Women’s Basketball Returns to Court for Preseason Practice
10/6/2016 12:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Tickets
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women's basketball team began their preseason practice this past Sunday in anticipation for the start of the upcoming season. Opening night is scheduled for Nov. 11 against East Stroudsburg at Stabler Arena. Lehigh is coming off an 18-13 campaign, where the team earned the No. 4 seed in the Patriot League Tournament.
Lehigh begins the new season with 10 returners and five incoming freshmen, but loses three players who made at least 30 starts a season ago. The list of returners includes senior Kiernan McCloskey and sophomore Meagan Eripret, both of whom sat out last season due to injury. With a lot of new pieces entering the fold, the coaching staff is focusing on making sure everyone gets acclimated to the team's offensive and defensive schemes.
"We have a lot of new faces to the program this season, as eight of our 15 players did not play last season," said head coach Sue Troyan. "Because of this, there is a strong emphasis on teaching and learning the fundamentals of our offensive and defensive systems during these first weeks of practice while making sure we improve with each practice."
Junior Quinci Mann is the team's leading returning scorer after averaging 13.3 ppg, and was one of only three players to start in all 31 games last season. A second team All-Patriot League selection, Mann led the Mountain Hawks with 2.4 assists per game and shot an even 43 percent from three-point range. All-Rookie Team member Hailey Pascoe made 24 starts last season, while Taylor Campbell made five starts down the stretch, shooting 50 percent from the field in those starts.
The preseason will present opportunities for any one on the team to lead, but also to help grow a culture where the leadership of the team as a whole can be its strongest asset.
(10/6/2016) Women's Basketball Preseason Practice
"We have a very strong group of leaders throughout our team," Troyan said. "The emphasis this season is for each player to know and understand their leadership strengths and be willing to bring them to the team regardless of age or class. The strength of this group will be on their unity and leadership as a group versus coming from a particular individual or group of individuals."
With many different roles open and up for grabs, the preseason will prove to be vital time for everyone to make their case for on-court roles and playing time in certain spots.
"Given the graduation last season of five seniors who all played significant roles, there is a lot of opportunity from a playing time standpoint that has opened up for all of our players," Troyan said. "This is a highly competitive group who is excited about the opportunities that are in front of them, and prepared to get better with each practice and prove themselves."
With the open competition playing out in practices, the team is looking to establish an up-tempo style and using their athleticism to their advantage, a point that will be key once the start of the season rolls around.
"We feel like we have a group of players who will be able to play fast and push the tempo given the level of athleticism we have and the level of depth we will have in our rotation," Troyan said. "That will be a mindset we will be working on throughout the preseason. The other point of emphasis with this group is making sure we use every practice opportunity to get better and improve."
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Lehigh begins the new season with 10 returners and five incoming freshmen, but loses three players who made at least 30 starts a season ago. The list of returners includes senior Kiernan McCloskey and sophomore Meagan Eripret, both of whom sat out last season due to injury. With a lot of new pieces entering the fold, the coaching staff is focusing on making sure everyone gets acclimated to the team's offensive and defensive schemes.
"We have a lot of new faces to the program this season, as eight of our 15 players did not play last season," said head coach Sue Troyan. "Because of this, there is a strong emphasis on teaching and learning the fundamentals of our offensive and defensive systems during these first weeks of practice while making sure we improve with each practice."
Junior Quinci Mann is the team's leading returning scorer after averaging 13.3 ppg, and was one of only three players to start in all 31 games last season. A second team All-Patriot League selection, Mann led the Mountain Hawks with 2.4 assists per game and shot an even 43 percent from three-point range. All-Rookie Team member Hailey Pascoe made 24 starts last season, while Taylor Campbell made five starts down the stretch, shooting 50 percent from the field in those starts.
The preseason will present opportunities for any one on the team to lead, but also to help grow a culture where the leadership of the team as a whole can be its strongest asset.
"We have a very strong group of leaders throughout our team," Troyan said. "The emphasis this season is for each player to know and understand their leadership strengths and be willing to bring them to the team regardless of age or class. The strength of this group will be on their unity and leadership as a group versus coming from a particular individual or group of individuals."
With many different roles open and up for grabs, the preseason will prove to be vital time for everyone to make their case for on-court roles and playing time in certain spots.
"Given the graduation last season of five seniors who all played significant roles, there is a lot of opportunity from a playing time standpoint that has opened up for all of our players," Troyan said. "This is a highly competitive group who is excited about the opportunities that are in front of them, and prepared to get better with each practice and prove themselves."
With the open competition playing out in practices, the team is looking to establish an up-tempo style and using their athleticism to their advantage, a point that will be key once the start of the season rolls around.
"We feel like we have a group of players who will be able to play fast and push the tempo given the level of athleticism we have and the level of depth we will have in our rotation," Troyan said. "That will be a mindset we will be working on throughout the preseason. The other point of emphasis with this group is making sure we use every practice opportunity to get better and improve."
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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