Lehigh University Athletics
2009-10 women's basketball season outlook
11/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Mountain Hawks look poised to continue the success of the 2008-09 team and defend their league crown. Coming off the most successful season in school history, Lehigh returns the core of a team that won the Patriot League title last season. The Mountain Hawks fed off the play of their talented guards and rattled off a school-record 26 wins, including a perfect 17-0 record at home. With four starters returning and an experienced bench coming back, the Mountain Hawks are expecting to reclaim their top spot in the Patriot League standings.
THE GUARDS
Experience will be a big strength for the Lehigh backcourt, as the Mountain Hawks return three guards that saw over 25 minutes of action per game last year. Match that with some experienced players behind them and head coach Sue Troyan should have plenty of options to work with in 2009-10.
Junior Erica Prosser, the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, finished third in the league and first on the team in scoring (14.2 per game). The starting point guard finished second in the league and first on the team in assists (4.4 per game). Prosser also finished second in the league in steals (2.0 per game) and 31st in the nation for free throw percentage (84.3).
Senior Alex Ross broke her own single-season record by knocking down 93 three-pointers in 2008-09. Her continued success from beyond the arc was a key reason why Lehigh was first in the Patriot League in three-pointers made (196) and second in percentage (.346). Ross finished second on the team in scoring (13.7 points per game) and was named to the Second Team All-Patriot League. The senior needs only 29 more three-pointers to move her into first place all-time at Lehigh.
Fifth-year senior Tricia Smith led the team with 5.9 rebounds per game last season, despite not playing primarily in the post. The co-captain also finished third on the team in scoring with 7.2 points per game and averaged 26.3 minutes a game.
Senior Kristen Dalton, a key reserve for the 2008-09 team, will be looking to keep on contributing for the Mountain Hawks. Dalton finished fourth on the team in scoring (6.1 per game) and second on the team in three-point percentage (.350). Junior Kristen Iafolla is ready to see more playing time in the guard spot. Last year she appeared in 15 games and scored a career-high six points in a win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
Junior Aly Byorick will make her debut in the Brown and White this season after sitting out last year due to NCAA regulations for transfer students. In her one year at Xavier, Byorick help lead the Musketeers to an Atlantic-10 Championship and an NCAA appearance. Byorick scored over 2,200 points in her high school career at Greater Nanticoke (Pa.) Area High School.
Freshman Becky Guman, a product of Allentown Central Catholic in Allentown, Pa., scored over 1,000 points and was named Second Team All-State, and she will look to compete for playing time in the crowded back-court. Joining her will be Marybeth Egan from Cicero-North High School in Syracuse, N.Y. Egan scored over 1.000 career points and led her team in assists for three seasons. Kelly Peterson will finish out the newcomers in the backcourt for the Mountain Hawks. Peterson, who scored over 1,600 points for Northgate in Concord, California, was a McDonalds’s All-American nominee and First Team All-State.
IN THE PAINT
The Mountain Hawk frontcourt should be strong once again, returning one starter and bringing back several players that saw key minutes in the title run last year. Lehigh’s inside players were a big reason it was able to collect the most rebounds in the Patriot League with 1,264 (38.3 per game).
Alexa Williams is the lone frontcourt starter returning, after she posted consistent numbers throughout her freshman year. The 6-foot-3 Williams finished third on the team in rebounds (4.3 per game) and seventh in scoring (4.9 per game). The freshman finished eighth in the league in offensive rebounds (1.8 per game), earning her a spot on the conference’s All-Rookie team. Williams earned a starting spot in the lineup for the final nine games of the season, after coming off the bench in the first 24.
Junior Courtney Dentler was a big contributor both off the bench and as a starter for Lehigh in 2008-09. Dentler started 14 of her 33 games and saw 13.2 minutes of playing time per game. The 6-foot forward finished sixth on the team in scoring (6.2 points per game) and averaged 2.9 rebounds per game. Dentler will look to claim the final forward spot in the 2009-10 starting lineup.
Sophomore Emily Gratch, who is also in the running for the final starting forward position is coming off an excellent freshman year. Gratch appeared in 26 games last season, and proved to be a great rotation player for Troyan. The young forward averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.
Fifth-year senior Ryan Ingalls will provide even more depth off the bench as she looks to finish her last season strong. A converted guard, Ingalls saw action in 21 games last season and should continue to see her role increase now that she is fully recovered from an injury that cost her the 2007-08 season. Sophomore Kelela Blake is ready to see more playing time at the forward position. Last year she appeared in seven games, grabbing her first career rebounds against Colgate.
Freshman Sarah Pearce will also compete for some playing time up front this season. Pearce, a product of Bishop Fenwick in Franklin, Ohio scored over 1,000 points in her high school career and was selected as a McDonald’s All-American nominee her senior season.
THE SCHEDULE
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2009-10 season on the road as they travel to Nashville, Tenn., to do battle with Lipscomb on November 13, and Vanderbilt on the 15th. The Commodores of Vanderbilt won the SEC Championship last season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Lehigh’s home opener will be against Fairleigh Dickinson on November 18 and the Mountain Hawks will stay at home to take on St. Francis (Pa.) two days later.
After a three-game road trip, playing against Binghamton, La Salle, and Princeton, Lehigh will return home to Stabler Arena to take on Villanova on December 5. The Mountain Hawks will try to avenge a tough 58-52 loss at the hands of a 2008-09 Wildcat team that made the NCAA Tournament.
Other non-conference matchups for the season include Duquesne (December 7), NJIT (December 18), and Bryant (December 20).
Lehigh will play host to the 13th-annual Christmas City Classic on December 29-30. This year’s teams include St. Bonaventure, IUPUI, and Wagner. The Mountain Hawks posted a 2-0 record in the classic last season, defeating North Florida 67-47 and La Salle 53-49 to win the title.
Lehigh will close out the non-conference schedule with games at home against Akron (January 2) and on the road at Pennsylvania (January 5).
The Mountain Hawks will open up their Patriot League schedule on January 9 against American on the road. The Brown and White began its 2008-09 conference schedule by knocking off American at home and started what would turn into its most successful Patriot League season in team history.
Following the game against the Eagles, Lehigh will return home for matchups with Army and Navy before heading back on the road for a showdown with Colgate on January 20.
The Lehigh and Lafayette rivalry will heat up once again as the Mountain Hawks hope to win their fifth consecutive game against the Leopards. Lehigh went 3-0 over their archrivals last season, sweeping them easily in the regular season series and the two would meet a third time in the Patriot League Championship. This game was a bit closer, but Lehigh would prevail 64-56 for its ninth straight victory and a trip to the NCAA tournament.
Lehigh will be on the road in the first meeting between the two squads this year when the Mountain Hawks invade Easton on January 23. Four-weeks later, Lehigh will be back in the confines of Stabler Arena looking to complete the sweep of the Leopards on February 20.
Lehigh will stay at home for its final three games of January, hosting Bucknell, on January 27, Holy Cross, on January 30, and American on February 6.
The Mountain Hawks will face tough road tests for the rest of their season, as they are scheduled to play four of six games away from Stabler Arena, including their last two games of the season against Bucknell, on February 24, and Holy Cross on February 27.
The Patriot League Tournament will begin on March 6, with Holy Cross playing host to the quarterfinal and semi-final rounds. The Championship game will take place on March 12 at the home court of the highest seed remaining.
