04-05 UR MG.indd
1
TABLE of CONTENTS
IT’s SURELY TO THEIR CREDIT: Valuable contributions were made by many in the creation of this guide. Special thanks to the following photographers: Bill McClure, Greg Donahue, Araceli Gil, Kate Flavin, Christina Campion, Sandie Walker, Timothy Boone, Scott Brown, Greg Carroccio, Zolton Cohen, Doug Beurlein, Karen Morgan, Tim Ribar, Richard Cheek, and Billy Howard. Appreciation is also extended to the following institutions for providing images: Creighton Sports Information, Richmond Sports Information, and the Atlantic 10 Conference Office. Credit must be given to Lynn Busby, Assistant Director of Athletic Public Relations, for compiling all of the stats and keeping track of the graphic designer. The majority of the compositions was written by freelance writer, Laura Meadows. Other essays were contributed by Lindsay Gottlieb, Sandie Walker, Natalie Tokgoz, and Melissa Dymek. Printing by Colonial Printing Inc. Design and layout by Mollie McClure of Shot In The Dark Studio, LLC.
4 6 7 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 78 81 82 83 84 90 91
The Role of a Lifetime 04-05 Player Roster 04-05 Schedule 04-05 Season Outlook THE TEAM Kate Flavin Sandie Walker Saona Chapman Araceli Gil Alison Mitchell Amber Petillon Christina Campion DeUnna Hendrix Kelly Roche Ania Grabias Mirna Mazic Johanna McKnight Tanja Miranovic Natalie Tokgoz International Flavor Summer Tour to Spain & Portugal COACHING STAFF Joanne Boyle Ginny Doyle Lindsay Gottlieb Kim Hairston Amy Dameron Support Staff ESPN’s Dream Job Basketball Facilities THE UNIVERSITY UR Campus Off the Court with the Spiders Out in the Community Project Y.O.R.K. Wher Are They Now? “My Perspective” by Melissa Dymek 03-04 SEASON 03-04 Season Overview 03-04 Statistics 03-04 Season Box Scores RECORDS Individual Records Team and Coaching Records 1,000 Point Club Single Game Records Single Seaon Records Career Records All-Time Roster MEDIA INFO Administration A-10 Conference 04-05 Opponents Media Info TV/Radio Headshots
2004-05
RICHMOND BASKETBALL
ICHMON
the role of
Richmond contended for an Atlantic 10 championship last year and played its way into the Final Four of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. In two seasons with the Spiders, Joanne Boyle has led a resurgence and lifted the team to the brink of a championship. Now the hard part begins. How does a team transition from contender to champion? The answer is as straightforward as the coach. “Each person has to adjust to her changing role and embrace it if we are to be successful,” says Boyle. To make this a reality, Boyle is first looking to herself. Rather than playing six or seven people, Boyle hopes to take advantage of this team’s depth and work eight, nine or even ten players into the rotation. “The first person who has to adjust is me. My coaching philosophy has to change in order to utilize all the talents on this team.” Asking something of yourself is one thing, but how do you convince an entire team to be selfless, to embrace their role whether it be superstar or role player? As with most challenges faced by Boyle’s teams, she believes that communication and ownership will help them succeed. “Communicating honestly with the players is critical. They need to know that we value all of them, regardless of whether or not their role puts them on the court. We understand that each of our players will face individual challenges because of her role and its our job to always be sure that each of them understands where she can improve and where we need them to go in order to be successful,” says the third year head coach. Stressing the idea of “ownership” to her teams has been one of Boyle’s focal points since her arrival at the Robins Center. She is adamant that Richmond’s achievements the past two seasons were the direct result of the squad’s willingness to own their team and to make the tough choices that ownership requires.
