WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's basketball team welcomes defending BIG EAST Champions St. John's to Kaplan Arena for the season opener on Sunday, Nov. 13. Tipoff between the Tribe and the Red Storm is set for 2 p.m.
Opening Tip
The William & Mary women's basketball team opens the 2016-17 campaign as they welcome St. John's to Kaplan Arena on Sunday, Nov. 13. Today opens a two-game homestand for the Tribe as they welcome in-state rival Richmond on Friday, Nov. 18. The Green and Gold meet St. John's for the first time in series history on Sunday afternoon.
Scouting the Red Storm
The reigning BIG EAST champions, St. John's, open their season when they travel to Williamsburg on Sunday. The Red Storm appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in the last seven seasons in 2016. Jade Walker is the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder averaging 9.3 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per contest, mainly off of the bench last season. Aaliyah Lewis and Imani Littleton both started every game a season ago for the Red Storm. Lewis finished with 7.9 points per contest, while grabbed 4.4 boards a game. Joe Tartamella enter his fifth season at St. John's. He has led the team to 87-45 record during his time in Queens.
Series History
The Green and Gold meet St. John's for the first time in series history on Sunday afternoon. It is the first of two times this season that W&M squares off with an opponent for the first time in series. The Tribe heads to USC Upstate for the first time in series history on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
The Road Ahead
William & Mary concludes its two match homestand as they welcome Richmond to Kaplan Arena on Friday, Nov. 18. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Following the homestand, the Tribe hits the road for a pair of contests starting at Old Dominion on Sunday, Nov. 20.
Season Openers
W&M has posted a 5-7 record in its last 12 season openers, including winning the
last two season openers. Head coach
Ed Swanson holds a 2-1 record in opening
night games with W&M, but has posted 12 opening night victories during his entire
coaching career.
Home Openers
It is just the fourth time since the 2010-11 season that the Tribe has been home for its season opener. In that span the Tribe is 2-1 in home season openers, including the only other time in the Swanson era. Dating back to the same season, W&M is 3-3 in home openers, but have posted a 2-1 mark under coach Swanson.
New Kids on the Block
W&M welcomes a trio of freshman to the roster for the 2016-17 season –
Nari Garner,
Victoria Reynolds, and
Ashley Taylor. Garner comes from Tampa, Fla. and was a McDonald's All-America nominee, while Reynolds is from Maryladn and was three year Baltimore All-Met player. Taylor rounds out the group and is a semi-local product from Charlottesville, from St. Anne's-Belfield.
High-Five
The Tribe was selected to finish tied for fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Poll. Three-time defending CAA Champion James Madison was selected to repeat as league champion, while Elon was picked second, Drexel third, Hofstra fourth, and Delaware was tied for the Tribe. Northeastern was picked seventh, while Charleston (eighth), UNCW (ninth), and Towson (10th) round out the poll.
Three of a Kind
W&M also had three players honored with preseason awards on media day. Seniors
Alexandra Masaquel and
Marlena Tremba were named to the CAA Preseason Second-Team, while junior
Abby Rendle was named to the honorable mention team. Masaquel was honored with a second-team nod following last season, while Tremba was tabbed to third-team.
Familiar Faces
The Tribe just loses two letter-winners from last year's roster, and have seven upperclassman on this year's team led by four seniors –
Kasey Curtis,
Latrice Hunter,
Alexandra Masaquel, and
Marlena Tremba. Additionally the Tribe returns 1,805 of 1,862 points or 97-percent of its offense.
Setting the Slate
The 2016-17 29 game schedule was released in early September and its highlighted by a plethora of home games. Aside from the 16 home games, the Tribe tests itself against six teams that qualified for the 2016 postseason.
Watch the Tribe
All 16 of the Tribe's home games this season will be streamed for free and HD on TribeAthletics.TV. Also all nine CAA road games will be aired for free on CAA.TV. Additionally the Tribe's road game at James Madison will be aired on the American Sports Network, and the matchup at USC Upstate will air on ESPN3.
Stealing the Show
Since the arrival of coach Swanson prior to the 2013-14 season, the William & Mary defense has found itself at the top of the league in steals every year since. Last year, W&M led the conference with 9.5 steals per contest, while sophomore
Bianca Boggs led the team with 1.9 thefts a night.
New Bench Help
For the first time in his W&M tenure, head coach
Ed Swanson had to replace a pair of assistant coaches. With the departure on Jeanette Wedo (head coach at Franklin Pierce) and Kelly Killion (top assistant at Penn), Swanson promoted
Millette Green to his top assistant. He rounded out his staff by hiring
Lynne-Ann Kokoski from Providence and
Sarah Eichler from Hartford.
