November 13, 2009

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BULLDOGS SET TO OPEN SEASON AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE ON SATURDAY AT 7PM

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Last season, the Bryant women stepped up to the challenge of Division I basketball. This season, the Bulldogs set out to prove they belong and to make a name for this program as it looks to establish itself as a DI program. 

Led by head coach Mary Burke, the Bryant women's basketball team went 11-18 in its inaugural DI campaign. The Bulldogs led the way in wins for all Division I women's basketball programs in the state of Rhode Island.

Now entering her 19th season at the helm, Coach Burke takes on the new challenge of the Northeast Conference. This season, the Bulldogs will play a full NEC schedule which includes 15 home games. However, Bryant will not be eligible for post-season play until the 2012-13 season.

With a career record of 257-252, Coach Burke has enjoyed two 20-win seasons and earned her 250th career victory with a first-round win over Colgate at the Fordham Holiday Tournament last season.

The Bulldogs lose just two letterwinners and only one starter from the 2008-09 squad. They will be returning nine letterwinners and four starters. New to the team is a diverse trio of top-tier recruits who are ready and able to contribute immediately.

BACKCOURT

The Bulldogs are filled with a variety of talent in the backcourt as eight of the 14 team members are guards, five of which are returners. The only question is who will be the one to step up. Senior captains Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass.) and Kristin Mraz (Johnstown, N.Y.) are returning to lead the Bryant backcourt. Joining them will be plenty of youth in the form of two sophomores and three freshman guards. Also returning in the backcourt is the outside shooting junior, Lindsey Hudspeth (Mount Laurel, N.J.).

Shermerhorn is a three-year starter having played in 51 of 61 games in her career and whom head coach Mary Burke will be looking to for her role as a defensive specialist. The 5-10 captain has averaged 6.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg and just above two assists per contest over her career at Bryant. As a captain, Shermerhorn knows the Bryant system and will use that experience to lead on the defensive end.

Senior tri-captain Kristin Mraz will play a crucial role in the Bulldogs' success this season as they compete further at the division 1 level. Mraz will likely be the Bryant starter at point guard but as the season progresses she will look to move back to her familiar spot at shooting guard. Last season, the Bulldogs inaugural DI season, the upstate New York product appeared in all 29 games, making 13 starts. She led the team in assists (73) and shot 34% from beyond the arc (29-85). Mraz averaged 6.3 ppg and 2.5 apg in the 2008-09 campaign. Mraz is also consistent from the charity stripe shooting 74% over her career, which should play a key role this season as the Bulldogs are bound to be in many close battles.

There to assist the upperclassmen will be the sharpshooting and experience of junior Lindsey Hudspeth. Early on, the New Jersey native has shown good signs of confidence and poise which should result in more minutes for Hudspeth.

Also returning at the guard position for the Bulldogs will be sophomore's Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.) and Shannon Wood (Gorham, Maine). Cowen's good range and exceptional speed off the dribble should lead to more minutes and possibly a starting spot for the sophomore shooting guard. Wood, who started 16 of 28 games last season at the point guard position, will be looked upon to step up in the 2009-10 campaign. She led the team in three-point shooting percentage (38.3%) making 18-47 attempts from beyond the arc and was also tied for second on the team in assists with 68. If Wood is able to carry the load as the starter it would enable Mraz to return to her familiar two-spot.

Coach Burke and company have welcomed three freshmen newcomers to the Bulldog backcourt for the 2009-10 season. Each will be expected to make an immediate impact and see time early in their careers. Katie Whittington (Twinsburg, Ohio) is expected to challenge and push Wood for the starting point guard job and gain knowledge of the system as they continue on throughout the season. Danielle Douglas (Silver Springs, Md.) is an agile and speedy player who can run the point but will also be expected to contribute at the shooting guard position. Douglas' ability to take defenders 1 on 1 and her lock-down defense should be enough for the freshman to see time early on in her career. The last freshman the Bulldogs brought in is Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.). Standing 5-11, Soper's bigger/athletic body should help to replace Cara Johnson, the one lost starter from a season ago. The Boston native can step out and shoot the jumper when needed, but will most likely be a physical and tough presence for the Bulldogs.

 FRONTCOURT

Returning to the court as a captain in 2009-10 is leading scorer Kelsey O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.), who enters her senior campaign at fifth all-time with 1,391 points.  O'Keefe passed the 1,000-point milestone plateau with a layup 43 seconds into Bryant's 53-50 win over St. Francis (NY) last season. She is one of the youngest to ever achieve the feat.

The versatile 6-1 forward is also in the top five of three other career statistical categories. She is second all-time in made field goals (508), fourth all-time in rebounds (670) and fifth all-time in three-point field goals made (119).

Leading the team in scoring and rebounding for the last three years, O'Keefe has averaged 15.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg. The Massachusetts native has also added 144 assists, 92 steals, 66 blocks and has shot 31.9% from beyond the arc. She has appeared in every game since her freshman season (90) and made 87 starts.

In the inaugural Division I season for the Bulldogs, O'Keefe was named Co-Player of the Year by Rhode Island Media and selected to the Fordham Holiday All-Tournament team averaging 15.5 points per contest during the tournament.

After proving she belongs at the DI level, this season O'Keefe will be expected to once again carry the load for the Bulldogs in the post and close out her record-setting career with another stellar campaign.

However, O'Keefe will not be the only player in the post expected to shoulder
the load for the Bulldogs this season. Junior forward Siamone Bennett (Newburgh, N.Y.) came out of her shell last season averaging 6.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg and totaling 39 blocks down low. Bennett has a different level of confidence this season and it shows with her athleticism around

the basket. The 6-2 forward will also help springboard O'Keefe and enable the two to mesh nicely together. Bennett led the team in offensive rebounds (75) and blocks (39). The 39 blocks is good for second all-time. Bennett is also fifth all-time with 67 blocks in her career.

Also returning for the Bulldogs in the post is sophomore Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam, N.Y.). Stahura continued to improve over her freshman campaign and continues to build on her toughness and work ethic around the basket. Stahura should be a big spark for the Bryant team down the stretch. Last season she appeared in 19 games, starting six. Bryant won five of the six games the 6-2 forward/center started. 

Down low the Bulldogs are also returning seniors Jaime Campbell (Springfield, Mass.), Kristen Dessingue (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Adrianne Mayshar (West Boylston, Mass.). Each of which should play their individual roles in the Bulldogs success this season.

Mayshar will look to get back to her sophomore year form where she was a significant contributor. She has had two shoulder surgeries since her sophomore campaign. Her 6-2 frame and mobility should provide the Bulldogs with some depth down low. Campbell should also contribute to the depths of the squad as she saw significant minutes last season. She is a power-post player who is physical down low. Dessingue is a dedicated role player who works hard in practice to push the players around her and make everyone better, including herself. She is another physical player down low hoping to see some minutes for the Bulldogs.