Le Moyne Athletics : Season Preview: Women's Basketball brings back five, adds eight for 2006-07

November 14, 2006

LE MOYNE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2006-07 SEASON PREVIEW

The Le Moyne College women's basketball team heads into the 2006-07 season with just five returning student-athletes from last season's team, but seventh-year head coach Jeanne Dupree '95 enters the season with high hopes. In the early-going, the addition of eight new faces to the court to go along with the five returners has brought positive team chemistry - a mix Dupree hopes will pay off this season.

"We have a competitive attitude in practice every day which can only carry over into the games. Our veterans came back in good shape so we've been able to build on that from day one," Dupree said prior to the season. "The things that are happening in the preseason are very positive things in my eyes. Our goal this year is to get better every day, individually and collectively as a team. We also want everyone to be on board every day and every moment. That's all we can ask. If we do that, good things will come our way."

Last season, Le Moyne was .500 at 11-11 after 22 games, but dropped its last six contests to finish the season at 11-17 overall and 7-15 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Dolphins faced the top tier of the league over that stretch which included a four-point road loss (73-69) to eventual national finalist American International. The battles from last season, even the adversity at the end of the season, should offer Le Moyne a strong foundation for this year.

"We return players with a lot of college experience," Dupree said. "We're also more athletic, longer and a lot more versatile. We like our depth and we're going to try to play a lot of players. Unfortunately injuries and illness do play a role throughout the season. However, most importantly, this team is hungry to win in this league. We're not going to quit."

ROSTER MAKEUP

The Dolphins return five to their roster this season - four of whom have been regular starters in their careers. Sophomore guard Cierra Bartell (Middletown, Conn./Middletown), sophomore forward Vanessa Holden (Suffern, N.Y./Immaculate Heart), junior wing player Kim Wagoner (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), senior guard Lindsay Carr (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) and senior center Lindsay Ellis (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) all played key minutes last season. Holden, Wagoner and Ellis started throughout last season, while Carr was a starter in each of her first two seasons.

Of Le Moyne's six newcomers that are expected to contribute this season, two came via the transfer route. Sophomore guard Katie Dunn (Whippany, N.J./Morris Catholic) played last season at CACC Champion Holy Family, while junior forward Rhiannon Berry (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) joins the Dolphins after a season at Highland (Kansas) Community College. Freshmen Megan Murphy (Clinton Corners, N.Y./Millbrook), Siobhan Shields (Mason, N.H./St. Bernard's Central Catholic), Angela Cole (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) and Courtney Coryea (Mooers Forks, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton) should also see time on the court this season.

Two more roster additions will sit the season out as redshirts. Junior LaToya Anderson (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Arcadia) and freshman Nichole Hawkins (Belmar, N.J./ Manasquan) will practice with the team in preparation for the 2007-08 season.

To mesh together the newcomers with her returning core, Dupree has instituted several initiatives this season. Over the summer, each returner contacted a newcomer on a weekly basis to get to know them and tell them about Le Moyne and college life. Since the team has arrived on campus, they have taken part in activities on and off campus such as a team apple-picking trip, a team-building ropes course and the running of a non-profit based 5K race. Dupree believes their activities have resulted in positive team chemistry.

BACKCOURT

In Wagoner, who scored 15 points per game last season, Le Moyne returns one of the Northeast-10 Conference's top three returning scorers. Only Stonehill's Alisha Collins (18.2) and Bryant's Joanna Skiba (15.8) scored more points per game than Wagoner and return to the league this season. A deft marksman from outside the arc and tough, physical presence on the way to the hoop, Wagoner should fill one of the spots on the wing where she has started all 56 games over the last two seasons.

"Kim will be on the top of everyone's scouting report. She's one of the top players in our league. She brings it every day in practice," Dupree said of the junior that leads the program's all-time list with a 78.5% career free throw percentage and has scored 699 career points. "Kim also has a tremendous academic load in the classroom as her goal is to become a veterinarian. She volunteers at a vet's office whenever she has free time."

Dupree, a former point guard at Le Moyne herself, expects a variety of players to contribute at the point and off-guard slots. Conference all-rookie team selection Kathleen Gladstone started 27 games at the point guard position last season and handed out 4.7 assists per game, but she has transferred to Xavier. Thus, Le Moyne will have a new face quarterbacking the offense. Dupree believes Carr, Bartell, Dunn and Murphy could spend time there this season.

