Lehigh University Athletics
Saturday, January 2
Easton, Pa.
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Lafayette
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh opens long-awaited season with home-and-home against Lafayette
12/31/2020 9:56:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — On Saturday, it will be 299 days since the Lehigh women's basketball team last took the court against Colgate in the Patriot League Quarterfinals. It's been a long spring, summer and fall but the season is finally here as the Mountain Hawks open the 2020-21 campaign with a home-and-home against rival Lafayette. The first matchup of the season takes place Saturday at noon from the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, while the second matchup on Sunday against the Leopards begins at 2 p.m. at Stabler Arena. Lehigh is looking to start the season 2-0 for the third straight year.
This year looks a little bit different with only 16 games being played and the 10 teams in the Patriot League split up into three mini-conferences. Lehigh and Lafayette join Bucknell in the Central mini-conference. This year, only the top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the Patriot League Tournament instead of the traditional 10.
The Mountain Hawks come into the season ranked fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, trailing only Bucknell, Boston U. and Lafayette. Lehigh was one of four remaining teams in the tournament in March before it was shut down before the semifinal round took place due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was in a semifinal for the second consecutive year and would have faced Boston U. for a chance to head to the championship game for the first time since 2015.
Lehigh loses six players to graduation from last season including three starters (Camryn Buhr, Hannah Hedstrom and Cameryn Benz). The biggest loss to the offense is Buhr, the three-time All-Patriot League selection, who is the only player in program history with 1,300+ points, 700+ rebounds and 230+ assists.
The Mountain Hawks return two players from the starting lineup a year ago, Megan Walker and Emma Grothaus and return eight letter winners in total including senior captains Mariah Sexe and Mary Clougherty. Despite the loss of Buhr, who led the team in points the last two seasons and rebounds the last three, Grothaus averaged 10.2 points per game in 2019-20 and averaged 6.1 boards as well, second and third on team, respectively.
3-point shooting won't be an issue for the Mountain Hawks in 2020-21, returning both Walker (37.8 percent) and Clougherty (34.1 percent) who converted on 88 of the team's 187 3-pointers a year ago. Other players are sure to contribute to that number this season, with the influx of freshmen including Mackenzie Kramer to the fold.
Six freshmen headline the roster this season, more than any other class and the most freshmen on a Lehigh roster in at least the last 20 years. All six add to the depth of the roster for the upcoming season and will look to make an immediate impact early on.
Lafayette has seen so much improvement in the last year or so, finishing the 2019-20 campaign with the program's best record (15-14, 11-7) since the 1991-92 season.
With so much success put into the previous season, the Leopards come into the start of the 2020-21 season with heightened expectations.
For one, Lafayette was picked third in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, trailing just Bucknell and Boston University. The team is led by senior forward Natalie Kucowski, who was named Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year by the media, coaches and sports information directors.
Kucowski had a solid junior season, averaging 13.5 points per game and 12.8 rebounds while also leading her teammates with 2.6 assists per game as well. For her efforts, she was named a First Team All-Patriot League selection, following up a stellar sophomore season that saw her earn Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors.
For Lafayette, the team returns three members of last year's typical starting lineup including Kucowski, senior guard Drew Freeland and junior guard Nicole Johnson.
The outgoing Leopards from last season include Sarah Agnello, Alexis Santarelli and Tasha Vipond.
Lafayette was a tough out at the Kirby Sports Center last season, going 10-4 in home contests, while only going 5-10 on the road.
The Leopards were the victors in three of their last four regular season games with wins over Loyola, American and Navy before falling to Bucknell at home to close out the season. Lafayette fell 52-33 to Holy Cross in the Patriot League Quarterfinals in Worcester.
This weekend marks the 98th and 99th meetings all-time of the The Rivalry between the Lehigh and Lafayette women's basketball teams. The matchup dates all the way back to Feb. 4, 1975.
The Mountain Hawks hold a 52-45 advantage in the all-time series including 38-19 in Patriot League play. Lehigh has won five of the last six matchups vs. the Leopards and nine of the last 10. Lehigh took down Lafayette at Stabler Arena in their last time out, getting a 73-66 victory over its archrivals. That win comes after the Mountain Hawks fell to the Leopards at Kirby Sports Center on Jan. 25, 61-53.
Saturday's matchup with the Leopards also marks the beginning of the ESPN+ era in the Patriot League. Sunday's home game will also stream live on ESPN+ with a subscription and with Matt Markus on the Play-by-Play call, Matt Kerr with the color duties. Click here for more information on how to watch via ESPN+.
