a point guard who can defend 94 feet, she makes good decisions. She’s a very high level passer and we will go as far as Libby can take us. She’s really the most valuable component playing point guard for us in our program. And so she’s got to remain healthy. And hopefully she’ll lead us to, I feel like, another good year.”

Fordham

Place (last year): 2nd
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Bre Cavanaugh 5’8”: 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game
G Kendell Heremaia 5’9”: 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Lauren Holden 5’5”: 9.0 points, 2.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds per game
F Mary Goulding 6’0”: 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game
Newcomers:
G Anna DeWolfe 5’8”: Four-year team captain. Four-year letter winner in basketball and soccer. Four-time member of the All-Western Maine First Team and All-State team.
F Eden Johnson 6’1”: Four-year letterwinner. As a junior, she earned First Team All-State distinction, SEC MVP, and was named to the Michigan Dream Team after averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, and 3 steals per contest.
G Sarah Karpell 5’7”: Four-year letterwinner. Named to the USJN Junior Nationals All-Tournament squad with averages of 12.8 points, 6 assists, and 3.5 steals per game.
G Isis Young 5’7” (Graduate Student): Spent her first two years at Florida, redshirting one. Appeared in 31 contests during the 2017-2018 season with Syracuse, averaging 6.7 points across 18.5 minutes per game. Appeared in nine games during the 2018-2019 season.
G Chole Chaffin 5’10”: Made two appearances before suffering a season-ending injury in 2018-2019. Before Fordham she played basketball, field hockey and competed in track & field. Named Daily Freeman Player of the Year her senior year.
Head coach: Stephanie Gaitley, 9th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 5 vs. Notre Dame
Nov. 13 at Penn State
Nov. 29 Arkansas (Bahamas Hoopfest)
Coach’s Perspective:
On growing this season: “I’m hoping that we grow since last year’s success that we use that as a vehicle to motivate us. I’m also hoping that our aggressive out of conference schedule makes us stronger. Through the highs and the lows of that and also when we grow because every team has a new team so we’re going to have new leaders and it’s going to be trial and error as we go but early on I think I see some terrific things.”

On what she wants people to know about the team this season: “I think that last year proved that you don’t have to be the best team on paper. And I think we’ve proved that chemistry and unselfishness, a team can be successful with those attributes, but you don’t have to necessarily have the most talented team to be the champion at the end. I think we proved that last year. And I think that was a great test for our kids to realize that and they know it.”

On what excites her about the upcoming season: “It’s [going to be] exciting to see how the kids respond to the challenge of the schedule, I mean, it’s one of the most difficult schedule I’ve put together as a coach. I think they’re excited about the schedule, but I’m excited to see how they react to it. And, of course, how we respond to it too.”

George Mason

Place (last year): 7th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Nicole Cardaño-Hillary 5’7”: Reigning A-10 player of the year. 20.4 points, 3.2 assists, 2.2 assists per game
G/F Jacy Bolton 6’0”: 10.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks per game
F Camarie Gatling 6’0”: 8.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
None, the team returns 95 percent of its scoring, 89 percent of the total rebounds and 94 percent of the assists from last year.
Newcomers:
C Jazmyn Doster 6’2”: First Team Class 4 All-State, All-Class Region A and First Team All-Eastern District honoree. Did not begin playing basketball until high school, previously played volleyball.
F Tamia Lawhorne 6’0”: Averaged 13 points a game as a junior at St. Anthony’s in New York. Transferred to Long Island Lutheran for her senior season where she was an All-Conference and All-League selection.
G Jordan Wakefield 6’0”: 2018 All-Harford County selection at The John Carroll School and earned First Team All-IAAM honors.
F Vita Stam 6’3”: Played for the highest league in the Netherlands, Vrouwen Basketball League. Member of the U16 and U18 Netherlands National Team the past two summers.
G Rachel Balzer 5’10”: Four-year letterwinner in basketball. First Team All Inter-Ac (2016-17, 2018-19), Second Team All Inter-Ac (2017-18).
Head coach: Nyla Milleson, 7th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 10 vs. Virginia Tech
Nov. 21 vs. American
Nov. 24 at Penn State
Dec. 31 at SMU
Coach’s Perspective:
On growing this season: “We got great experience last year, returned all five starters and actually a couple others that, you know, have some experience starting through their career. So we’re hoping that experience really helps us grow, we’ve added some size and athleticism with our freshmen and so we hope to be improved.”

