With the basketball season ready to hit the hardwood, the Blackburn College Women’s Basketball Team looks to improve on last year with a new head coach, Katie Fonseca. Fonseca says that “The goals for this season are for the team to compete at the highest level possible day in and day out.” “I’d like the team to grow as a group and win basketball games, added Fonseca.”
There is a new format and new rules being implemented this year by the NCAA. Instead of playing two twenty minute halves, the teams will now play four, ten minute quarters. Also, after the fifth team foul, teams will be in the double bonus. Coach Fonseca believes that this will make the games more exciting and will help the women transition from the high school game to the college game much easier. She also believes that the automatic double bonus is something that can make any non-offensive team put more points as well as put pressure on the defense.
Fonseca has some new faces this year, and will be looking for new players to make a big impact right away. In the middle there will be two newcomers to this year’s squad in freshmen, Angela Andrews and Gariel Pierce. “Both women have great footwork and a variety of post moves, I can’t wait to see them in action down low” said Fonseca. Fonseca will look for sophomore Candace Pollock, to bring the ball up the floor and be a vocal leader. “I just want to see the team go out and compete day in and day out, if we can do that then we will have a great chance to win some ballgames this year” says Candace Pollock. Fonseca will look for sophomores Halle Engel and Aleisha Stillner to spread the floor with their three point shots. Stiltner is the team’s leading returning scorer as she averaged 10.1 points per game last season. Fonseca expects senior guard Danae Smith to defend the other team’s best defender and find ways to score and get to the line at the offensive end. Danae’s sister, junior guard Danique Smith, is expected to come in and get to the rim and draw fouls. The Beavers will have a dual sport athlete on the court this year in sophomore forward Casey Fellin, who will look to come in and run the floor and rebound for the team. Another contributor to this year’s squad will be freshmen Elisabeth Johnston, who will contribute by defending and rebounding.
The Beavers will start their season on November 13th this Friday against Augustana College in a non-conference game in Carlinville.