BASKETBALL ThE hAwKNovember 10, 2010

www.sjuhawknews.comB5

Xavier30-4 Last season

Xavier has won two straight conference titles, and made it all the way to the region-al finals of the NCAA Tournament, losing to top-seeded Stanford by only two points.

Charlotte18-14 Last season

Charlotte beat the Hawks twice last season, including ending their run in the Atlantic 10 Tournament by a score of 87-85. The Hawks will be looking for revenge in 2010.

Temple25-9 Last season

The Owls gave St. Joe’s troubles last year , beat-ing them twice in the regular season by a total of five points. They could prove troublesome again, as they are picked third in the Atlantic 10.

Providence19-15 Last season

Their record may not be impressive, but given the fact that they played against teams

such as National Champion Connecticut, a 19-15 mark is more than respectable.

Tulane26-7 Last season

The Green Wave earned a bid in the NCAA tournament last year after becoming the Con-

ference USA champion. Their run came to an end in the first round against Georgia.

Lehigh29-4 Last season

The Mountain Hawks had one of the best seasons in program history last season, earning

them a bid in the NCAA tournament. They were picked second in their league this year.

A-10 could make or break womens’ seasonTom HaganSports Editor

In order to get to their second straight postseason appearance, the Saint Joseph’s women’s basketball team will face some stiff competition during conference play this season. To open conference play, the

Hawks will travel to St. Louis on Jan. 8 to play the Billikens, who finished tied for ninth in the conference. Following this trip to the

Midwest, the Hawks will return home for a two-week stretch, playing four games at Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena while traveling to Temple to

play in the Liacouras Center. Opening this stretch in the City of Brotherly Love are games at home against Xavier and Charlotte, who both finished in the top four of the Atlantic 10. Xavier comes into this

season ranked sixth nationally, finishing 14-0 in conference with a 30-4 overall record. Charlotte finished the season falling in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), but made it all the way to the semifinals of the conference tournament. The schedule does not get

any easier for the Hawks, as they travel to Temple after the two home games. Temple

comes into this season ranked 22nd nationally, finishing last season with a 25-9 overall record, which gave them a tie for second in the A-10. After this tough stretch of three

games, the Hawks get what some might consider a small reprieve from the conference giants when they play UMass, who finished tied for ninth in the conference with an 11-19 overall record. Right after their match with UMass, though, the Hawks get back to the grind as they play St. Bonaventure on Jan. 26. The Bonnies finished last season with a strong 23-10 record. To end January, St. Joe’s

begins a three game road trip

with a game against Dayton, a team who finished only behind Xavier in the conference.The final two games of the

road trip bring some relief in terms of schedule strength, at the Hawks travel to Rhode Island and Fordham, who finished in the bottom half of the conference. The team then returns home Feb. 12 against Richmond for one home game before they then head back out on the road to face Duquesne. To wrap up conference play,

the Hawks will return home for two games against La Salle on Feb. 19 and Temple on Feb. 23. While Temple will prove to be a tough opponent, La Salle finished dead last in the

conference, hopefully giving the Hawks a chance to work on honing their skills for the showdown against the Owls. To wrap up the season, St.

Joe’s will travel down to Washington, D.C. to play against the Colonials, a team that ended last season with a 3-11 conference record. The 2010 version of the A-10

looks to have a lot of parity, as seven teams ended up in the top five places of the conference last year. If the Hawks can find a way to handle the easy opponents while challenging the conference giants, they could very well be on their way to a second straight postseason bid in the 2010-2011 season.