4
a lifetime “They chose to make sacrifices. They chose to work harder. They chose to believe in one another.” If the Spiders are to continue to improve, they are going to need players willing to make sacrifices. If the actions of their seniors are any indication, they are prepared to do whatever it takes. Senior Kate Flavin finished last season as an All-Atlantic 10 post player. When this season starts, she will retain the title but will also add another: guard. Adding this type of versatility to your game in the middle of a career takes an enormous commitment, but there were no complaints from Flavin. She simply spent the summer with a ball in her hand. Instead of cruising through her senior summer, Flavin spent hours dribbling through cones and around chairs. She took thousands of outside jump shots. Flavin’s ability to play both positions will give her team more options and will take the Spiders one step closer to becoming champions. For Flavin, that’s all she needed to know. Fellow senior Sandie Walker’s transition has been even more challenging. Walker has battled injuries throughout her career, injuries that have until now kept her from realizing her full potential as a basketball player. However, her potential as a leader and teammate has never been in question. The toughest job on the team has fallen to Sandie Walker for the past couple of seasons. She has made practice more challenging than games. She has counseled and taught the younger players who have looked to her for guidance. Walker may not have chosen this role, but for the past two years she has certainly embraced it. When this season begins, she will undoubtedly be prepared to give anything the team needs. “As a coach, you could not ask anything more of a senior and a leader,” says Boyle. The rest of the Spiders will likewise need to choose the team over themselves. If Boyle can help the players take ownership of their team, then the Atlantic 10 championship and a berth in the NCAAs are in Richmond’s grasp. “Creating a cohesive team out of a group of individuals is a coach’s greatest task, but good people make it possible,” allows Boyle. Then with a slight smile, she adds, “We have great people.”
5
04-05 PLAYER NUMERICAL
No.
Name
2 5 12 13 14 15 22 23 32 33 34 35 45
Amber Petillon Saona Chapman Mirna Mazic Araceli Gil Alison Mitchell DeUnna Hendrix Kelly Roche Ania Grabias Johanna McKnight Kate Flavin Sandie Walker Christina Campion Tanja Miranovic
Year
Position
Height
Junior Junior Freshman Junior Junior Sophomore Sophomore Junior Freshman Senior Senior Sophomore Freshman
Center Guard Forward Guard Forward Guard Forward Guard Guard Forward Forward Forward Guard
6-4 5-8 6-2 5-3 6-3 5-9 6-3 6-0 5-9 6-1 6-1 6-0 5-8
Hometown/High School (University) Brick, NJ/Brick Township (Rutgers University) Voluntown, CT/Norwich Free Academy (Rutgers University) Zagreb, Croatia/IV Gimnasium Santa Barbara, CA/ Santa Barbara High School Annandale, VA/Paul VI Catholic Kokomo, IN/Kokomo High School Wappinger Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes Bilgoraj, Poland/PBA Sports Champions #71 (Seward Co. CC) Kenner, LA/John Curtis Christian Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek High School York, PA/William Penn High School Hamilton Square, NJ/The Peddie School Subotica, Serbia/Bosa Milicevic
ALPHABETICAL
6
No.
Name
35 5 33 13 23 15 12 32 45 14 2 22 34
Christina Campion Saona Chapman Kate Flavin Araceli Gil Ania Grabias DeUnna Hendrix Mirna Mazic Johanna McKnight Tanja Miranovic Alison Mitchell Amber Petillon Kelly Roche Sandie Walker
Year
Position
Height
Sophomore Junior Senior Junior Junior Sophomore Freshman Freshman Freshman Junior Junior Sophomore Senior
Forward Guard Forward Guard Guard Guard Forward Guard Guard Forward Center Forward Forward
6-0 5-8 6-1 5-3 6-0 5-9 6-2 5-9 5-8 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-1
Hometown/High School (University) Hamilton Square, NJ/The Peddie School Voluntown, CT/Norwich Free Academy (Rutgers University) Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek High School Santa Barbara, CA/ Santa Barbara High School Bilgoraj, Poland/PBA Sports Champions #71 (Seward Co. CC) Kokomo, IN/Kokomo High School Zagreb, Croatia/IV High School Kenner, LA/John Curtis Christian Subotica, Serbia/Bosa Milicevic Annandale, VA/Paul VI Catholic Brick, NJ/Brick Township (Rutgers University) Wappinger Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes York, PA/William Penn High School
