The University of Maryland-Baltimore County women?s basketball team appeared to be on the cusp of putting together a special season last year.
The Retrievers got off to a 14-8 start after winning a combined 12 games the previous two seasons. But the team struggled horribly during the final weeks of the season and lost five of its final six games.
However, coach Phil Stern has reason to be optimistic as UMBC prepares to start the 2006-07 season Friday at George Washington. The Retrievers return four starters and 11 letter-winners from last season and seem determined to prove they are better than their projected sixth place in the preseason America East Conference poll. In fact, last season, UMBC defeated every team in the nine-team conference except eventual champion Hartford.
“We have the deepest, most experienced team we?ve had since I?ve been here,” said Stern, who is 41-73 entering his fifth year at UMBC. “At this point, we?ve proven anything can happen with us, and we have the size, speed and strength to compete in the America East.”
Senior Shari Rohde combines all those elements. The 5-foot-11 forward averaged 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists a game last year. Junior forward Amanda Robinson (9.1 ppg, 5 rpg) and senior guard Brittnie Hughes (10.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3 apg) are also expected to make solid contributions.
“Shari is the toughest player I?ve coached,” Stern said. “She never takes a break in practice and never wants to come out of a game. But we have the depth this year where Shari doesn?t have to play 40 minutes a game, and I think that will help us be more competitive in March.”
Rohde said she thinks UMBC will be a more physical team in the low post and will commit fewer turnovers with so many returning players.
“We have the depth where one person doesn?t have to carry us every game,” Rohde said. “We just need to come out and play with the same enthusiasm that we had in the middle of last year for a whole season, and I think we will win a lot more games.”