Hawks see familiar non-conference opponentsTim morgan ’12

Assistant Sports Editor

The Saint Joseph’s women’s basketball team had an extremely successful run last year, and are hoping to go even further as a new season approaches. They face a tough and talented non-conference schedule. Head Coach Cindy Griffin, coming into her 10th year with the team, was very positive and very excited for this upcoming year. She talked about how the team was one win away from a long run in postseason basketball and hopefully they can get that one win that will lead them to a championship. But a successful season did

not lead to a summer of easy practices. Griffin stressed hard work and challenged her players in the offseason. She said that they practiced their

weaknesses, but also made it a point to practice their strengths. By practicing their strengths and weaknesses they will improve on things they excel at already and the things that need extra work. Whether this practice paid off

or not will be put to the test early on this season, as the Hawks open up the season against Providence, a Big East team who made it to the quarterfinals of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). After the season opener, the

Hawks will not be able to enjoy the friendly confines of the Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena for almost a month, as they travel to Sacred Heart on Nov. 16 to play the Pioneers. Sacred Heart went 19-10 last season, and is picked to finish the season third in their conference. After that, the Hawks will then

travel down I-95, where they will

face off against the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). The Retrievers are a familiar foe for the Hawks, who beat UMBC by a score of 77-55 last season. Following this is a trip back to Philadelphia and a date with Drexel. The Dragons are predicted to be sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association, but like the Retrievers know the St. Joe’s women, as they beat the Hawks 71-69 last December. After attempting to get back

at the Dragons, the Hawks will face another challenge in Lehigh, who posted a 29-4 record last season with a perfect 16-0 record at home. Last season, the Hawks struggled on the road against non-conference opponents, and will need to change that this season in order to have early success, especially against tough opponents such as Lehigh.The Hawks will make one last

long road trip when they go to New Orleans on Dec. 3 and 4 to participate in the Big Easy Classic. During this run, they will play Tulane and Detroit, both of whom had winning seasons last year and will look to improve on that this year. Closing out the non-conference

schedule are four games against mixed opponents. The first two games of this stretch are against UPenn and Villanova, who are predicted to finish eighth and fourteenth in their respective conferences. Following these two games are two against Princeton and Delaware, both of whom are expected to place in the top five of their conferences. These last two games will prove to be a tough end to a strong non-conference schedule. What could hurt the Hawks is

the departure of three of their best scorers due to graduation.

Griffin addressed the issue of losing the top three scorers by saying that “to be successful we need improved guard play,” and that they will look to Dominique Bryant, ’11, and Kelly Cavallo ,’12, to step up and lead the team. She said that both of them will have a primary role in this upcoming season as scorers and as leaders of the team. Bryant especially will be

looked to lead the team on and off the court. Griffin talked about how Dominique is teaching the younger players in practice and how to compete. She sets an example for the younger players, and they work hard to meet that example. Griffin expects Dominique to set the bar in practice and have the other players meet that bar, which could be a potent formula for success in the 2010 season.

BASKETBALLThE hAwKNovember 10, 2010www.sjuhawknews.comB6

adam BooTH ’13Hawk Staff

The Hawks look to build on last year’s appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), and one of the key components is guard Ashley Prim, ’13. In her first year at St. Joe’s, Prim made her presence known. After becoming a starter last

year, Prim had an impressive season, leading the team in assists, averaging a little over seven points a game, coming in second on the team in steals. Prim also lead the team in minutes played. Even after her impressive first season on Hawk Hill, the soft-spoken Connecticut native said her biggest challenge this year is “to become a leader of this, be more vocal.”Now returning to Hawk Hill for

another season, Prim is excited to get started. “What we want to do is drop this

underdog status. We were picked seventh in the conference, which is where we were last year. We

know we can do better than that,” said Prim. The team had a disappointing loss

in the first round of the WNIT last year. Prim said that the next step for the team needs to be “making the NCAAs. That’s where we want to be, and should be.” With the success the team had

last year, and the bar set higher this year, Prim expects to see some people in the seats of Michael Hagan ’85 Arena during the women’s home games. “We had a solid year and no one

showed up. It’s a shame, but if we achieve what we want to, we should have this arena packed and rocking. This is a great place to play and we want the fans to make it tough place to play for anyone else.” The Hawks still made a home

of the new arena, posting a record of 12-5 at home including a 6-1 record against Atlantic 10 competition. Prim’s desire to become a

leader is a passionate one, but she is mindful of the people who came before her and the impact

they have had on the game. “They showed me the ropes,

took me under their wing and got me ready to play D1 ball. They also taught me how to prepare for the competition out there, this is a tough conference. It’s time for me and the rest of the team to take what we have learned from them and apply it now,” Prim said. Asked if she had any games

circled on the calendar, Prim said, “All of the A-10 games, especially Xavier. They are number five in the nation and most importantly the top team in the conference. Playing against them will not only be a challenge but it will show how good we really are.” With competition at an all-time

high, and with some new faces on the team to replace the old ones, Prim is locked and loaded for the season, as are her teammates. It will take a strong effort from this talented squad to bring an A-10 banner back to the Hagan Arena, but according to Prim, “It’s not out of the question.”

