Today: Mar 18, 2024

Women’s hoops will be one to remember

Mike NevilleSports Editor

After winning just four conference games and finishing last season with a tough 10-18 overall record, the Owls women’s basketball team is reloaded and projects to exceed last year’s underwhelming results.

This year, Head Coach Kate Lynch, entering her sixth season, has a roster of 13 players – eight of which are newcomers. However, the five she returns include star forwards Kiana Steinauer and Jessica Fressle, both graduate students.

Lynch will know exactly what her team is getting in Fressle and Steinauer, as both are equipped with experience and can each go off for 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds on any given night. However, the rest of her lineup seems to be up in the air.

The backcourt will likely see the most change this year, after the departure of last year’s starters: Ednaija Lassiter and 1000-point scorer Imani Wheeler.

Amani Boston, a sophomore, saw an exceptional amount of playing time as a freshman last year and could step in as Lynch’s new starting point guard after showing glimpses of elite potential. Her speed is comparable to that of her predecessor’s, and the toughness she brings will be key parts to her role on defense.

At 5-foot-7, Boston averaged seven points per game and a season high of 18 points against Adelphi, last season’s number one team in the NE10.

Joining Boston in the backcourt will likely be the 6-foot-1 Alexa Kellner, a sophomore who was a regular in the starting lineup last year. While Kellner brings height to an otherwise shorter lineup, her three-point shot is where she is most valuable, as she scored over nine points per game on 33 percent from three.

Last season, Lynch utilized a starting lineup of three guards. This year she has the option to do the same, as guard Patricia Conroy, a senior transfer from Division I University of Albany, could join Boston and Kellner.

Conroy played in 29 games last year for the Great Danes, starting eight and averaging 4.6 points per game. She only averaged 3.7 points per game for her career but the transition from Division I to Division II could play to her benefit.

A healthy Owls team can be a very dangerous group this season, and if all goes according to plan, we could see this team make a deep run come the NCAA Tournament.

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