Look out America East Conference, the UMBC women?s basketball program has arrived.
The Retrievers, 15-13 overall last season, have parlayed that winning season into a small, yet powerful recruiting class. “We really like our class coming in,” Retrievers head coach Phil Stern said Wednesday.
Carlee Cassidy, from Syracuse, N.Y., and Leanne Crockett, from Manchester, Conn., will provide support for a veteran core.
“The great thing now is that we finally have an upperclassman team,” Stern said. “(Cassidy and Crockett) don?t have to be thrown right into the fire, but they certainly could be if needed.”
Within the Princeton offense that Stern has instilled, Cassidy can play both guard positions and has shown the ability to score, having set the Upstate New York scoring record.
“We kind ofwent in the backyard of our conference and beat out a lot of schools for Carlee,” Stern said.
Stern said both Cassidy and Crockett could play immediately. But with only two seniors departing, the Retrievers are primed for a big season.
“We feel we have a group coming back that can compete for an America East championship,” said Stern, who said that after four seasons in the conference his team knows what it takes to win.
“There are no more excuses,” said Stern, who inked a four-year contract extension April 10.
UMBC will return Sharri Rohde, a 5-foot-11 forward, who averaged 12.4 points per game last season.
“She just had a phenomenal year,” Stern said. “We expect her to do big things in her senior year.”
Point guard Brittnie Hughes is another senior who Stern will rely upon this year.
“They have all been playing together since their freshman year, and that has built us to the point where we are now,” Stern said.
The biggest challenge will be replacing departed senior Matea Pender?s team-leading 12.6 points per game.
“We think we turned the corner last year,” Stern said of UMBC?s first winning season since 1993. “We think this year could be our breakthrough year.”
RETRIEVERS FILE
A look at UMBC?s incoming freshmen recruits:
» Carlee Cassidy (Westhill High School, Syracuse, N.Y.), a 5-foot-9 guard, who set an upstate New York scoring record. She will compete for playing time in the Retrievers? backcourt.
» Leanne Crockett (Manchester High School, Manchester, Conn.), a 5-foot-11 forward who Stern feels can come in and play right away.
Did you know? The Retrievers open the season at George Washington, annually ranked in the top 25, and will play non-conference games locally with Loyola, Coppin State, Towson, Navy, American and Mount St. Mary?s. Stern calls it “a fun schedule” ? Assistant coach John McGruffin left the program, and a new assistant will be named soon ? UMBC carries three Maryland products: sophomore Stacy Hunt (South River High), junior Morgan Hatten (Potomac) and senior Nicole Dixon (Woodlawn).