Samira Van Grinsven-Junior Transfer-6’ 2” Forward-13.4 ppg last year

Cavallo looks to have a bigger role this year

PaTrick SHelley ’14Hawk Staff

On every team there’s the player that sets the pivotal screen to open up a shot for a teammate, grabs the late rebound to secure a win, or even comes into the game and makes a big shot. Kelly Cavallo, ’12, is that player on the Hawks’ squad this year. “I’m just trying to help the team

win, anyway I can. Whether that means crashing the boards or getting a big block,” Cavallo said, when asked what her role will be on the team this year. Cavallo should have no trouble

producing blocked shots this year. With her long 6’1” frame, Cavallo is the only returning player to have 20 or more blocks last year and could very well be the leading shot blocker this year. Cavallo said she loves blocking shots because it “pumps the team up and gets the crowd involved.” Along with being a big shot

blocker last year, Cavallo also had career highs in points (2.5 ppg), rebounds (3.1 rpg), minutes (11.2 mpg) and was second on the team in field goal percentage (.516). Last year, she even had one

game against St. John’s in which she scored 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting. Along with that stellar performance, Cavallo also registered her first career double-double against Florida International. With many players graduating this year, Cavallo

should play a much larger role in the Hawks offense and defense.More than anything, Cavallo

is very eager about the team’s potential. “We’ve got a really young

team this year and we’re all really excited about proving ourselves both in the Atlantic 10 and outside of our conference,” Cavallo said. The Hawks finished 17-15

last year and Kelly seems very excited to improve on that record. Cavallo said it was very

interesting to meet all the new members on the team and she believes that creating chemistry off the court translates to chemistry on the court. If the Hawks play to their potential, then Cavallo believes they will have a very successful year.Cavallo could be a big producer

for the Hawks as her minutes could greatly increase from last year. After showing flashes of her true potential in games against Florida International and St. John’s, don’t be surprised if Cavallo has a breakout year in her first full year as a starter. When all the small things that

she does are put together, it should make a large impact on the team as a whole. Throughout the year, look for Cavallo to be pulling down rebounds, blocking shots and doing the little things to help her team come home with a win.

Prim has set high expectations for both her and the women’s basketball team in the 2010 season.

GREG CARROCCIO/SIDELINE PhOTOS

Prim seeks big year

The Hawks will need big production from Cavallo if they are to win.

GREG CARROCCIO/SIDELINE PhOTOS

Ilze Gotfrida-From Dobele, Latvia -6’ 0” Forward-16.9 ppg last year

Kasie Parker-From Oviedo, Fla.-5’ 9” Guard-24 ppg last year

Allie Jones-From Wakefield, RI-6’ 3” Forward/Center-18 ppg last year

Erin Shields-From Drexel Hill, Pa.-5’ 6” Guard-9.8 ppg last year

Meet the freshmen

For moreinformation on these players and other members of the women’s basketball team, check out www.sjuhawknews.com.

alex HouPerT ’14Hawk Staff

Saint Joseph’s guard Katie Kuester’s, ’12, ties to the game of basketball go back an entire generation. Kuester, who has been playing basketball since the age of three, was inspired to play by her father, Jonn Kuester, a veteran to the game who played in both collegiate and professional leagues. Kuester doesn’t parade

around campus that her fa-ther is in his second year as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons, or that he has been a National Basketball Asso-ciation (NBA) assistant coach for over 14 years. She’d never mention that he was the coach of George Washington for five years, and played college bas-ketball for four years at UNC, helping the Tarheels reach the 1977 National Championship game, either. But despite her father’s

hushed accolades, Kuester still holds an immense amount of affection for her father. Kuester is originally from

Virginia, but now lives in Me-dia, Pa. An elementary educa-tion major, her goals for this season are as concrete and

filled with determination as her dreams for her future. Last season, Kuester was

second on the team in three-point shot percentage (.341), three-point field goals, led the Hawks with a .857 free throw percentage, and was awarded the Patricia Ryan Unsung Hero Award. These are im-

pressive numbers for an im-pressive basketball player; but then again, basketball runs in her blood. Looking ahead, Kuester has

already circled games on the 2010-11 schedule she’s look-ing forward to playing.