"We're trying to get all of our guards to be comfortable at the point. The more versatile we can be at the guard positions - the better we can be as a team," Dupree said. "Cierra and Lindsay get to the basket very well so we may move them out to the wing at times and don't be surprised to see Meg Murphy or Katie Dunn running the point."

Carr, a starter in her first two seasons at Le Moyne, rebounded from an off-season injury to appear in 14 games last season. She averaged 4.7 points and 1.4 assists in 17 minutes per game. As a freshman, Carr led Le Moyne with 9.5 points per game and she contributed 9.1 points with 3.5 assists as a sophomore. This fall, Carr has been balancing her student-teaching duties in a fourth-grade classroom all day and leading the team at practice in the evening.

"Lindsay's excited to be recovered from her injury. She worked out very hard this summer for her senior year," Dupree said of the co-captain. "Lindsay has experienced the rigors of the Northeast-10 and understands the focus and drive needed to win in this league."

Bartell, the back-up point guard for much of last season, scored 52 points and dished out 10 assists in 27 games as a freshman. Featuring a quick first step, Dupree expects Bartell to add instant action again this season.

"Cierra needs to continue to work hard and understand her role is crucial for this team's success," Dupree said. "She has a great first step, can be a tenacious defender and can hit the outside shot."

Dunn, a starter in 31 games last season at Holy Family (29-3, 24-0 CACC), scored 7.6 points per game and her 59 assists for the Tigers were more than any Le Moyne returner. Dunn, who scored a game-high 18 points in Le Moyne's exhibition game at Division I Binghamton, should find a starting spot in the Dolphins backcourt.

"She understands the game as well as anyone on our team," Dupree said. "Katie can play the one, two and three positions comfortably. She also brings it every day along with a love for the game which has generated positive energy in practice."

A pair of freshmen should provide additional support off the bench. Murphy, a first team all-Poughkeepsie Journal selection and MHAL Division IV Player of the Year as a senior in high school, should provide scoring in a variety of ways. Shields, a Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super-Team All-Star as a senior, slashes to the basket as well as any on the team.

"Meg is one of the hardest workers on the team. She can shoot the ball and is very unselfish. She is expected to make an impact as a freshman," Dupree said. "Siobhan is one of our most athletic players. She's a very strong defender who matches up with Kim Wagoner in practice every day so she's learning from one of the best."

Cole joined the team as a walk-on. She played at Section III Class AA Champion Rome Free Academy where she scored seven points per game last season.

FRONTCOURT

A pair of experienced players return to the Le Moyne pivot. Ellis and Holden are returning starters, while Coryea and Berry are expected to provide additional support down low.

Ellis has snared 431 rebounds in her first three seasons on the Heights. She scored 6.3 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds per game last season.

"Lindsay's going to give you everything she has in the post. She's quick and just has a knack for tracking the ball and using her quickness inside," Dupree said. "She's our strongest kid in the weight room, an underrated player who has made her mark in this league. As a senior captain with Lindsay Carr, they want to get the respect back to this team that we had earlier in the decade."

Holden started 27 games, scored 7.4 points and grabbed 5.3 rebounds per contest in her first season.

"I expect Vanessa to give us the same intensity, scoring and rebounding that she gave as a freshman," Dupree said. "She's a tremendous shooter and will need to knock down those shots for us this season."

Coryea, the tallest Dolphin at 6-foot-1, scored 1,909 points at Northeastern Clinton High School. She was named first-team all-state in Class B as a senior.

"Courtney's very athletic," Dupree said. "Courtney will play a crucial role for us this year. She faced double- and triple-teams in high school, so she's used to playing under pressure."

Berry, a transfer from Highland (Kansas) Community College where she scored 5.3 points and grabbed 4.8 rebounds for the Scotties, has been a physical practice player.

"Rhiannon is a very coachable player," Dupree said of the high school teammate of Kim Wagoner at Cicero-North Syracuse. "She does whatever we ask and is willing to do whatever it takes to win."