On how she hopes this season will be different from last season: “I think our depth. And again, our size and our athleticism I think is a little bit different so hopefully we’ll be able to not have to, through the course of the season play players 37, 38 minutes and you know we can stay a little fresher a little longer. Not only throughout the season but you know just in a game you know some fourth quarters go last year that I think some of that was fatigue and our lack of depth.”

On who will step up: “So we’ve got five returning starters. Nikki, returning A-10 player of the year. She’s off to a good start in practice, you know, we need a little bit more consistency probably from her on both ends of the floor. I think Jacy Bolton had a good year last year and I think she really showed her ability to score the basketball late in the year so we need that to be a little bit more consistent. Sarah Kaminski had some really good games, but there’s a common theme here consistency, but we need her to shoot the ball game in and game out a little bit better. And I think the other one was, you know, Cam Gatling, she had some double-doubles some good games but been able to string them together. So consistency.”

George Washington

Place (last year): 9th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
F Neila Luma 6’0”: 10.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists per game
C Kayla Mokwuah 6’4”: 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
F Kelsi Mahoney 6’1”: 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game
G Mei-Lyn Bautista 5’6”: 9.3 points, 2.0 steals, 3.9 assists per game
Newcomers:
G Ariel Stephenson (Graduate Student) 5’10”: 25th Wake Forest player with at least 1,000 points. Averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 assists, and 31.1 minutes during her career.
F Alexandra Maund (Graduate Student) 5’11”: Last season at Yale she averaged a career-best 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game.
G Sydney Zambrotta 5’9”: Appeared in 62 games over two seasons at Louisville. Averaged 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds over 10.4 minutes in 33 games in 2017-18.
F Faith Blethen 6’1”: Won the school’s first state championship her senior year. Averaged 19.1 points, 11.2 rebounds, 5.8 steals, 5.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game during her senior year.
G Essence Brown 5’11”: First women’s basketball player at Galax High School to sign with a D-I program. Averaged 17.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.6 steals per game as a senior.
G Tori Hyduke 5’6”: Redshirted during the 2018-2019 season after suffering a preseason injury. Before GW, averaged 26.3 and hit 70 three-pointers as a senior and was twice named NJ.com First Team All-State player.
F Mayowa Taiwo 6’0”: Redshirted during the 2018-2019 season after suffering a preseason injury. Before GW, competed in basketball, soccer and lacrosse. Averaged 16.0 points, 13.7 rebounds, 8.4 steals, 4.7 assists and 4.0 blocks per game as a senior.
Head coach: Jennifer Rizzotti, 4th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 10 vs. Princeton
Nov. 20 at Maryland
Dec. 10 vs. Minnesota
Coach’s Perspective:
On what ways she believes her team will be able to grow this season: “We obviously are hoping to have much more successful season in terms of wins and production and offensive output. I think we’re a little bit deeper and more talented and certainly have added experience and gained a lot of experience with our younger players from years past. So we should see quite a few differences.”

On her goals for the season: “I think in terms of our competitiveness in the non conference schedule, I really want to see us, you know, turn the corner and I want to see them be, you know, much closer to double-digit wins in the non conference, beating some really good teams with good RPI, which we have a lot of opportunity to do. Being able to have a great home record, in the nonconference portion of our schedule, And just being much more consistent from the very beginning. I always want to improve as the year goes on. But I’d like for us to be a lot better when the season starts.”

