University of New Hampshire Athletics
SEASON PREVIEW: Women's Basketball Set to Battle in 2015-16
11/11/2015 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire women's basketball team leaps into the 2015-16 season in pursuit of its first-ever America East title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Sixth-year head coach Maureen Magarity and her staff welcome back eight letterwinners and six newcomers as the new season has generated tremendous excitement for the team's championship hopes.
The Wildcats return assistant coaches Brendan Copes for a fourth season and Kelsey Hogan for her second year on staff. UNH added Whitney Edwards '07 this offseason as its newest assistant coach. Edwards, who played four seasons at UNH, was a two-time America East All-Defensive Team in 2006 and 2007 and was named conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Edwards remains second all-time in team history in steals (229) and assists (382).
New Hampshire also welcomes Courtney Anderson as the team's new Director of Basketball Operations. Anderson graduated from the University of Maine last spring after being a four-year letterwinner with the Black Bears.
The Wildcats take the court this season after finishing 17-12 overall and 9-7 against America East opponents last season. UNH finished the season fourth in the league standings and reached double digit wins for the fourth consecutive year. New Hampshire started 2014-15 with three straight wins and looks to build early momentum again this season.
GUARDS
Co-captain Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) is back for her senior year after emerging as New Hampshire's most dangerous offensive player. Belanger, an America East All-Conference First Team selection last season, led the team with 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game during a prolific 2014-15 season. Tabbed to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team, the senior has amassed 940 career points and is expected to reach the 1,000-point milestone this season.
Junior Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) brings her explosive shooting ability back to UNH's offense as she led the team in made 3-point field goals with 42. Anderson's prowess was on display as she sunk the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap off a 20-point rally to down Northeastern University on the road last season. Her 3.2 assists per game ranked second among all Wildcats.
Sophomores Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) and Peyton Booth (Wadsworth, Ohio) look to bolster UNH's guard unit. Simpson started 22 of 29 games as a freshman and shot .388 percent from beyond the arc, which ranked second on the team. Booth appeared in 23 games and logged an average of 6.9 minutes per contest.
Junior Brittni Lai (Irvington, N.Y.) will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer regulations. Lai transferred to UNH after playing two years at Marist College. Last season she averaged 4.4 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Redshirt freshman Emily Peters (Lindstrom, Minn.) gets her first shot at collegiate basketball after missing the all of last season due to injury. A 2014 graduate of Forrest Lake High School, Peters served as a captain in her senior season and won two AAU state titles for the Minnesota Fury.
Freshmen Sam Sabino (Rumson, N.J.) and Alli Gribbin (Keller, Texas) represent the two youngest guards on the team. Sabino joins the Wildcats after helping her team capture two state championships at Rumson Fair Haven High School and playing for the AAU's New Jersey Shoreshots. Gribbin was named All-District Best Defensive Player Award in 2013 and 2014 while playing for Keller High School. Gribbin also helped guide her team to a share of the district championship in 2012.
FORWARDS
New Hampshire gets one of its best forwards back this season in senior Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.). Coia returns to the lineup after missing the entire 2014-15 season due to injury. Before her injury, the 6-foot-4 forward made her presence felt in 2013-14 as she ranked second on the team in scoring (11.8 points per game) and rebounds (5.9 per game). Coia also posted the team's highest field goal percentage at .475 on her way to being named an America East All-Conference Second Team selection. She was also named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team last season.
Senior Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) returns for her final season with the 'Cats. Spoto played in 26 games with five starts in 2014-15. She was tied for fourth on the team in field goal percentage (.426) and ranked sixth in free throw percentage (.571) last season.
Sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) was a consistent scorer for UNH as a freshman last season. An All-Rookie selection in 2014-15, Pogue showed off her ability to score in the post while chalking up 7.9 points per game, which ranked fourth on the team. The sophomore, who played in all 29 games and started in eight, also ranked fourth among on the team in rebounding with 4.9 per game.
The Wildcats also return sophomore Morgan Bassett-Smith (Pickerington, Ohio) to provide additional depth at the center position. Bassett-Smith appeared in 14 games off the bench last season with UNH.