A blend of new blood and old faces hope to propel the Dolphins to postseason play for a third consecutive season. Le Moyne opens the regular season on November 15 against Mercyhurst.



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November 14, 2006 LE MOYNE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2006-07 SEASON PREVIEW The Le Moyne College women's basketball team heads into the 2006-07 season with just five returning student-athletes from last season's team, but seventh-year head coach Jeanne Dupree '95 enters the season with high hopes. In the early-going, the addition of eight new faces to the court to go along with the five returners has brought positive team chemistry - a mix Dupree hopes will pay off this season. "We have a competitive attitude in practice every day which can only carry over into the games. Our veterans came back in good shape so we've been able to build on that from day one," Dupree said prior to the season. "The things that are happening in the preseason are very positive things in my eyes. Our goal this year is to get better every day, individually and collectively as a team. We also want everyone to be on board every day and every moment. That's all we can ask. If we do that, good things will come our way." Last season, Le Moyne was .500 at 11-11 after 22 games, but dropped its last six contests to finish the season at 11-17 overall and 7-15 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Dolphins faced the top tier of the league over that stretch which included a four-point road loss (73-69) to eventual national finalist American International. The battles from last season, even the adversity at the end of the season, should offer Le Moyne a strong foundation for this year. "We return players with a lot of college experience," Dupree said. "We're also more athletic, longer and a lot more versatile. We like our depth and we're going to try to play a lot of players. Unfortunately injuries and illness do play a role throughout the season. However, most importantly, this team is hungry to win in this league. We're not going to quit." ROSTER MAKEUP The Dolphins return five to their roster this season - four of whom have been regular starters in their careers. Sophomore guard Cierra Bartell (Middletown, Conn./Middletown), sophomore forward Vanessa Holden (Suffern, N.Y./Immaculate Heart), junior wing player Kim Wagoner (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), senior guard Lindsay Carr (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) and senior center Lindsay Ellis (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) all played key minutes last season. Holden, Wagoner and Ellis started throughout last season, while Carr was a starter in each of her first two seasons. Of Le Moyne's six newcomers that are expected to contribute this season, two came via the transfer route. Sophomore guard Katie Dunn (Whippany, N.J./Morris Catholic) played last season at CACC Champion Holy Family, while junior forward Rhiannon Berry (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) joins the Dolphins after a season at Highland (Kansas) Community College. Freshmen Megan Murphy (Clinton Corners, N.Y./Millbrook), Siobhan Shields (Mason, N.H./St. Bernard's Central Catholic), Angela Cole (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) and Courtney Coryea (Mooers Forks, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton) should also see time on the court this season. Two more roster additions will sit the season out as redshirts. Junior LaToya Anderson (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Arcadia) and freshman Nichole Hawkins (Belmar, N.J./ Manasquan) will practice with the team in preparation for the 2007-08 season. To mesh together the newcomers with her returning core, Dupree has instituted several initiatives this season. Over the summer, each returner contacted a newcomer on a weekly basis to get to know them and tell them about Le Moyne and college life. Since the team has arrived on campus, they have taken part in activities on and off campus such as a team apple-picking trip, a team-building ropes course and the running of a non-profit based 5K race. Dupree believes their activities have resulted in positive team chemistry. BACKCOURT In Wagoner, who scored 15 points per game last season, Le Moyne returns one of the Northeast-10 Conference's top three returning scorers. Only Stonehill's Alisha Collins (18.2) and Bryant's Joanna Skiba (15.8) scored more points per game than Wagoner and return to the league this season. A deft marksman from outside the arc and tough, physical presence on the way to the hoop, Wagoner should fill one of the spots on the wing where she has started all 56 games over the last two seasons. "Kim will be on the top of everyone's scouting report. She's one of the top players in our league. She brings it every day in practice," Dupree said of the junior that leads the program's all-time list with a 78.5% career free throw percentage and has scored 699 career points. "Kim also has a tremendous academic load in the classroom as her goal is to become a veterinarian. She volunteers at a vet's office whenever she has free time." Dupree, a former point guard at Le