November 15, 2007
Women's Basketball Preview:
Veteran Returnees, New Staff Lead To Higher Hopes in 07-08
 

Senior All Conference center Erin Moseley enters 07-08 11 points shy of 1,000 for her career (Gil Talbot photo).

Nashua – It’s a rare thing for a first year head coach to inherit a full roster her first day on the job. It’s even rarer to inherit nine letter winners and all five starters. But that’s the rare and enviable situation Heather Jacobs finds herself in as she begins her first season behind the bench for the Daniel Webster women’s basketball program in 2007-08.

After an 8-15 overall mark last season and just missing out on the conference tournament, the 07-08 Eagles have an interesting dichotomy of youth and experience coming together for what all involved hope will lead to a winning season and return to post season play for the first time since 1999.

The experience is found in those nine returning winners and five starters. The experience is also found in Jacobs’ outstanding collegiate career with the Ravens, followed by a year as assistant coach at GNAC power Norwich. The youth is also found in Jacobs, who takes the reins as the youngest coach among all divisions in the NCAA ranks (confirmed recently by the NCAA office).

“It is a rare thing, I know” noted Jacobs. “But I expect we’ll come together very quickly under our new system. This season our goal is to get better every day - to come in and practice with high energy and intensity. By doing so we will raise our level of play and if we take care of those things the rest will take care of itself.”

“To have all five starters returning is exciting because it enables our underclassman to learn from them and their experiences,” added Jacobs. “We expect our freshmen to contribute immediately and our two returning seniors both averaged almost double figures last year, and those numbers speak for themselves.”

Despite her youth, it was the maturity Jacobs displayed throughout the search process at DWC that left the strongest impression on the College’s athletic department officials.

“Heather’s youth was never a factor in our search for a top candidate. What impressed us, and continues to impress us, is her preparation, basketball sense and the maturity she has displayed,” said Phil Rowe, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Athletics. “Her experience as a player and her ability to show how much she has absorbed in such a short time after graduation is a real tribute to her basketball knowledge. We are very excited to have her here at DWC.”

The front court:
Senior Erin Moseley leads the squad up front after another all conference performance in 06-07, in which she earned third team accolades as a center. Moseley, who also received all conference accolades as a sophomore, led the squad with 14.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, led the team in field goals, and shot a team best .742 from the line. She reached double figures in scoring 18 times and double figures in rebounding 12 times.

“Erin is a true leader and we expect her to continue to be a major factor in our offense,” said Jacobs. “She has a great sense around the basket and that allows her to be a real presence in the paint.”

A five-time GNAC weekly honoree and one time Player of the Week last year, Moseley enters the season fifth all time at DWC with 989 career points, as she will become the fifth Eagle to reach the 1,000-point mark. She is also climbing the all time rebounds ladder with 619, good for sixth all time.

Along with Moseley, sophomore Ashley Boyd returns up front after averaging 5.5 ppg and 7.4 rebounds, second behind Moseley. Boyd hit for double figures four times last season which included two double doubles. Sophomore Brianna DeSeignora spent time at small forward, exhibiting flashes of brilliance finishing with 7.4 ppg, hitting for double figures in scoring five times.

Adding depth up front is junior Jenny Ozug (2.7 ppg / 3.2 reb) and sophomore Emily Coole (4.1 / 1.3). Newcomer Alyssa Regan should see most of her time at center, backing up Moseley. Regan comes to the program after a strong career locally at Salem (NH) High.

The back court:
The Eagles are led by senior shooting guard Sara Shea, who finished second in scoring with 9.7 ppg and added 3.5 rebounds. Shea also added a team best 3.4 assists. Sophomore Nicole Conley (4.3 ppg / 2.3 reb) spent time at point guard. Junior Danielle Carkin added a consistent 3.7 ppg, 3.8 boards and added 27 steals, while also spending time at shooting guard.

Newcomers Joyce Chagan of Boothbay, Maine and Amy Frasier of Somerville, Mass. are expected to provide quality depth.

The schedule:
Like their male counterparts, the Eagle women will have some interesting twists with the 2007-08 schedule. The entire Eagle program will depart the Great Northeast Athletic Conference at the conclusion of the academic year to join the newly formed nine-school New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) as founding members. In doing so, the Eagles both welcome and bid adieu to new GNAC members Mount Ida, Lasell and St. Joseph’s (Maine). The Eagles also make acquaintances with future NECC rivals Wheelock, Newbury, Bay Path and Mitchell.

The Eagles open their campaign Friday, November 16th at the Plymouth State Days Inn of Campton Classic against the host Panthers. The tournament also includes New England College and Wellesley.

The home schedule (in order) opens November 20th with Anna Maria and also includes Eastern Nazarene, Bay Path, Lyndon State, Pine Manor, Emerson, Westfield State, Albertus Magnus, long time city rival Rivier (Feb. 6), Norwich, Suffolk, Mitchell, and the regular season finale with Lasell on February 23rd.

Along with the Plymouth State tourney, road contests include Regis, New England College, Newbury, Emmanuel, Mount Ida, St. Joseph (Conn.), Johnson & Wales, Simmons and St. Joseph’s (Maine).

The GNAC continues to grow in stature and talent with the likes of annual regional contenders Emmanuel and Norwich, along with up and comers like Mount Ida and Rivier. With the loss of Western New England to the CCC, but the additions of the three new programs, 14 schools are now vying for just eight playoff spots. But with the right blend of youth and experience, the Eagles should be expected to be in the mix for those eight spots come late February.