2007-08 season preview

November 15, 2007

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College women's basketball head coach Melissa Hodgdon recalls a recent conversation with Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic), and how the team's lone senior responded to a classmate displaying the women's soccer conference championship trophy near Hodgdon's office. "Becky said she saw the player holding the championship cup in the Haas Athletic Center and thought how badly she wants that to be us this year," said the fifth-year coach.

With Aitchison and a handful of critical juniors and sophomores laying a foundation for success, the Lyons look to exceed the milestones of 2006-07, when they advanced to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament semifinals and to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament title tilt. In going 19-11 overall, Wheaton tied for third in the league at 9-4. "I was extremely satisfied with what we achieved, how the team came together and how players accepted their roles," said Hodgdon. "That was a huge part of our success."

However, with a summer passing since last year's team became the program's first in 11 years to make a league semifinal or an ECAC Tournament, the coach knows the team can build on last year's success but ultimately cannot rely upon the 2006-07 squad's accomplishments to define this season.

"What we attained last year was based on a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but I've told the team that we don't rest on our laurels," said Hodgdon. "Right now we're in a situation where people think we're an established team, but the coaching staff sees it as a very young team, and that we still need to mature to reach further goals." Joining Hodgdon on the sidelines are third-year assistant coach Kate Williams '05 and second-year assistant Veronica Jutras.

Hodgdon looks to Aitchison, one of Wheaton's four captains, as a key component this year. "Becky will be my first recruit to play four years," said the coach. "She has been the through the ups and downs and the challenges of building a program, and she stuck with it, and now she's the leader of this program. I couldn't be more proud of her."

Aitchison, who helped the Lyons record nearly as many wins in 2006-07 as during her freshman and sophomore years combined (25), might be the most versatile player on the team. After dishing out 11 assists in Wheaton's opener last year, the 5-10 forward went on to average 8.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals for the season while starting all 30 games. She was the only NEWMAC player ranked among the top 10 in each assists, steals and field goal percentage.

A trio of juniors joins Aitchison as captains of the 2007-08 squad. Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) and Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) will see time at both guard spots, while Krystin Hickey's (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) post presence has made her one of the top players in the NEWMAC and has her on pace to reach the 1,000-point barrier in her third year of college ball. Only eight Lyons have ever gotten to that plateau, with each doing so as seniors.

Hickey was seventh in the NEWMAC in scoring at 14.0 points per game last year, and she finished second by shooting 49.4 percent from the floor and third with an 85.3-percent clip from the charity stripe. Wheaton's initial NEWMAC All-Conference first teamer became the first Lyon since 1996 to draw New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) all-region honors, and Hickey enters her junior year with 774 points in 55 career games.

A strong defender, Pleat provides a veteran presence as a potential starter at the point, and she showcased her abilities as a shooting guard by hitting 44.8 percent of her shots last winter. Hodgdon said Smith could become one of the top shooting guards in the league, as evidenced by her 41.7-percent showing from beyond the arc in 2006-07 and 11.5-point scoring average as a freshman. Smith provided 6.2 points per game as a sophomore and, like Pleat, came off the bench in 29 games.

Classmates Lauren Gosline (Peterborough, NH/ConVal Regional) and Brandee Williams-Epes (Queens, NY/Renaissance Charter School) will battle for time in reserve capacities. Gosline knows the system and could appear at shooting guard, while Williams-Epes has been a guard and can lend her physical abilities to the small forward spot.

Sophomore Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) enters the season battling Pleat for the point guard job, as the non-starter among the two will likely be the first player off the bench. Bailey saw reserve action in all 30 games last year, and Hodgdon, a former point guard herself, said Bailey is learning how to not only lead a college team as its primary ball-handler, but also set the defensive tempo.

Sophomore Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford), who averaged 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 14.9 minutes per game last year, becomes Wheaton's starting center and is the Lyons' tallest player at 6-1. Classmate Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) should provide a formidable presence on both sides of the ball, as the 6-0 post has a long wing span and shot 52.5 percent in 30 games off the bench.

Hodgdon said sophomores Stephanie Michals (Fairfax, VA/Saint Stephen's & Saint Agnes School) and Callie Schneider (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) are forwards whose hard work should translate into playing time. Michals brings strength to the low post and has good touch as a former guard, while Schneider is an undersized but quick forward who possesses solid rebounding abilities. Classmate Stephanie Walker (Somers, CT/Somers) is a long-range threat who will compete for minutes at guard.

A small post player, Stephanie Jones (Winsted, CT/The Gilbert School) is the lone representative from the Class of 2011. Hodgdon said Jones has worked her way into a position to be a reserve forward.

Hodgdon said she hopes the signature of this year's team ends up being its ability to wear opponents down. "I want us to be known for our defense and being able to play 40 minutes of baseline-to-baseline defense without becoming fatigued," said Hodgdon. Last year, the Lyons yielded an average of 59.4 points while scoring 64.9, the first time since 1994-95 that they posted a 60-point average on offense while holding opponents to fewer than 60 per game.

The Lyons begin their 25-game slate on Saturday against Colby College at the Eastern Connecticut State Tip-Off Tournament before capping a season-opening nine-game stretch by traveling to Honolulu, Hawaii for the Hoop N Surf Tournament on December 19 and 20. Wheaton returns to campus for its New Year's Tournament on January 3 and 4 before kicking off NEWMAC play against reigning league champion Mount Holyoke College on January 9. The conference tournament begins on February 27.

"I don't give the players unrealistic goals," said Hodgdon, "I give them short-term goals. Right now, our goal is to beat Colby and start the season off on the right foot. New people have stepped up so far, which is what you hope for. I think we're still in the process of finding our identity."

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 11/15/07.
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