La Salle

Place (last year): 13th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
F/C Shalina Miller 6’2”: 8.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks per game
G Janay Sanders 5’10”: 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game
G/F Michelle Nicholls 5’9”: 7.4 points, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
F Jeryn Reese 6’0”: 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals per game
Newcomers:
F Carley Lytton 5’10”: In her senior season at East Tennessee State she averaged 4.9 points and 1.2 rebounds over the course of 30 games.
G Kayla Braxton-Young 5’7″: Four-year letterwinner in basketball and volleyball and two-year letterwinner in lacrosse and softball. Top point scorer in school history with 1,786 points.
G Christina Kline 5’10”: Finished high school career as back-to-back District Champions and scored over 1,000 career points.
F Jordon Lewis 5’10”: Three-time All-District Player.
G Claire Jacobs 6’0”: 2018 Australian School D1 Finals MVP and member of the Australian School D1 Championship team.
G Amy Jacobs 6’0”: Member of the Australian School D1 Championship team.
Head coach: Mountain MacGillivray, 2nd season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 17 at Penn State
Dec. 21 vs. Villanova
Dec. 30 vs. Temple
Coach’s Perspective:
On how he believes this season will be different from last season: “I think I think you will find that we will be able to finish games better because we’ll have more depth. And more [of] a variety of players. We just couldn’t finish games, surprisingly, with our record, we were in quite a few games in the fourth quarter we couldn’t finish them.”

On what he wants everyone to know about his team this season: “What you’re going to see on the floor from La Salle basketball this year is what it’s going to look like going forward.I think last year it wasn’t a true representation of what we were trying to establish because we had to make up for some kids being injured, having a smaller roster. You’re going to get to see La Salle Basketball, it’s going to be young and inexperienced but you’re going to be able to tell where we’re going.”

Massachusetts

Place (last year): 10th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Hailey Leidel 5’11”: 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists per game
G Bre Hampton-Bey 5’6”: 8.3 points, 1.4 steals per game, 4.0 rebounds per game
G Destiney Philoxy 5’7”: 10.8 points, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G/F Genesis Rivera 5’11”: 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game
G Jessica George 5’10”: 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists per game
Newcomers:
G Sydney Taylor 5’9”: As a junior in 2017-18, she averaged 14.9 points per game, five assists and 3.5 rebounds per season.
G Grace Heeps 5’11”: Named a NEPSAC Class A All-Star and attended the Team USA 17U Trials.
F Angelique Ngalakulondi 6’2”: 2018 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. In 2017-18 she averaged 24.5 points, 13 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game.
C/F Maeve Donnelly 6’5”: In 2017-18 she averaged a double-double, 11.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, plus 5.3 blocks per game.
Head coach: Tory Verdi, 4th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 9 vs. Providence
Nov. 21 vs. Brown
Nov. 25 at St. John’s
Coach’s Perspective:
On how the team will be able to grow this year: “I think we’ve got to be more efficient offensively. We did not, you know, score the ball at a high rate, we’d like to average 70 plus points per game. Last year, we’re down around 62/63. So we want to obviously grow that. But more importantly, the opposite side of the ball too, defensively, we got to improve, and more importantly, defensive rebounding. That’s an area of concern for us. We’ve got to do a better job in that regard, but overall, I feel that we’ll be better, our personnel has improved drastically. So, you know, I’m really excited about the product that we’re going to put out on the floor this year.”

On who will step up this season: “I think Destiny Philoxy, she’ll be a sophomore for us. Last year, she came on, you know, towards the latter part of A-10 play and through the conference tournament, so she has the talent, versatility, she’s a dynamic scoring guard for us.”

