When Kelly Greenberg took over the reigns of the Boston University women???s basketball program in July 2004, she made it clear that the team will first learn to play together and then learn how to win together. Despite injuries and some regular-season letdowns, Greenberg???s first season at the helm culminated with a lot of hope and each player that returned to campus this fall has brought with them a sense of momentum.
Last year, a back-and-forth winter gave way to a historic run through the America East tournament that came up just short, as four games in four days proved to be too much to overcome. The Terriers became the first No. 8 seed in conference history to upset the top seed, pulling a 63-51 victory over Maine in the quarterfinals before advancing to the championship and falling a basket short of the program???s second trip to the NCAA tournament.
After that wild ride last March, the Terriers are ready to build off that experience and become a steady force in the conference and in the region. Greenberg and her staff have brought in a talented group of newcomers who will nicely complement the strong nucleus of returners and allow this year to be a successful one for the BU program.
???The first thing that comes to mind with this team is that, as a whole, the group is very coachable,??? said Greenberg. ???From top to bottom, the players are hard workers. This year, we???re stressing the need to ???bring it every day??? (BIED), and it???s something everyone has bought into.???
In addition to heading up the team???s backcourt unit, senior Rachael Vanderwal and junior Katie Meinhardt will also serve as co-captains for the Terriers this season.
???We are so fortunate to have captains with the qualities that Rachael and Katie possess,??? said Greenberg. ???Rachael is a friend to everyone and she sets the tone with her outstanding work ethic. Katie has reached out to the newcomers and she???s getting them all to buy into the program.???
Highlighted by contests with as many as eight schools that participated in the NCAA or NIT tournaments a year ago, the 2005-06 schedule will be a stern test for this group, but one that will only make it stronger. With lessons learned, an enthusiastic and hard-working group is back and ready to pick up where it left off and take the program to new heights.
BACKCOURT
Led by co-captains Vanderwal and Meinhardt, BU???s backcourt is without question its top strength heading into the 2005-06 campaign, as the entire group from last season returns to the mix this year.
The two guards arrived to campus the same year, but injuries forced Meinhardt to red-shirt the 2003-04 season. As the top two scorers from a year ago, the duo will be counted on to provide the bulk of the scoring while setting a game tempo that will be advantageous to the team???s success.
Vanderwal was named to the All-America East third team as a junior after averaging 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. An accurate shooter, Vanderwal shot an impressive 43.8 percent from the floor and connected on 35.6 percent of her 3-point tries. Her decision-making is quite possibly her biggest asset to the team, as she recorded nearly twice as many assists as turnovers.
???Rachael is one of the most impressive people I???ve worked with over the years,??? said Greenberg. ???She is a wonderful teammate and leader and she sets the best examples for our young players to follow. She is a true competitor and I???m looking forward to her senior year.???
Meinhardt had a breakout performance in last spring???s America East tournament, averaging 25.6 points during the four games, highlighted with a school-record 43-point effort in the first round against Stony Brook.
???Katie???s performance in the conference tournament was so encouraging to both the coaches and her teammates,??? said Greenberg. ???Her calmness on the floor is amazing and she can always be counted on to hit a big basket. She is a fun player to watch.???
Sophomore Cheri Raffo was a pleasant surprise for the Terriers as a freshman last winter, starting all 31 contests while developing into the team???s defensive specialist. After improving her outside shot during the offseason, Raffo should become more of a threat on the offensive end.
???Without question, Cheri raises the team???s level of toughness every minute she is on the court,??? said Greenberg. ???She is an extreme competitor who is not afraid to play against anyone.???
Sophomore Leah Lipschitz, a lefty, battled a midseason injury as a rookie and saw time in five contests. She returned to campus in great shape and will be utilized off the bench at either guard position.
???Leah is a shooter,??? said Greenberg. ???She has got a good head for the game and she has such a calm approach to go along with a good level of toughness.???
Four newcomers will bolster the backcourt depth this season, including Amarachi Umez-Eronini, Kristi Dini, Christine Kinneary and walk-on Emily Grimes.
Kinneary, who hails from Hicksville, N.Y., will immediately factor into the rotation at the point guard position after exhibiting great leadership as a floor general at Holy Trinity High School.
Umez-Eronini, who played at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., brings a great deal of athleticism to the guard position and she should immediately bolster the team???s defensive and rebounding depth. She and Dini, a former standout at Putnam Valley High School in New Jersey, will be fighting for time off the bench. A native of Brookfield, Conn., Grimes has been working hard since arriving to campus and should fit in nicely after a strong career at Immaculate High School.