Moyne herself, expects a variety of players to contribute at the point and off-guard slots. Conference all-rookie team selection Kathleen Gladstone started 27 games at the point guard position last season and handed out 4.7 assists per game, but she has transferred to Xavier. Thus, Le Moyne will have a new face quarterbacking the offense. Dupree believes Carr, Bartell, Dunn and Murphy could spend time there this season. "We're trying to get all of our guards to be comfortable at the point. The more versatile we can be at the guard positions - the better we can be as a team," Dupree said. "Cierra and Lindsay get to the basket very well so we may move them out to the wing at times and don't be surprised to see Meg Murphy or Katie Dunn running the point." Carr, a starter in her first two seasons at Le Moyne, rebounded from an off-season injury to appear in 14 games last season. She averaged 4.7 points and 1.4 assists in 17 minutes per game. As a freshman, Carr led Le Moyne with 9.5 points per game and she contributed 9.1 points with 3.5 assists as a sophomore. This fall, Carr has been balancing her student-teaching duties in a fourth-grade classroom all day and leading the team at practice in the evening. "Lindsay's excited to be recovered from her injury. She worked out very hard this summer for her senior year," Dupree said of the co-captain. "Lindsay has experienced the rigors of the Northeast-10 and understands the focus and drive needed to win in this league." Bartell, the back-up point guard for much of last season, scored 52 points and dished out 10 assists in 27 games as a freshman. Featuring a quick first step, Dupree expects Bartell to add instant action again this season. "Cierra needs to continue to work hard and understand her role is crucial for this team's success," Dupree said. "She has a great first step, can be a tenacious defender and can hit the outside shot." Dunn, a starter in 31 games last season at Holy Family (29-3, 24-0 CACC), scored 7.6 points per game and her 59 assists for the Tigers were more than any Le Moyne returner. Dunn, who scored a game-high 18 points in Le Moyne's exhibition game at Division I Binghamton, should find a starting spot in the Dolphins backcourt. "She understands the game as well as anyone on our team," Dupree said. "Katie can play the one, two and three positions comfortably. She also brings it every day along with a love for the game which has generated positive energy in practice." A pair of freshmen should provide additional support off the bench. Murphy, a first team all-Poughkeepsie Journal selection and MHAL Division IV Player of the Year as a senior in high school, should provide scoring in a variety of ways. Shields, a Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super-Team All-Star as a senior, slashes to the basket as well as any on the team. "Meg is one of the hardest workers on the team. She can shoot the ball and is very unselfish. She is expected to make an impact as a freshman," Dupree said. "Siobhan is one of our most athletic players. She's a very strong defender who matches up with Kim Wagoner in practice every day so she's learning from one of the best." Cole joined the team as a walk-on. She played at Section III Class AA Champion Rome Free Academy where she scored seven points per game last season. FRONTCOURT A pair of experienced players return to the Le Moyne pivot. Ellis and Holden are returning starters, while Coryea and Berry are expected to provide additional support down low. Ellis has snared 431 rebounds in her first three seasons on the Heights. She scored 6.3 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds per game last season. "Lindsay's going to give you everything she has in the post. She's quick and just has a knack for tracking the ball and using her quickness inside," Dupree said. "She's our strongest kid in the weight room, an underrated player who has made her mark in this league. As a senior captain with Lindsay Carr, they want to get the respect back to this team that we had earlier in the decade." Holden started 27 games, scored 7.4 points and grabbed 5.3 rebounds per contest in her first season. "I expect Vanessa to give us the same intensity, scoring and rebounding that she gave as a freshman," Dupree said. "She's a tremendous shooter and will need to knock down those shots for us this season." Coryea, the tallest Dolphin at 6-foot-1, scored 1,909 points at Northeastern Clinton High School. She was named first-team all-state in Class B as a senior. "Courtney's very athletic," Dupree said. "Courtney will play a crucial role for us this year. She faced double- and triple-teams in high school, so she's used to playing under pressure." Berry, a transfer from Highland (Kansas) Community College where she scored 5.3 points and grabbed 4.8 rebounds for the Scotties, has been a physical practice player. "Rhiannon is a very coachable player," Dupree said of the high school teammate of Kim Wagoner at Cicero-North Syracuse. "She does whatever we ask and is willing to do whatever it takes to win." A blend of new blood and old faces hope to propel the Dolphins to postseason play for a third consecutive season. Le Moyne opens the regular season on November 15 against Mercyhurst.