Rhode Island

Place (last year): 14th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
C Nicole Jorgensen 6’5”: 13.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks per game
G Davida Dale 5’11”: 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Elemy Colome 5’7”: 14.1 points, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals per game
F Jalissa Ross 6’2”: 5.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists per game
Newcomers:
F Marie-Paule Foppossi 6’1”: Transfer from Syracuse, native of France. Member of the French U20 National Team that finished sixth at the FIBA U20 European Championship.
C Haby Niang 6’3”: Native of France who represented her home country at the FIBA U16 and U20 European Championships.
C Kassondra Brown 6’2”: Four-year letterwinner. Abington had 92 wins, eighth state playoff appearances, two league Championships, one SOL Championship and one District Championship in Brown’s four years.
F Brazil Harvey-Carr 6’1”: Team captain all four years of high school. All-time leading scorer at Leap Academy with 2,293 points.
G Veronika Vorackova 5’9”: Transfer from Syracuse, native of Czech Republic. Led her home country to its first Gold at the FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship where she shot 47.6 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from 3-point range.
Head coach: Tammi Reiss, 1st season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 10 at Hartford
Dec. 7 vs. Brown (Ocean State Tip-off Tournament)
Dec. 21 at Quinnipiac
Coach’s Perspective:
On how she hopes the team grows this season: “I think the biggest thing is just a change in culture. From everything we do, and it’s starting off the court, you know, the biggest changes are the expectation of our culture, and breeding, you know, championship ways. So, you know, being punctual for everything, doing the right thing, not missing class, your manners, making good decisions. I mean, things that we have a, you know, high expectations of being a student athlete here. And so, right now, it’s just building the foundation of culture of everything we do. We make good decisions, we give 110%. And we’d be the best person we possibly could be … So for me, it’s just really turning around that culture.”

On who she expects to step up this season: “Obviously, I’m looking at Nicole Jorgensen to step up and really kind of have a breakout season where she can dominate. That’s my expectation of her, she was a very good player last year. Davida Dale who’s right now hasn’t really practiced, she’s coming off an injury, she’ll be back in the next week or so [as of late September]. And so there are two players, I’m really looking to carry the load for us this season. And then Marta Vargas and Maia Moffitt, I’m looking to really expand their roles on the team, from their prior seasons. I’m looking for, for them to really become leaders on this team and step up out of their comfort zone and give us a little bit more to be successful, they’ll have to.”

Richmond

Place (last year): 11th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
F Jaide Hinds-Clarke 6’1”: 10.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals per game
G Alex Parson 5’6”: 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game
F Amy Duggan 6’0”: 3.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Daijia Ruffin 5’9”: 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game
Newcomers:
G Celia Satter 6’0”: All-conference selection and IBCA Class 4A Third-Team All-State in 2018-19, made a team-high 73 three-pointers.
F Kaila Clark 5’11”: Sat out the 2018-2019 season due to transfer rules. In two years at Navy moved to second all time in blocked shots at Navy. As a sophomore averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
F Elaina Chapman 6’3”: Named Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year and named first team All-Metro in 2018-19. Ranked 94th in the class of 2019 by ESPN and ranked the 12th best forward by ESPN.
G Angel Burgos 5’8”: Named second team All-Metro in 2018-19. Finished with over 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals during her four year career.
Head coach: Aaron Roussell, 1st season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 12 at Georgetown
Nov. 20 William & Mary
Coach’s Perspective:
On how he hopes the team can improve from last season: “We turn the ball over quite a bit last year, so I think that even in the preseason I think that’s something we’re trying to fix. I think last year from a rebounding standpoint, we were kind of near the bottom of the league from a rebounding standpoint. So I think we’re trying to improve our rebounding and take better care of the basketball.”

What he wants people to know this season: “I think it’s a good group that’s really working hard, that’s excited to compete. The league was pretty young last year. A lot of really good coaches, a lot of really good players coming back. I think the league was down a little bit last year, but I don’t see that trend continuing. I think the league is going to be very good here this year, but also over the next few years.”