???Christine has the intangibles that should mix well with the upperclassmen,??? said Greenberg. ???Kristi is a terrific shooter and Amarachi has the potential to be a real difference maker with her competitiveness and defensive intensity. We are very excited about our freshman guards.???
FRONTCOURT
While the backcourt has an established group of veterans, the team???s post players are relatively inexperienced, but certainly have the potential to make the Terriers a well-rounded squad. Following the graduation of a trio of forwards, a substantial void remains in the frontcourt and it will be filled by a group of six players, including two newcomers. All four returners to the post will be vital contributors and should all prove to be reliable options.
The most seasoned veterans in the post are two upperclassmen who are hoping to enjoy an injury-free season after missing substantial time in the past.
After sitting out the entire 2004-05 campaign due to injury, Shannon Petranoff returns to the BU lineup for her senior season and is ready to put together a strong finish to her career. Despite having appeared in only 11 contests since joining the Terriers due to various injuries, Petranoff has stepped into a veteran role and looks to be a key contributor this winter.
???Shannon is a real joy to be around,??? said Greenberg. ???She has set high expectations for herself and we expect her to be a factor for us with her size and presence down low.???
Junior Erica Kovach appeared in 14 games last season, averaging 8.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game during that span, before being sidelined the final two months with a knee injury. After offseason rehabilitation, Kovach, a left-handed shooter, is ready to step into a starting role and provide a consistent scoring punch. She scored in double-digits five times last season, including a 25-point effort against Stony Brook.
Kovach led the Terriers in field-goal percentage as a rookie, shooting 48.3 percent from the floor, including a 30-percent clip behind the arc.
???We???re definitely excited to have Erica back and ready for the preseason,??? said Greenberg. ???She can score from the post in a variety of ways and she has got a great touch. Erica will also be a strong leader for our posts???
A pair of sophomores who combined for 10 starts a year ago will immediately inherit larger responsibilities after gaining valuable experience as freshmen. Corinne Jean, who was predominantly featured as a guard during her rookie season, and Kasey Devine, who came on strong in last year???s America East tournament, will both see significant time in their second year at BU.
Due to the makeup of this year???s roster, the coaching staff will utilize Jean???s height at the forward position and allow her to become more versatile within the offense. Devine, a terrific shot-blocker and the team???s tallest player at 6-3, will get the opportunity to become the team???s go-to center.
???The sky is the limit for Corinne,??? said Greenberg. ???She has been working hard to develop into a forward for us. Kasey is a finesse player and she can finish with both hands. If she carries the momentum she built towards the end of last season and becomes more of a physical presence, she will have a great sophomore year.???
Two freshman forwards with a good deal of potential will join the squad this year, including Brianne Ozimok (Midhurst, Ont./St. Joseph???s) and Jesyka Burks-Wiley (Kansas City, Mo./Lincoln College Prep). Ozimok is a strong and physical player who should see time in the forward rotation early on, and Burks-Wiley is a true student of the game who will only improve as she gets adjusted to the college level.
???Brianne has the size we need and may be a contributor right from the start, while Jesyka could be a nice surprise for us.???
SCHEDULE
As mentioned, the Terriers??? 2005-06 slate features a challenging group of opponents. BU will face at least four teams that qualified for the 2005 NCAA tournament, including Canisius, Boston College, Holy Cross and conference rival Hartford, who defeated the Terriers 52-50 in last year???s America East championship game.
Canisius, the defending MAAC champions, will host BU on Wednesday, Nov. 30, while the Terriers will visit cross-town rival BC on Sunday, Dec. 18. BU will close out the non-conference portion of its schedule in the Cavalier Classic at Virginia on Dec. 28-29, where it will face defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross in the first round before facing either Yale or the host Cavaliers, who reached the NCAA tournament last season as an at-large bid.
In addition to the season opener at St. John???s on Nov. 18, the Terriers will face two other opponents who were selected for the postseason NIT last spring, including a home matchup with Delaware on Nov. 27 and two America East contests with Maine. The home contest against the Black Bears will be BU???s lone appearance at Agganis Arena. BU???s home opener will feature former conference mate Northeastern on Nov. 21. The Terriers only other non-conference home tilt will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3, when it faces Long Island.
BU???s three other non-conference games will take place in early December, as the squad travels to Brown on Dec. 7 before making the trip to Indiana, where it will face the Hoosiers at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Dec. 10. The Terriers will also tangle with Harvard in a road game on Dec. 13.
Once the calendar turns to 2006, the Terriers will commence their 16-game America East schedule, beginning with road contests against UMBC and Harford on Jan. 7 and Jan. 11, respectively. BU???s conference home opener will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, against Binghamton.
