The women's basketball team, which has just one senior on the roster, is off to the best start in the program's 28-year history. The 8-0 Dutchwomen surpassed the 5-0 start of the 2000-01 squad that finished with a College-record 18-win season and the the program's only invitation to postseason. While that team had four seniors and a junior in its starting lineup, this year's squad has the depth and talent to offer eighth-year head coach
Mary Ellen Burt a variety of starting players.
“We have so much talent that we have the luxury of rotating our starters,” said Burt, who picked up her 80th career coaching victory when Union defeated Concordia, 75-66, in Austin, Texas on December 31. What made that game special for Burt was the fact that she was up against her mentor, Linda Sharp. Burt played for Sharp during her undergraduate career at USC and then was her assistant coach for two seasons at Southwest Texas State.
Six Dutchwomen are averaging at least 21 minutes per game while four others are averaging at least 10 minutes of playing time. Burt moves players in and out of games like a master chessmaster and at times, has substituted five players at a time.
“Because Jamie (assistant coach Jamie Seward) and I have so much confidence in our entire team, we are able to move players in and out of the game as the situation dictates. Our depth allows us to play a faced-passed offense and a strong pressure defense. We always have players with fresh legs who can come in and do as good a job as the player she just replaced.”
Sophomore Katlyn Cunningham (Clarksburg, MA/Drury) leads the team in both scoring (14.7) and rebounding (7.6) and was selected as this week's UCAA “Forward of the Week” after scoring 40 points and pulling down 18 rebounds in the two-game Concordia Tournament. Cunningham and freshman
Kate DeSorrento (Schaghticoke, NY/Catholic Central), who had 30 points, six steals, six rebounds and three assists, joined Cunningham on the All-Tournament team. DeSorrento is second on the team in scoring with her 14.1 average while sophomore
Melissa Marra (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) is third with an 11.4 point average.
Freshman Erika Eisenhut (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) averages 7.4 points a game and is tied with junior
Taryn Scinto (Westwood, NJ/Immaculate Heart) for the team lead in steals with 24. Scinto, a three-year starter at point guard, leads the team with her 20 assists and is contributing 4.9 points a game. Scinto, who mainly concentrates on ball handling and distribution, is a capable three-point shooter and is tied with Eisenhut for second on the team with seven three-pointers. (Marra has nine). The 5'5 point guard came into the year with 47 three-point field goals in 53 career games.
Junior forward Kelly Baker (Cutchogue, NY/Matgtituck) is “Jill of All Trades” for the Dutchwomen. Co-captain with Scinto, Baker is averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds (second to Cunningham), has 11 steals, seven assists and a team-high four blocked shots. She was selected to the season-opening All-Tournament team at the Manhattanville Invitational.
“Kelly has improved so much since her freshman season,” said Burt proudly. “Not only is she a presence on the court, she is a leader in the locker room. Our players see Kelly's work ethic, her dedication, her enthusiasm, and her love for the game, and it challenges them to raise the bar for themselves,” Burt continued.
Sophomore Emily Scott (Concord, NH/Derryfield) has also improved tremendously since last year and is seeing more and more court time every game. Her solid 5'11 frame gives Union a strong presence at the post position. Scott is averaging three points and three rebounds in her 15 minutes of court time. Last year she had 10 points and 11 rebounds in 10 of the 26 games while averaging six minutes a game. Classmate
Nicola Rizzo (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) already has more points and has seen more playing time than all of last year. Her 10 rebounds against Hartwick led the Dutchwomen and helped Union to a 76-46 road victory in game four. Sophomore
Eileen Lowery (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapoo) is a solid backup
at point guard for Scinto and is among the better defensive players on the squad.
Senior Jill Ring (Brewster, MA/Nauset) and junior Vicky Kuzman (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) are proven players who have seen limited action thus far. Ring missed all of preseason while finishing her fall term abroad in Australia and New Zealand, while Kuzman missed most of preseason while helping the soccer team to its fourth-straight NCAA berth. She then injured her knee in a car accident just after Thanksgiving.
Freshmen Courtney Shepard (Pittsfield, MA/Pittsfield), Nicole Cerniglia (Ridgefield Mark, NJ/Ridgefield Park), and
Jen Pangburn (Norwich, VT/Hanover) are all averaging more than eight minutes a game and contributing to the team's success.
“There is no question that this is the most talented group of players I've ever had here,” stated Burt. “All of these women have outstanding talent and potential and all have a team attitude. There isn't a player on this team with a selfish attitude or one that does not get along with her teammates.”
Texax Trip Produces Two Victories and a lot of Fun!
The five-day trip to Texas not only provided the Dutchwomen with a pair of wins for their overall record, it gave the team time to bond…and bond they did! Coaches Burt and Seward took the players to a Texas Longhorns basketball game, enjoyed a day-trip to San Antonio where the Dutchwomen toured the Alamo and spent time on the River Walk, enjoyed a team meal at Fruddruckers (an original Texas eatery), walked the grounds of the state capitol in Austin, and celebrated New Year's Eve on Sixth Street (along with about 30,000 others) in downtown Austin.
“We do these trips about every two years,” said Burt, who took the Dutchwomen to a tournament in Las Vegas 2000-01. “Not only do we get to play some different opponents, it gives the team a chance to really get to know each other.”
The Dutchwomen travel to Drew University for a game on Saturday and then open the UCAA schedule next Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Skidmore.