Spring Break
URI women's basketball looking to improve season
Kayla Panu
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Sports
11/14/08 - After finishing last season with a 13-18 record, the University of Rhode Island women's basketball team will open its season today, hoping to improve.
"I think this year our goals are to exceed the win total from last year and to grow our young players and give them more experience," head coach Tom Garrick said.
Last year, the Rams were 5-9 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They defeated St. Bonaventure in the opening round of the A-10 Tournament, 61-49, but lost to George Washington University in the quarterfinals, 70-43.
"I thought last season was a great stepping stone," Garrick said. "We grew as a team and bonded better, which made these people closer together."
He also said they had the best record in a couple of years.
To help improve their record this year, the Rams made their preseason workouts more strenuous, Garrick said. "We have a bigger squad this year and we are pretty well prepared," he said.
Garrick said he has confidence in his guards but also it was too soon to notice the weaknesses of the team.
The team has four new players added to its roster, including three freshmen and a junior college transfer. They also have a player that was red shirted last year who is eligible to play. The three freshmen are Lara Gaspar, Sherrie Session and Chari Lehnertz.
These players will replace the five that the Rams lost from last year. One of the players that graduated was Safi Mojidi, who was presented with the Rhode Island female Collegiate Athlete of the Year award in June at the second-annual Cox Rhode Island Sports Awards.
Garrick said that the returning players need to step up and lead the team. Returning Seniors included Sierra Cooper, Tanja Licina, Amanda McGrew and Crystal Bellinger.
The Rams host Boston University tonight at 5 p.m.
"BU is going to be a stiff test for us on opening night," Garrick said. "We are looking for the girls to fight and be resilient."
The BU Terriers recorded 20 victories last season for the first time in 20 years and they made the America East Conference finals for the fifth time in six years.
Garrick said that he wants his team to show off their competitiveness tonight. "We want to run the ball," he said about their strategy. "We want to be a solid defensive team and hold BU to a low field goal percentage."
He ended on a positive note for the upcoming season. "We're going to put a team on the floor that the university can be proud of."
"I think this year our goals are to exceed the win total from last year and to grow our young players and give them more experience," head coach Tom Garrick said.
Last year, the Rams were 5-9 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They defeated St. Bonaventure in the opening round of the A-10 Tournament, 61-49, but lost to George Washington University in the quarterfinals, 70-43.
"I thought last season was a great stepping stone," Garrick said. "We grew as a team and bonded better, which made these people closer together."
He also said they had the best record in a couple of years.
To help improve their record this year, the Rams made their preseason workouts more strenuous, Garrick said. "We have a bigger squad this year and we are pretty well prepared," he said.
Garrick said he has confidence in his guards but also it was too soon to notice the weaknesses of the team.
The team has four new players added to its roster, including three freshmen and a junior college transfer. They also have a player that was red shirted last year who is eligible to play. The three freshmen are Lara Gaspar, Sherrie Session and Chari Lehnertz.
These players will replace the five that the Rams lost from last year. One of the players that graduated was Safi Mojidi, who was presented with the Rhode Island female Collegiate Athlete of the Year award in June at the second-annual Cox Rhode Island Sports Awards.
Garrick said that the returning players need to step up and lead the team. Returning Seniors included Sierra Cooper, Tanja Licina, Amanda McGrew and Crystal Bellinger.
The Rams host Boston University tonight at 5 p.m.
"BU is going to be a stiff test for us on opening night," Garrick said. "We are looking for the girls to fight and be resilient."
The BU Terriers recorded 20 victories last season for the first time in 20 years and they made the America East Conference finals for the fifth time in six years.
Garrick said that he wants his team to show off their competitiveness tonight. "We want to run the ball," he said about their strategy. "We want to be a solid defensive team and hold BU to a low field goal percentage."
He ended on a positive note for the upcoming season. "We're going to put a team on the floor that the university can be proud of."