St. Bonaventure

Place (last year): 12th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Asianae Johnson 5’8”: 9.7 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game
G Deja Francis 5’7”: 9.4 points, 2.9 rebonds, 3.5 assists per game
F Emily Calabrese 6’0”: 6.6 points per game and 5.1 rebounds in 23 minutes per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Mckenna Maycock 5’9”: 12.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game
G/F Bree Paulson 6’0”: 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 20 minutes per game
Newcomers:
G Olivia Brown 5’8”: Averaged 17.7 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game throughout her high school career. Three-time All-Conference selection.
G Kaitlyn Parker 5’9”: Averaged 11.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 4.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game as a senior. Was named the team captain and was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player.
G Olivia Tucker 5’9”: Averaged 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game, scoring 1,392 career points. Helped lead Sanford to a Delaware State Championship.
F Claire Cody 5’11”: Averaged 23.0 points and 16.0 rebounds as a senior. Four-time selection to the All-League team.
Head coach: Jesse Fleming, 4th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 5 vs. St. John’s
Dec. 7 vs. Buffalo
Coach’s Perspective:
On what he wants people to know about his team this season: “A versatile lineup, I think our one through four can be pretty interchangeable. So I think that’s something that we’re excited about, you know, to have some versatility offensively and defensively. I think it’s a team where we’re going to have some depth into play nine to 10 players. And so hopefully, it’s a it’s a product that can do a lot of things.”

On who he’d like to see step up this season: “The two freshmen that had a good year for us last year in Asianae Johnson and Deja Francis. They were playing 30 to 35 minutes a game as freshmen and you hope that that experience has put them in a position where they’re super confident, to handle a lot of workload. They can defend. They can make shots, they can make plays for other people. So those are two players that I’d really like to see them take a jump, where they become really hard to defend in the league.”

Saint Joseph’s

Place (last year): 8th
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Katie Jekot 5’9”: 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals per game
F Katie Mayock 6’2”: 5.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Kristalyn Baisden 5’10”: 8.4 points and 1.6 assists per game, 34.6% 3FG
G Alyssa Monaghan 5’5”: 14.4 points, 4.3 rebouds, 3.2 assists per game
Newcomers:
F Imogen Ayliffe 6’2”: Played with the U-18 Women’s Western Australia Metro Team. Was named the 2018 WABL Female Player of the Year.
G Kaliah Henderson 5’9”: Averaged 27 points, six rebounds and three assists per game over the first three years of her career. Named the Florida Dairy Farmers 6A Player of the Year.
G Lauren Ross 5’9”: Led The Shipley School to a pair of state titles. Averaged 15 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game over the first three years of her career.
G/F Jaden Walker 5’7”: Averaged 14.8 points and 13 rebounds in her first three high school seasons.
G Rachel Gartner (Graduate Student) 5’7”: Transferred to SJU after four years at Boston College. Played just three games in 2018-2019.
F Claire Melia 6’3”: Helped lead the Ireland U20 National Team to a bronze medal in Division B at the recently-completed 2019 FIBA U20 Women’s European Championships
F Gabby Smalls 6’2”: Averaged 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 blocks per game over the first three years of her career.

Head coach: Cindy Griffin, 19th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 11 vs. Temple
Nov. 17 vs. Seton Hall (Hosted by Fordham)
Nov. 24 at Auburn
Coach’s Perspective:
On who she expects to step up this season: “Katie Jekot, who was on the all rookie team last year and had a great summer, she’s in great shape. She’s our highest returning scorer and, you know, we’re looking for her to become more of not just a shooter — but to score in multiple ways.”

On what excites her about the upcoming season: “I’m excited to see that we’re going to have a little bit of balance scoring and that, you know, we have some experience in the backcourt not necessarily our point guard, we lost our pointguard for four years, but the person that’s going to play as a primary ball handler started as our two guard last year. So we have some experience, despite that in the backcourt and I’m just excited to see how we come together and, I’m excited to to compete and, you know, to really mold this team, and I see it as a, you know, it’s a year process, and you know, to enjoy it to really enjoy the journey.”

