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ABBY WENTWORTH
FRONTCOURT
The strength of this year’s team
appears to be in the frontcourt, where
a pair of returning starters—juniors
Lindsey Loutsenhizer and Nadia
Peters will once again play major roles
after solid sophomore campaigns. A
Second Team All-MAAC selection last
season, Loutsenhizer was named to the
Preseason All-MAAC First Team this year.
She led the Lady Jaspers in both scoring
(15.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) while
averaging a MAAC-best 17.5 points in
conference games in 2009-10. A versatile
all-around scoring threat, Loutsenhizer
ranked second in the MAAC in field goal
percentage (.469) and third in free throw
percentage (.815) last season. She also
shot .394 from downtown and drained a
team-best 43 three-pointers.
The team’s other co-captain, Peters
was one of three Lady Jaspers to start
all 30 games in 2009-10. One of the top
shot blockers in the MAAC, she placed
second in the league in that category
last season, averaging 1.6 per game.
Peters also ranked second on the team in
rebounding (5.2 rpg) and contributed 7.1
points per game while shooting .472 from
the field during the 2009-10 campaign.
“Nadia and Lindsey give us one of
the best frontcourts in the MAAC,”
Olenowski said about the duo. “Nadia
is a great defender and rebounder, and
she’s improved her offensive game
tremendously. Lindsey is a proven scorer
and big-game performer. She is also a
very good rebounder.”
Sophomore Toni-Ann Lawrence, who
can also double up as a guard, will likely
be the other starting forward. Lawrence
played in all 30 games and made six
starts as a freshman, averaging 2.5 points
and 2.9 rebounds per contest. She has
made significant strides since last season
and was one of the Lady Jaspers’ top
performers in all three games during the
Canadian trip.
After a breakout performance in last
season’s MAAC Quarterfinals (when
she scored 10 points in three minutes),
sophomore Maggie Blair worked hard
over the summer, culminating with an
excellent Canadian trip. Blair is capable
of playing any position on the floor and
will likely be the Lady Jaspers’ sixth man
this season.
Another versatile player off the bench
is junior Schyanne Halfkenny. Last
season, Halfkenny saw her playing
time increase as the season went
on, capped by an eight-point, sevenrebound
effort against Niagara in the
MAAC Quarterfinals. She is also one
of the squad’s better defensive players.
Sophomore Karita Brown saw limited
playing time last year, but has worked
hard to improve her game and should be
called upon more frequently this season.
Providing a valuable veteran presence
will be senior Alicia Marculitis. At 6-3,
Marculitis is the tallest member of the
squad, and she will be relied upon to
contribute leadership to the younger
players, as well as important minutes off
the bench. One of the young players
Marculitis will be asked to mentor is
freshman Brandone Roberts. A 6-3
center from Jessup, Md., Roberts is
improving every day and has the potential
to become an imposing presence in the
low post.
“Our frontcourt will be greatly improved
this season,” Olenowski said. “We
have a strong group of rebounders and
defenders. We also feel that we have
good versatility at these positions.”
SCHEDULE
For the third straight year, the Lady
Jaspers will open the season against
St. Francis (NY). Manhattan, which has
beaten the Terriers in each of its last
two season openers, heads to Brooklyn
on Nov. 12. The Lady Jaspers then
make the short trip to St. John’s, a team
that reached the second round of last
season’s NCAA Tournament and is
ranked 16th in the preseason USA Today
ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
Manhattan’s home opener will be against
Albany on Friday night, Nov. 19.
The Lady Jaspers also take on local
rivals Columbia (Nov. 23), Fordham
(Dec. 18) and Army (Dec. 30) in nonconference
action before opening MAAC
play against Loyola on Jan. 2. Two days
later, Manhattan hosts its annual “Kids
Day Out” game against Siena. Other
highlights of the conference schedule
include the matchup at Canisius on Jan.
29, which will be nationally televised on
ESPNU, “Pack the House Day” against
Saint Peter’s on Feb. 12, and Manhattan’s
annual “Pink Zone” game for breast
cancer awareness against Iona on Feb.
14. The Lady Jaspers were picked to
finish in a tie for fourth in the MAAC
Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
“We are looking forward to our nonconference
schedule, especially with
so many close New York rivalries,”
Olenowski said. “We also look forward
to the very challenging MAAC season.
We feel that we made great strides
last season, and with hard work and
dedication we can have a very successful
season.”
The MAAC Tournament will be held at
the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport,
Conn., from March 3-7. This season’s
MAAC Championship Game will be
nationally televised on ESPNU on
Monday afternoon, March 7.
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