“Definitely Villanova at home, of course,” said Kue-ster. “I’m really excited for that game. But I also re-ally want to beat Temple and Charlotte. They’ve had their way with us the past couple of years and I think this is the year that we can really turn that around.” Kuester also has some high

overall goals that she hopes the Hawks can achieve this season. “I really want to win the [At-

lantic]-10, as well as the Big-5. Basically, I just want to win,” Kuester said.This may sound ambitious for

a team picked seventh in the preseason A-10 rankings, but Kuester keeps in mind the feats of the University of Connecti-cut women’s basketball team, who have gone undefeated the past two seasons on the way to winning two straight NCAA championships.“[The UConn women] are

really amazing,” said Kue-ster. “To be able to win 78 straight basketball games is truly something special. In terms of whether we’re going to go undefeated? I’d like to, but we’re going to take it one game at a time.”

BASKETBALL ThE hAwKNovember 10, 2010

www.sjuhawknews.comB7Bryant has new role as only senior

andrew lavan ’12Hawk Staff

For Dominique Bryant, ’11, this year is a final opportunity. After having a career year in her junior campaign, where she led the team in rebounds with 150, a career-high 26 three-pointers, and led all post players in three-point field goals. Appearing in all 32 games, Bryant

started in 27, averaged 6.5 points and about five rebounds per game. In key games against teams like Brown and Penn, Bryant was the highest scorer for the Hawks, net-ting 11 points in both games.In the Atlantic 10 Tournament

game against Charlotte, she tied her career high of 10 rebounds, a record which she set against Rhode Island earlier in the year. In the game against conference and in-tercity rival Temple and against conference opponent Fordham, Bryant tallied two blocks in each game. After being named one of the team’s co-captains, she looks to lead the Hawks’ charge this season once again. “With me being the only senior

on the team I’m looking to lead the team again,” said Bryant, “and be-ing one of the captains, I’m looking to keep the team collectively on the same page and just keep us all to-gether. With my skill [and] ability [I’ll] look to bring the same things that I brought last year but more.

Hustle for that extra rebound or steal, or make an extra jump shot. Just anything that can help make this team win.” With the team’s expectations

set pretty low by outsiders, Bry-ant thinks that this team can make a run.“I think we’re going to do a lot

better than seventh. Last year we were expected to place eighth and we wound up finishing fourth. We did lose 52 percent of our offense from last year with four seniors, but we have five great players coming in and the great veterans that we have left. I think we’re going to combine well this year.” When asked who she thinks is go-

ing to be a big factor on the team, she said that guard Michelle Baker, ’12, is going to be a key player in this year’s season. “I think [Baker] is going to be sur-

prising to a lot of people,” said Bry-ant. “Last year she played some but didn’t play as much. It’s just that we know what we have in this gym and the things that she can bring to our team can bring us to the next level. I think she’s going to be very important for us.”Bryant has high expectations for

herself as well, especially coming off an outstanding season last year. “I think I’ll do pretty well. It’s my

last year so I want to go out with a bang and make this year pretty great,” she said.

Kuester has high hopes for 2010 Hawks

Kuester can provide solid offense for a team who lost three scorers.GREG CARROCCIO/SIDELINE PhOTOS

Bryant will be looked to to provide leadership both on and off the court during this upcoming season.

GREG CARROCCIO/SIDELINE PhOTOS

“In terms of whether we’re going undefeat-ed? I’d like to, but we’re going to take it one game at a time.”

- Katie Kuester, ‘12

saint joseph’s university

women’s basketball preview2010-2011 season