Lady Eagles Basketball Enters New Era with Only Five Returning Players
Patchogue, N.Y. – The Eagles look to turn the page to a new chapter this year as they enter the season without their two leaders from the 2012-13 campaign, Amanda Bender and Ashley Larrea, who both graduated this past May. Bender led the team in scoring for the each of the past four seasons. Larrea was the heart and soul of the team during that same time period. This year's team will have to find a way to replace Bender's 18 points and nine rebounds per game last season and Larrea's all-around contributions of five points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in 35 minutes per game.
The women's basketball program has only made it to the semifinals of the Skyline Conference Tournament once in the last twelve years but as head coach Michael Petre enters his third season as coach of the Lady Eagles, he hopes that will change.
It will help having some familiar faces from last season. Christina and Laura Cohen, Coleen Fitzsimons, Danielle Hamlin are all returning for their senior season. Katie McGarrell is returning for her sophomore year. Laura Cohen led the Eagles in minutes last season with 38 per game followed by her sister, Christina. Laura averaged 14.8 points, three assists, four rebounds, and three steals per game. Christina averaged 10.4 points, two steals, three rebounds, and two assists per game.
SJC hopes that increased minutes last season for Danielle Hamlin will have a positive impact this campaign. Hamlin averaged 10.3 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and added a block and a steal per game. Coach Petre hopes to get solid defensive minutes once again from McGarrell and Fitzsimmons.
The Eagles look to get back court contributions from their four new guards - Erika Ellwanger, Jennifer Martino, Jackie Zizzo, and Julia Nicholas - who will all be fighting to earn their minutes. Martino is the Golden Eagles women's soccer team's leading scorer and hopes that her success from Danzi Stadium will carry over to inside the Danzi Athletic Center.
St. Joseph's has added some size and depth to their front court. Freshmen Keyleigh Stapleton and Michelle Lupoli will look to fill the shoes of the departed Bender. They both need to establish themselves as insider scorers and rebounders early in the season.
The Eagles are ranked seventh in the Skyline Preseason Coaches Poll, thus, they hope to surprise some coaches as they open the season this weekend at the Hunter College Tournament. St. Joseph's will play nine games before their first Skyline Conference contest on January 11th.