Like Lehigh Women's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
This year looks a little bit different with only 16 games being played and the 10 teams in the Patriot League split up into three mini-conferences. Lehigh and Lafayette join Bucknell in the Central mini-conference. This year, only the top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the Patriot League Tournament instead of the traditional 10.
The Mountain Hawks come into the season ranked fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, trailing only Bucknell, Boston U. and Lafayette. Lehigh was one of four remaining teams in the tournament in March before it was shut down before the semifinal round took place due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was in a semifinal for the second consecutive year and would have faced Boston U. for a chance to head to the championship game for the first time since 2015.
Lehigh loses six players to graduation from last season including three starters (Camryn Buhr, Hannah Hedstrom and Cameryn Benz). The biggest loss to the offense is Buhr, the three-time All-Patriot League selection, who is the only player in program history with 1,300+ points, 700+ rebounds and 230+ assists.
The Mountain Hawks return two players from the starting lineup a year ago, Megan Walker and Emma Grothaus and return eight letter winners in total including senior captains Mariah Sexe and Mary Clougherty. Despite the loss of Buhr, who led the team in points the last two seasons and rebounds the last three, Grothaus averaged 10.2 points per game in 2019-20 and averaged 6.1 boards as well, second and third on team, respectively.
3-point shooting won't be an issue for the Mountain Hawks in 2020-21, returning both Walker (37.8 percent) and Clougherty (34.1 percent) who converted on 88 of the team's 187 3-pointers a year ago. Other players are sure to contribute to that number this season, with the influx of freshmen including Mackenzie Kramer to the fold.
Six freshmen headline the roster this season, more than any other class and the most freshmen on a Lehigh roster in at least the last 20 years. All six add to the depth of the roster for the upcoming season and will look to make an immediate impact early on.
Lafayette has seen so much improvement in the last year or so, finishing the 2019-20 campaign with the program's best record (15-14, 11-7) since the 1991-92 season.
With so much success put into the previous season, the Leopards come into the start of the 2020-21 season with heightened expectations.
For one, Lafayette was picked third in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, trailing just Bucknell and Boston University. The team is led by senior forward Natalie Kucowski, who was named Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year by the media, coaches and sports information directors.
Kucowski had a solid junior season, averaging 13.5 points per game and 12.8 rebounds while also leading her teammates with 2.6 assists per game as well. For her efforts, she was named a First Team All-Patriot League selection, following up a stellar sophomore season that saw her earn Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors.
For Lafayette, the team returns three members of last year's typical starting lineup including Kucowski, senior guard Drew Freeland and junior guard Nicole Johnson.
The outgoing Leopards from last season include Sarah Agnello, Alexis Santarelli and Tasha Vipond.
Lafayette was a tough out at the Kirby Sports Center last season, going 10-4 in home contests, while only going 5-10 on the road.
The Leopards were the victors in three of their last four regular season games with wins over Loyola, American and Navy before falling to Bucknell at home to close out the season. Lafayette fell 52-33 to Holy Cross in the Patriot League Quarterfinals in Worcester.
This weekend marks the 98th and 99th meetings all-time of the The Rivalry between the Lehigh and Lafayette women's basketball teams. The matchup dates all the way back to Feb. 4, 1975.
The Mountain Hawks hold a 52-45 advantage in the all-time series including 38-19 in Patriot League play. Lehigh has won five of the last six matchups vs. the Leopards and nine of the last 10. Lehigh took down Lafayette at Stabler Arena in their last time out, getting a 73-66 victory over its archrivals. That win comes after the Mountain Hawks fell to the Leopards at Kirby Sports Center on Jan. 25, 61-53.
Saturday's matchup with the Leopards also marks the beginning of the ESPN+ era in the Patriot League. Sunday's home game will also stream live on ESPN+ with a subscription and with Matt Markus on the Play-by-Play call, Matt Kerr with the color duties. Click here for more information on how to watch via ESPN+.
Like Lehigh Women's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
| Date: | January 2 & 3, 2021 |
| Opponent: | Lafayette Leopards |
| Tip-off: | Noon (1/2) 2 p.m. (1/3) |
| Arena/Capacity: | Kirby Sports Center (1/2) Stabler Arena (1/3) |
| Location: | Easton, Pa. (1/2) Bethlehem, Pa. (1/3) |
| Lehigh's Record: | 0-0, 0-0 Central |
| Lafayette's Record: | 0-0, 0-0 Central |
| Series: | Lehigh leads, 52-45 |
| TV: | ESPN+ (1/2) ESPN+ (1/3) w/ Matt Markus (PBP) and Matt Kerr (Color) |
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