Freshman Ashley Storey (Cumberland, Maine) joins New Hampshire after playing for Greely High School and the Maine Firecrackers of the AAU. Storey, a Western Maine Conference All-Star First Team selection, was a member of the 2011-12 Firecrackers that fought to a runner-up finish at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Tournament.
The Wildcats feature two newcomers alongside a healthy and rejuvenated Coia. Freshman Raven Brathwaite (Boston, Mass.) played for Brookline High School and the AAU's Boston Showstoppers prior to joining the Wildcats this season. She was named one of the top 20 players in Massachusetts by Mass Prepstars. Junior Kat Fogarty (Peterborough, N.H.) comes to UNH as a transfer after playing two seasons at Marist College. Last season, she played 30 games for Marist and averaged 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Fogarty also buried an impressive 81.5 percent of her free throw attempts and registered 15 blocks. However, she will sit out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer regulations.
2015-16 SCHEDULE
The Wildcats open their season against Colby-Sawyer College at Lundholm Gymnasium on Friday, Nov. 13 (5 p.m.) for Pack the Gym Night where the first 150 students will recieve a free t-shirt. UNH then begins a two-game road trip at Dartmouth College on Monday, Nov. 16 (7 p.m.). UNH finishes the short trip with a battle against Sacred Heart University on Wednesday, Nov. 18 (7 p.m.).
New Hampshire returns home for a pair of games, starting with a matchup with the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, Nov. 22 (1 p.m.). Manhattan College visits Lundholm Gymnasium on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. The Wildcats follow their two-game home stint with an away game at Central Connecticut State University on Sunday, Nov. 29 (1 p.m.).
After facing CCSU, UNH comes back to Durham for three consecutive games. Northeastern University challenges the Wildcats on Wednesday, Dec. 2 (7 p.m.) before UNH takes on Boston University on Saturday, Dec. 5 (4 p.m.). New Hampshire then plays Siena College on Wednesday, Dec. 9 (7 p.m.) prior to hitting the road for five straight games.
The Wildcats embark on their five game road swing beginning at Boston College on Sunday, Dec. 13 (1 p.m.). UNH then travels to Bryant University for a game Sunday, Dec. 20 (1 p.m.). The team continues its stretch of road games with a matchup against the University of North Carolina on Tuesday, Dec. 29 (2 p.m.). New Hampshire opens the new year at Yale University on Saturday, Jan. 2 (1 p.m.) and Binghamton University on Saturday, Jan. 9 (4 p.m.).
UNH comes home to take on the University at Albany on Wednesday, Jan. 13 (12 p.m.). New Hampshire hits the road again to face Stony Brook University on Saturday, Jan. 16 (2 p.m.). The Wildcats then play conference rival University of Maine at Lundholm Gymnasium on Monday, Jan. 18 (3 p.m.) in a game broadcasted on ESPN3. The University of Massachusetts Lowell visits Durham on Thursday, Jan. 21 (7 p.m.).
The Wildcats travel to the University of Hartford on Sunday, Jan. 24 (12 p.m.) for another game aired on ESPN3. UNH follows up with a road tilt at the University of Vermont on Wednesday, Jan. 27 (7 p.m.). The Wildcats finish January with a home game against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Jan. 30 at 1 p.m.) on WBIN Classics. UNH kicks off February by welcoming Binghamton University to Lundholm Gymnasium on Tuesday, Feb. 2 (1 p.m.); it will be broadcasted on Fox College Sports. New Hampshire plays at Maine on Monday, Feb. 8 (7 p.m.) before traveling to UAlbany on Thursday, Feb. 11 (7 p.m.). Next, the Wildcats take on Stony Brook in Durham on Sunday, Feb. 14 (1 p.m.). UNH battles UMass Lowell on Wednesday, Feb. 17 (7 p.m.) at the Tsongas Arena.
The Wildcats play a two-game homestand featuring matchups against Hartford (Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.) and Vermont (Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.). UNH closes the regular season at UMBC on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.
UNH will compete in the 2016 America East Championships with Binghamton serving as the host institution. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played on March 7 and 8. Finalists will clash Sunday, March 13 with the highest seed serving as the host school. Times of the tournament are to be determined. The winner of the America East Championship receives an automatic bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The entire tournament will be broadcasted on the ESPN family of networks.
For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com/tickets or call (603) 862-400.
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