ROSTER
12 20 23 27
TEAM CONCEPT (exhibition) SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE at Liberty at Virginia
DECEMBER Wednesday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1 5 15 18 21 29 30
GEORGETOWN at VCU HOWARD SACRED HEART at Florida at Dartmouth # vs. DePaul/Valparaiso #
JANUARY Tuesday Friday Sunday Friday Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday
4 7 9 14 16 20 23 27 30
at La Salle* DAYTON* at St. Bonaventure* FORDHAM* DUQUESNE* at George Washington* TEMPLE* (ESPN2) at Duquesne* SAINT JOSEPH’S*
FEBRUARY Wednesday 2 Sunday 6 Thursday 10 Sunday 13 Thursday 17 Sunday 20 Friday 25 Sunday 27
at Virginia Tech XAVIER* at Rhode Island* GEORGE WASHINGTON* (A-10 TV) LA SALLE* at Massachusetts* at Xavier* at Dayton* (A-10 TV)
MARCH Friday-Monday 4-7
Atlantic 10 Championships
* Atlantic 10 contest # Dartmouth Blue Sky Classic
7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 5:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 1:00pm 7:00pm 5:00/7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm Noon 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm Noon 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm Noon TBA
2004-05 SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER Friday Saturday Tuesday Saturday
7
SEASON
The Richmond Spiders finished last season with their best record of the last decade. Their 23-10 mark took them to the Final Four of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament and saw them notch more post-season victories than any other team in Spider history. Despite reaching newfound heights for the program, Richmond’s group of veterans wants more. Preseason All-America honorable mention Kate Flavin wants to hear Richmond’s name called on Selection Sunday. Second team all-conference selection Saona Chapman wants to leap into a celebrating pile of Spiders after winning the Atlantic 10 championship. Head coach Joanne Boyle believes that combining the talents of her returning players with the gifts of five newcomers can make these dreams realities. “We have the depth this year to compete for an A-10 championship. This team is hungry for more and from what I have seen they are willing to work to achieve it,” says the third year head coach.
VETERANS As a junior co-captain, Kate Flavin led the Spiders in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks last year. At the end of this allconference season, Boyle asked her to spend the summer getting prepared to do much of the same – plus a little more. While Richmond does not expect Flavin to improve upon her 18 points a game and 59% field goal average, they would like to see some of this productivity come from the perimeter. Flavin used her summer workouts to improve her guard skills and should see some action in the back court. “You can almost expect Kate to give you a double-double every single time out. Now we are asking her to continue that, plus add more versatility to her game. There are very few seniors you can ask that of, but we didn’t hesitate with her” says Boyle. Whereas Richmond looks to Flavin for her workman-like efficiency and quiet leadership, the role of emotional leader belongs to junior Saona Chapman. After transferring from Rutgers University and sitting out the 2002-03 campaign, the one-time Scarlet Knight has become the Spiders’ vocal leader, as well as one of their co-captains. “Saona’s intensity and passion for the game extend to her teammates; they feed off of that energy,” explains Boyle. While Chapman’s impact last season is statistically obvious with her 14.6 points, 5.2 assists per game, and Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors, it is her presence on the court that the Spiders will value most.
8
Joining Chapman in the backcourt will be the indefatigable junior Araceli Gil. Last season, Gil knocked down 51 threepointers and connected with her teammates for 72 assists. Able to play both the point and shooting guard positions, Gil will again be looked to as a strong three-point threat as well as a floor leader, but she is now going to see a stepped up leadership role. “When you mention Gil, you have to talk about her work ethic.