Saint Louis

Place (last year): 6th

Key returners (Last year’s stats):
F/C Brooke Flowers 6’5”: 8.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks per game
G Ciaja Harbison 5’6”: 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
G Kerri McMahan 5’10”: 7.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game
G Jordyn Frantz 6’0”: 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 steals per game
Newcomers:
G/F Lia Enos 5’10”: Injured her senior season. Averaged 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists as a junior.
G Hannah Dossett (Graduate Student) 5’6”: Played four years of softball at Syracuse University and has one year of basketball eligibility remaining. Tallied 2,209 points, 291 3-pointers, 789 rebounds, 252 assists and 111 blocks during her prep career.
G Julia Martinez 5’10”: Four year starter, set school records in assists (767) and rebounds (793). Second in school history in steals (364). Scored 970 career points.
G Jadiah Stewart 5’9”: Spent the fall 2018 semester at Houston and will be eligible at the semester break of the 2019-2020 season with three and a half years of eligibility remaining. Selected to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association All-State team three years in a row.
G/F Rachel Kent 5’11”: Finished with 1,672 career points, second all time. Fifth in school history in steals and grabbed 618 career rebounds.
F Myriama Smith Traore 6’2”: Sat out the 2018-2019 season after transferring from Marquette. While at Marquette she played in 11 games averaging 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds.
F Victoria Mikkelsen 6’1”: Has two years of eligibility remaining after playing her first two collegiate seasons at Independence (Kan.) Community College. Averaged 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in just 8.3 minutes per game.
Head coach: Lisa Stone, 8th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 17 at Vanderbilt
Dec. 5 at Missouri
Dec. 20 vs. Princeton
Dec. 22 vs. Kansas
Coach’s Perspective:
On growing this season: “we have 10 freshman sophomores. So the word grow is probably accurate because we’re young. But we return the A-10 freshman of the year and Brooke Flowers who was on the all freshmen team and led this conference in blocked shots. So we just have to continue to mature and experience — Actually four of our sophomores got experience last year starting nearly every game. So we have some experience, but we still are, you know, just got to tighten some things up, be firmer with the ball. And pretty much our focus in the preseason is take care of the ball and rebounding. So, and just getting better. But they’re young, they’re exciting. They’re very talented and super fun coach.”

On what excites her about the upcoming season: “Just our team. I mean, it’s probably the most athletic team I’ve had. I’ve been coaching for 34 years. I’m older than, you know, most of the kids parents. They keep me young, they’re exciting. They listen, they’re coachable. You know, we’re family. And, you know, if I have to be Mama Stone, I will because they need direction, you’re like a parent, you love them. You care for ’em, you hold them accountable. And you try to help them get better every day. And that’s my job. That’s my goal.”

VCU

Place (last year): 1st
Key returners (Last year’s stats):
G Tera Reed 6’0”: 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals per game
C Danielle Hammond 6’4”: 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game
G Taya Robinson 5’10: 9.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals per game
Key losses (Last year’s stats):
None
Newcomers:
G Jenna Nelson 5’7”: Walk on. Graduated from The King’s Christian School.
G Janika Griffith-Wallace 5’9”: Transferred from Murray State, not stated whether or not she will be eligible this season. In 2018-2019 she averaged 11.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
Head coach: Beth O’Boyle, 6th season
Key non-conference games:
Nov. 12 at Seton Hall
Nov. 15 at South Florida

Coach’s perspective:

On what she’s excited about this season: “I think we will see a big season from Nyra Williams. It’s her third year running the point guard position for us and she has really taken ownership of her role. She has a great comfort level with her teammates and a keen understanding of what we are trying to accomplish on both sides of the floor.”

On differences between last season and this season: “Last year we accomplished a lot in terms of “Firsts” for the program. It was our first A-10 Regular Season championship, our first trip to the A-10 Championship game, and we tied for the 12th best turnaround in NCAA Women’s Basketball history. This year we want to build off that with a really challenging non-conference schedule and facing against some of the best teams in the country while we also continue to battle for the top of the A-10.”

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