Women's Basketball Season Preview
Written by Joshua Soto (SJC-LI Sports Information)
Patchogue, NY| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) women's basketball team looks rebound in 2015-16 after coming off a 6-18 campaign last season, which included a 3-9 mark in Skyline play which saw them finish sixth out of the seven teams.
First-year head coach Kelley Watts seeks to quickly change the fortunes of a team that returns nine players and was selected to finish eighth out of nine teams in the conference. Watts has a broader vision for the program's future, but right now her goal is very simple: reach the playoffs. "One of our team goals this season is to be competitive in the Skyline Conference and to compete in the playoffs," said the veteran coach.
The Golden Eagles are returning the majority of their core this year, including leading scorer Jackie Zizzo. The junior guard scored 257 points for the Golden Eagles, averaging 10.7 points-per-game, and leading the conference in three-point field goals (61).
Returning for her sophomore year is Andrea Iavarone, who started in all 24 games last year, shooting 38.3% from the field and scoring 242 points for the Golden Eagles. She also made her presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, recording 13 blocks and collecting a team-high 189 rebounds and 28 steals.
Captaining the Golden Eagles in 2015-16 will be senior Katie McGarrell, junior Michelle Lupoli, and senior Rynese Smith. McGarrell was a key asset of the bench last year, averaging 18.6 minutes per game. The forward made a strong presence in the paint, gathering 113 rebounds and adding 27 steals.
Lupoli, a third-year forward, started in 23 games last year, scoring 86 points and dishing out 13 assists. Entering her last season with the Golden Eagles is Smith, the SJC swingman, who played in 17 games and was third on the team with 136 points and was fourth in rebounds with 100. She was just as good defensively, collecting 30 steals and recording 17 blocks for the Golden Eagles.
Additionally, Coach Watts welcomes three new recruits this season, including Suffolk County Community College transfer Mary Kate O'Connell. The Patchogue, NY native brings playing experience to the team, having served in a bench role with the Sharks.
Incoming freshmen Carmela Campero and Asia Rountree will be leaned on early in their collegiate careers, as per Coach Watts, who said "these freshmen are both competitive, hard-working, and are versatile players. They have been a pleasure to work with and have grown tremendously since the start of practice."
2015-16 Skyline Conference Women's Basketball - Preseason Coaches Poll
Place. Team (first-place votes), voting points (2014-15 record / Skyline record)
1. Farmingdale State (6), 62 (18-9 / 12-0)
2. Mount Saint Vincent (2), 55 (22-6 / 9-3)
3. Sage (1), 49 (18-8 / 9-3)
4. Old Westbury, 39 (11-14 / 4-8)
5. Mount Saint Mary, 37 (9-17 / 4-8)
6. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 33 (17-12 overall)
7. Purchase, 22 (4-10 / 1-11)
8. St. Joseph's-Long Island, 19 (6-18 / 3-9)
9. Yeshiva, 8 (3-18 overall)
Forecasting the coming season, Watts states "all the games are important, but we have our sights set on the Skyline Conference match-ups." The first conference game for the Golden Eagles is against St. Joseph's College (Brklyn), scheduled for December 8 at 6:00 PM inside Danzi Center.
The Golden Eagles open their 2015-16 campaign on Saturday, November 14, when they travel to take on the College of Staten Island at 2 PM. The team's home-opener will take place on Monday, November 30, when they host Rutgers-Camden at 7:00 PM inside Danzi Center.