We know that our younger players are going to understand how hard you have to work at this level by watching Araceli and she has really embraced that role,” says Boyle. One of the players benefiting from this leadership is fellow guard DeUnna Hendrix. As a freshman, Hendrix averaged nearly 20 minutes a game and connected on 50% of her three-point attempts. She displayed a remarkable confidence for a rookie, which enabled her to enter critical games and provide a spark off the bench. Richmond is hoping that this confidence will continue to build and will translate into an even more exciting sophomore campaign. Fellow sophomores Christina Campion and Kelly Roche join junior Alison Mitchell and senior Sandie Walker to make up Richmond’s versatile frontcourt. All four players have the ability to step outside the traditional post position on the block and knock down the fifteen foot jumper, with Campion and Roche able to extend their range to the three-point line. However, this is where their similarities end. During Campion’s rookie season, she proved herself to be a solid, hard-nosed defender and was consistently matched up with opponents’ best post players. Her All-Rookie Team honors attest to the respect she gained from the Atlantic 10 rivals. Richmond needs Campion to continue to be a strong, physical presence in the paint, and will look for her dependable contributions in the point and rebound columns. Alison Mitchell’s finesse game adds another dimension to Richmond’s frontcourt. Her lanky 6’3” frame gives the Spiders a legitimate shot-blocking force in the middle, and her improved post moves have Richmond’s coaching staff excited. Another reason for the Spiders to be geared up is the return of Kelly Roche following an ACL injury just nine games into her freshman season. The skills Roche brings to the court are reminiscent of another Spider, senior Kate Flavin. “We think Kelly’s versatility is going to make her a very special player and we can’t wait to get her back on the floor,” says Boyle. Leading this talented and deep post group will be senior Sandie Walker. Having battled injuries throughout her career, Walker is now healthy and will be looked to as both a mentor and a leader for her younger teammates in practice and in games.
NEWCOMERS A group of five talented newcomers stands ready to help elevate Richmond from contenders to champions. Having spent the 2003-04 season on the bench in street clothes after transferring from Rutgers University, junior Amber Petillon is ready to make an impact for the Spiders. She stands at 6’4”, competes with the guards in sprint workouts and possesses an arsenal of “textbook” post moves. “Amber is new to Richmond, but not to big-time basketball. She’s played against top D-I competition and that experience will be invaluable,” says Boyle. Also bringing a veteran’s insight to Richmond’s group of newcomers is junior guard Ania Grabias. Hailing originally from Bilgoraj, Poland, Grabias played two seasons at Seward County Community College before making the move to Richmond. As a sophomore at Seward, she helped lead the team to the NJCAA National Tournament with her 9.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Three freshmen round out Richmond’s crop of talented newcomers. Johanna McKnight comes to Richmond via Kenner, LA and brings along an impressive high-school resume. As a senior team captain at John Curtis Christian, McKnight was named to the 4A All-State first team and earned the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year award for the state of Louisiana. The 5’9” guard adds more depth at the Spiders guard position and her speed makes McKnight a powerful asset. Fellow freshman guard Tanja Miranovic hails from Subotica, Serbia, where she was a three year member of the Serbia & Montenegro National Team, a team that won the European Championship in 2001. Mirna Mazic of Zabreb, Croatia likewise competed on her National Team, as well as on the club Medvescak team that won the Croatian championship twice. “The experiences gained by both Miranovic and Mazic while playing for their national teams give them valuable basketball experience that most freshman lack when they begin their rookie seasons. This should be a huge advantage for us,” says Boyle.
SCHEDULE Richmond’s coaching staff has assembled the most challenging schedule in program history. Four of their non-conference opponents competed in the 2004 NCAA championship, including Southwest Missouri State, Liberty, Florida, and Virginia Tech. The Spiders open their season facing two of these teams starting, with the Bears of Southwest Missouri State at home before traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia to take on Liberty. Reviving the in-state duel with Virginia puts the Spiders on the road to Charlottesville. After competing against Georgetown at home and cross-town rival VCU away, Richmond plays both Howard and Sacred Heart in the Robins Center before flying to Gainesville to take on SEC power Florida. They will compete in Dartmouth’s Blue Sky Classic before beginning conference play with an away game at La Salle. Richmond will compete against tough competition in the Atlantic 10 this year, as both Temple and George Washington were NCAA championship participants and Saint Joseph’s joined Richmond in the WNIT. ESPN2 will broadcast the January 23rd contest between Temple and Richmond from the Robins Center. “The ESPN2 game gives us a great opportunity to showcase our talent on a national scene,” says Boyle. “In the past two years, an exciting rivalry has emerged, so this will be a great game to watch.” In addition to their home & away series with La Salle, Dayton, Duquesne, George Washington and Xavier, Richmond will host Fordham, Saint Joseph’s, and Temple while traveling to play Saint Bonaventure, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
9
OUTLOOK
TABLE of CONTENTS
IT’s SURELY TO THEIR CREDIT: Valuable contributions were made by many in the creation of this guide. Special thanks to the following photographers: Bill McClure, Greg Donahue, Araceli Gil, Kate Flavin, Christina Campion, Sandie Walker, Timothy Boone, Scott Brown, Greg Carroccio, Zolton Cohen, Doug Beurlein, Karen Morgan, Tim Ribar, Richard Cheek, and Billy Howard. Appreciation is also extended to the following institutions for providing images: Creighton Sports Information, Richmond Sports Information, and the Atlantic 10 Conference Office. Credit must be given to Lynn Busby, Assistant Director of Athletic Public Relations, for compiling all of the stats and keeping track of the graphic designer. The majority of the compositions was written by freelance writer, Laura Meadows. Other essays were contributed by Lindsay Gottlieb, Sandie Walker, Natalie Tokgoz, and Melissa Dymek. Printing by Colonial Printing Inc. Design and layout by Mollie McClure of Shot In The Dark Studio, LLC.
