Seton Hill Women's Basketball
The 2011-12 Seton Hill Women’s Basketball Team is looking to continue the tradition of excellence that has been built over the years here on the Hill. Last year’s squad finished with an overall record of 22-7 and a WVIAC record of 16-6. The Griffins earned a 4th seed going into the WVIAC tournament. Seton Hill came out victorious in the first and second rounds beating Davis and Elkins at home and then West Virginia Wesleyan in Charleston. However, the road stopped there as they lost in the semifinals to Charleston. Ferne Labati, will return to lead the Griffins in her sixth season at the University. New additions to the staff include, first year assistant coach Courtney Callas, who spent the past two seasons as a graduate assistant and first year graduate assistant Joya Whittington.
This year’s squad will need to replace four members of the team lost to graduation that helped continue to build the program into what it is today. Leading the way for the 2011-12 squad will be returning senior captain Anne Marie Olesky. Olesky is known for being an outside shooting threat. Olesky played in 29 games, scored 7.2 points per game, and hit 50 three pointers. Rounding out the senior class is forward Lindsy Muchnock. In her junior year she averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. The coaches are really looking for Muchnock to step up this year and become an inside and outside threat.
The junior class only returns two players in captain Clare Berenato and Jaleesa Beverly. Both players will be called upon to provide additional leadership throughout the season. Berenato is a vocal leader on and off the court and gives the team an inside threat who can score from the paint and outside the arc. Berenato averaged 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last season. Beverly was hurt for the majority of the season last year only playing in 11 games. She is a forward who the coaches plan on looking to to produce down low.
Rounding out the returnees for the Griffins are two sophomores who saw significant playing time during their freshman season. Paige Alviani started off her college career with a bang. She averaged 11.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She also recorded 34 steals for the Griffins. With those statistics Alviani was named to the All Freshman Team in 2011 and All Tournament team at the WVIAC Tournament. Coach Labati is looking to Alviani to do big things again this year. Tiara Stossel averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. She is a quick and athletic guard who will be called upon to use her defensive skills to guard the opponent’s best player.
The newcomers to the squad include guards Kelly Brennan from Pittsburgh, PA, Meghan Mastroianni from Coraopolis, PA, and red shirt freshman Megan Mignogna from Chagrin Falls, OH. Forwards include Shannon Powell from Glenshaw, PA, Nicole Malara from Mount Pleasant, PA, Mallory Sanner from Uniontown, PA, and transfer sophomore Katie Gattuso from Pittsburgh, PA
The schedule this season includes 22 conference games and some tough nonconference games highlighted by four matchups with PSAC foes. The highlight of the Griffins preseason schedule will be a trip to the Petersen Events Center where they will take on the Pitt Panthers on November 4th. The Griffins open up the season on November 11-12 when they take part in the WVIAC/CIAA/PSAC Challenge at Shepherd when they will take on Bowie State and Bloomsburg. SHU will open up WVIAC play at home against WV Wesleyan on November 16th. The Griffins close out the regular season at home against Pitt Johnstown on February 25th. The WVIAC playoffs begin the following Monday.