4 6 7 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 78 81 82 83 84 90 91
The Role of a Lifetime 04-05 Player Roster 04-05 Schedule 04-05 Season Outlook THE TEAM Kate Flavin Sandie Walker Saona Chapman Araceli Gil Alison Mitchell Amber Petillon Christina Campion DeUnna Hendrix Kelly Roche Ania Grabias Mirna Mazic Johanna McKnight Tanja Miranovic Natalie Tokgoz International Flavor Summer Tour to Spain & Portugal COACHING STAFF Joanne Boyle Ginny Doyle Lindsay Gottlieb Kim Hairston Amy Dameron Support Staff ESPN’s Dream Job Basketball Facilities THE UNIVERSITY UR Campus Off the Court with the Spiders Out in the Community Project Y.O.R.K. Wher Are They Now? “My Perspective” by Melissa Dymek 03-04 SEASON 03-04 Season Overview 03-04 Statistics 03-04 Season Box Scores RECORDS Individual Records Team and Coaching Records 1,000 Point Club Single Game Records Single Seaon Records Career Records All-Time Roster MEDIA INFO Administration A-10 Conference 04-05 Opponents Media Info TV/Radio Headshots
2004-05
RICHMOND BASKETBALL
ICHMON
the role of
Richmond contended for an Atlantic 10 championship last year and played its way into the Final Four of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. In two seasons with the Spiders, Joanne Boyle has led a resurgence and lifted the team to the brink of a championship. Now the hard part begins. How does a team transition from contender to champion? The answer is as straightforward as the coach. “Each person has to adjust to her changing role and embrace it if we are to be successful,” says Boyle. To make this a reality, Boyle is first looking to herself. Rather than playing six or seven people, Boyle hopes to take advantage of this team’s depth and work eight, nine or even ten players into the rotation. “The first person who has to adjust is me. My coaching philosophy has to change in order to utilize all the talents on this team.” Asking something of yourself is one thing, but how do you convince an entire team to be selfless, to embrace their role whether it be superstar or role player? As with most challenges faced by Boyle’s teams, she believes that communication and ownership will help them succeed. “Communicating honestly with the players is critical. They need to know that we value all of them, regardless of whether or not their role puts them on the court. We understand that each of our players will face individual challenges because of her role and its our job to always be sure that each of them understands where she can improve and where we need them to go in order to be successful,” says the third year head coach. Stressing the idea of “ownership” to her teams has been one of Boyle’s focal points since her arrival at the Robins Center. She is adamant that Richmond’s achievements the past two seasons were the direct result of the squad’s willingness to own their team and to make the tough choices that ownership requires.
4
a lifetime “They chose to make sacrifices. They chose to work harder. They chose to believe in one another.” If the Spiders are to continue to improve, they are going to need players willing to make sacrifices. If the actions of their seniors are any indication, they are prepared to do whatever it takes. Senior Kate Flavin finished last season as an All-Atlantic 10 post player. When this season starts, she will retain the title but will also add another: guard. Adding this type of versatility to your game in the middle of a career takes an enormous commitment, but there were no complaints from Flavin. She simply spent the summer with a ball in her hand. Instead of cruising through her senior summer, Flavin spent hours dribbling through cones and around chairs. She took thousands of outside jump shots. Flavin’s ability to play both positions will give her team more options and will take the Spiders one step closer to becoming champions. For Flavin, that’s all she needed to know. Fellow senior Sandie Walker’s transition has been even more challenging. Walker has battled injuries throughout her career, injuries that have until now kept her from realizing her full potential as a basketball player. However, her potential as a leader and teammate has never been in question. The toughest job on the team has fallen to Sandie Walker for the past couple of seasons. She has made practice more challenging than games. She has counseled and taught the younger players who have looked to her for guidance. Walker may not have chosen this role, but for the past two years she has certainly embraced it. When this season begins, she will undoubtedly be prepared to give anything the team needs. “As a coach, you could not ask anything more of a senior and a leader,” says Boyle. The rest of the Spiders will likewise need to choose the team over themselves. If Boyle can help the players take ownership of their team, then the Atlantic 10 championship and a berth in the NCAAs are in Richmond’s grasp. “Creating a cohesive team out of a group of individuals is a coach’s greatest task, but good people make it possible,” allows Boyle. Then with a slight smile, she adds, “We have great people.”
5
04-05 PLAYER NUMERICAL
No.
Name
2 5 12 13 14 15 22 23 32 33 34 35 45
Amber Petillon Saona Chapman Mirna Mazic Araceli Gil Alison Mitchell DeUnna Hendrix Kelly Roche Ania Grabias Johanna McKnight Kate Flavin Sandie Walker Christina Campion Tanja Miranovic
Year
Position
Height
Junior Junior Freshman Junior Junior Sophomore Sophomore Junior Freshman Senior Senior Sophomore Freshman
Center Guard Forward Guard Forward Guard Forward Guard Guard Forward Forward Forward Guard
6-4 5-8 6-2 5-3 6-3 5-9 6-3 6-0 5-9 6-1 6-1 6-0 5-8
Hometown/High School (University) Brick, NJ/Brick Township (Rutgers University) Voluntown, CT/Norwich Free Academy (Rutgers University) Zagreb, Croatia/IV Gimnasium Santa Barbara, CA/ Santa Barbara High School Annandale, VA/Paul VI Catholic Kokomo, IN/Kokomo High School Wappinger Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes Bilgoraj, Poland/PBA Sports Champions #71 (Seward Co. CC) Kenner, LA/John Curtis Christian Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek High School York, PA/William Penn High School Hamilton Square, NJ/The Peddie School Subotica, Serbia/Bosa Milicevic
ALPHABETICAL
6
No.
Name
35 5 33 13 23 15 12 32 45 14 2 22 34
Christina Campion Saona Chapman Kate Flavin Araceli Gil Ania Grabias DeUnna Hendrix Mirna Mazic Johanna McKnight Tanja Miranovic Alison Mitchell Amber Petillon Kelly Roche Sandie Walker
Year
Position
Height
Sophomore Junior Senior Junior Junior Sophomore Freshman Freshman Freshman Junior Junior Sophomore Senior
Forward Guard Forward Guard Guard Guard Forward Guard Guard Forward Center Forward Forward
6-0 5-8 6-1 5-3 6-0 5-9 6-2 5-9 5-8 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-1
Hometown/High School (University) Hamilton Square, NJ/The Peddie School Voluntown, CT/Norwich Free Academy (Rutgers University) Englewood, CO/Cherry Creek High School Santa Barbara, CA/ Santa Barbara High School Bilgoraj, Poland/PBA Sports Champions #71 (Seward Co. CC) Kokomo, IN/Kokomo High School Zagreb, Croatia/IV High School Kenner, LA/John Curtis Christian Subotica, Serbia/Bosa Milicevic Annandale, VA/Paul VI Catholic Brick, NJ/Brick Township (Rutgers University) Wappinger Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes York, PA/William Penn High School
ROSTER
12 20 23 27
TEAM CONCEPT (exhibition) SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE at Liberty at Virginia
DECEMBER Wednesday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1 5 15 18 21 29 30
GEORGETOWN at VCU HOWARD SACRED HEART at Florida at Dartmouth # vs. DePaul/Valparaiso #
JANUARY Tuesday Friday Sunday Friday Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday
4 7 9 14 16 20 23 27 30
at La Salle* DAYTON* at St. Bonaventure* FORDHAM* DUQUESNE* at George Washington* TEMPLE* (ESPN2) at Duquesne* SAINT JOSEPH’S*
FEBRUARY Wednesday 2 Sunday 6 Thursday 10 Sunday 13 Thursday 17 Sunday 20 Friday 25 Sunday 27
at Virginia Tech XAVIER* at Rhode Island* GEORGE WASHINGTON* (A-10 TV) LA SALLE* at Massachusetts* at Xavier* at Dayton* (A-10 TV)
MARCH Friday-Monday 4-7
Atlantic 10 Championships
* Atlantic 10 contest # Dartmouth Blue Sky Classic
7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 5:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 1:00pm 7:00pm 5:00/7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm Noon 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm Noon 7:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm Noon TBA
2004-05 SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER Friday Saturday Tuesday Saturday
7
SEASON
The Richmond Spiders finished last season with their best record of the last decade. Their 23-10 mark took them to the Final Four of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament and saw them notch more post-season victories than any other team in Spider history. Despite reaching newfound heights for the program, Richmond’s group of veterans wants more. Preseason All-America honorable mention Kate Flavin wants to hear Richmond’s name called on Selection Sunday. Second team all-conference selection Saona Chapman wants to leap into a celebrating pile of Spiders after winning the Atlantic 10 championship. Head coach Joanne Boyle believes that combining the talents of her returning players with the gifts of five newcomers can make these dreams realities. “We have the depth this year to compete for an A-10 championship. This team is hungry for more and from what I have seen they are willing to work to achieve it,” says the third year head coach.
VETERANS As a junior co-captain, Kate Flavin led the Spiders in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks last year. At the end of this allconference season, Boyle asked her to spend the summer getting prepared to do much of the same – plus a little more. While Richmond does not expect Flavin to improve upon her 18 points a game and 59% field goal average, they would like to see some of this productivity come from the perimeter. Flavin used her summer workouts to improve her guard skills and should see some action in the back court. “You can almost expect Kate to give you a double-double every single time out. Now we are asking her to continue that, plus add more versatility to her game. There are very few seniors you can ask that of, but we didn’t hesitate with her” says Boyle. Whereas Richmond looks to Flavin for her workman-like efficiency and quiet leadership, the role of emotional leader belongs to junior Saona Chapman. After transferring from Rutgers University and sitting out the 2002-03 campaign, the one-time Scarlet Knight has become the Spiders’ vocal leader, as well as one of their co-captains. “Saona’s intensity and passion for the game extend to her teammates; they feed off of that energy,” explains Boyle. While Chapman’s impact last season is statistically obvious with her 14.6 points, 5.2 assists per game, and Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors, it is her presence on the court that the Spiders will value most.
8
Joining Chapman in the backcourt will be the indefatigable junior Araceli Gil. Last season, Gil knocked down 51 threepointers and connected with her teammates for 72 assists. Able to play both the point and shooting guard positions, Gil will again be looked to as a strong three-point threat as well as a floor leader, but she is now going to see a stepped up leadership role. “When you mention Gil, you have to talk about her work ethic.
We know that our younger players are going to understand how hard you have to work at this level by watching Araceli and she has really embraced that role,” says Boyle. One of the players benefiting from this leadership is fellow guard DeUnna Hendrix. As a freshman, Hendrix averaged nearly 20 minutes a game and connected on 50% of her three-point attempts. She displayed a remarkable confidence for a rookie, which enabled her to enter critical games and provide a spark off the bench. Richmond is hoping that this confidence will continue to build and will translate into an even more exciting sophomore campaign. Fellow sophomores Christina Campion and Kelly Roche join junior Alison Mitchell and senior Sandie Walker to make up Richmond’s versatile frontcourt. All four players have the ability to step outside the traditional post position on the block and knock down the fifteen foot jumper, with Campion and Roche able to extend their range to the three-point line. However, this is where their similarities end. During Campion’s rookie season, she proved herself to be a solid, hard-nosed defender and was consistently matched up with opponents’ best post players. Her All-Rookie Team honors attest to the respect she gained from the Atlantic 10 rivals. Richmond needs Campion to continue to be a strong, physical presence in the paint, and will look for her dependable contributions in the point and rebound columns. Alison Mitchell’s finesse game adds another dimension to Richmond’s frontcourt. Her lanky 6’3” frame gives the Spiders a legitimate shot-blocking force in the middle, and her improved post moves have Richmond’s coaching staff excited. Another reason for the Spiders to be geared up is the return of Kelly Roche following an ACL injury just nine games into her freshman season. The skills Roche brings to the court are reminiscent of another Spider, senior Kate Flavin. “We think Kelly’s versatility is going to make her a very special player and we can’t wait to get her back on the floor,” says Boyle. Leading this talented and deep post group will be senior Sandie Walker. Having battled injuries throughout her career, Walker is now healthy and will be looked to as both a mentor and a leader for her younger teammates in practice and in games.
NEWCOMERS A group of five talented newcomers stands ready to help elevate Richmond from contenders to champions. Having spent the 2003-04 season on the bench in street clothes after transferring from Rutgers University, junior Amber Petillon is ready to make an impact for the Spiders. She stands at 6’4”, competes with the guards in sprint workouts and possesses an arsenal of “textbook” post moves. “Amber is new to Richmond, but not to big-time basketball. She’s played against top D-I competition and that experience will be invaluable,” says Boyle. Also bringing a veteran’s insight to Richmond’s group of newcomers is junior guard Ania Grabias. Hailing originally from Bilgoraj, Poland, Grabias played two seasons at Seward County Community College before making the move to Richmond. As a sophomore at Seward, she helped lead the team to the NJCAA National Tournament with her 9.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Three freshmen round out Richmond’s crop of talented newcomers. Johanna McKnight comes to Richmond via Kenner, LA and brings along an impressive high-school resume. As a senior team captain at John Curtis Christian, McKnight was named to the 4A All-State first team and earned the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year award for the state of Louisiana. The 5’9” guard adds more depth at the Spiders guard position and her speed makes McKnight a powerful asset. Fellow freshman guard Tanja Miranovic hails from Subotica, Serbia, where she was a three year member of the Serbia & Montenegro National Team, a team that won the European Championship in 2001. Mirna Mazic of Zabreb, Croatia likewise competed on her National Team, as well as on the club Medvescak team that won the Croatian championship twice. “The experiences gained by both Miranovic and Mazic while playing for their national teams give them valuable basketball experience that most freshman lack when they begin their rookie seasons. This should be a huge advantage for us,” says Boyle.
SCHEDULE Richmond’s coaching staff has assembled the most challenging schedule in program history. Four of their non-conference opponents competed in the 2004 NCAA championship, including Southwest Missouri State, Liberty, Florida, and Virginia Tech. The Spiders open their season facing two of these teams starting, with the Bears of Southwest Missouri State at home before traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia to take on Liberty. Reviving the in-state duel with Virginia puts the Spiders on the road to Charlottesville. After competing against Georgetown at home and cross-town rival VCU away, Richmond plays both Howard and Sacred Heart in the Robins Center before flying to Gainesville to take on SEC power Florida. They will compete in Dartmouth’s Blue Sky Classic before beginning conference play with an away game at La Salle. Richmond will compete against tough competition in the Atlantic 10 this year, as both Temple and George Washington were NCAA championship participants and Saint Joseph’s joined Richmond in the WNIT. ESPN2 will broadcast the January 23rd contest between Temple and Richmond from the Robins Center. “The ESPN2 game gives us a great opportunity to showcase our talent on a national scene,” says Boyle. “In the past two years, an exciting rivalry has emerged, so this will be a great game to watch.” In addition to their home & away series with La Salle, Dayton, Duquesne, George Washington and Xavier, Richmond will host Fordham, Saint Joseph’s, and Temple while traveling to play Saint Bonaventure, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
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