Army women's basketball faces transition: 2022-23 preview, roster, schedule
WEST POINT – Army women’s basketball coach Missy Traversi is encouraged by what she sees but the Black Knights are a team in transition.
The second year of the Traversi era begins Monday evening with a visit by Division III Emmanuel College. The first week also includes visits to Binghamton and Texas A&M.
Army is coming off a 16-13 campaign and 10-8 mark in the Patriot League. The Black Knights have to replace six seniors who accounted for 34 points (54 percent of team production) and nearly 19 rebounds (46 percent) per game, establish roles for some players returning from injury and welcome seven freshmen – the newcomers are promising but Traversi is tight-lipped on their upcoming individual roles.
“We’ll see how everything comes together,’’ she said, “I’m really happy with the way we’re shooting the ball and our defensive intensity has been more consistent this go-around. So I think in the second year in our culture we’re making strides.’’
The Black Knights have “some great new pieces” with guard play and Traversi is happy with the size Army presents on the front line.
Men's basketball preview: Experienced Army team feeling confident
Senior captain Sabria Hunter is the team’s leading scorer among returnees and in the best shape of her life – she ranked second among regulars with nearly 11 points per game and led the team with 9.5 rebounds per contest. Hunter led the Patriot League with offensive caroms as Army led the circuit with overall boards. She was a second-team all-league pick.
“I absolutely think there is more to be had and better to be had (from Hunter),’’ Traversi said. “I think Sabria she's going to come out with a sense of urgency that you haven't seen before.’’
Senior Kamryn Hall will prove a vital piece as a starter or top reserve in the post. Plagued by injury earlier in career, Hall has provided a scoring punch but not consistently – she had eight double-digit efforts last season.
Junior guards Lauren Lithgow and Sam McNaughton will provide valuable minutes – both have been known to get the hot hand in shooting but not consistently. Senior guard Hope Brown holds the backcourt together, providing energy and toughness. Senior guard Natalie Rhine had perhaps the best preseason camp of all, Traversi said.
The wild-card in the lineup is sophomore Trinity Hardy, a slashing guard who led Army in scoring at 13.4 per contest before suffering a season-ending knee injury just seven games into her first season. She will return to action in the first semester.
Army can make strides but needs to fix three critical things: cutting back on 15 turnovers per game, improving on 37.6 percent shooting and 41.7 percent shooting defense.
“We have to have higher standards and better execution on the defensive side of the ball as early as the first few games of non-conference (play),’’ Traversi said. “We've got to get better in the half-court (offense), and I think the adjustments and (with) some of the coaches that we've brought in I think we've improved in that.’’
The freshman class includes guards Reese Ericson, Charlotte Richman, Julianna Laguna and Sara McShea, swing Alivia Stephens-Kirkman and forwards Addison Ainsworth and Linden Marshall. Ericson and Richman were both all-league players at their respective schools and McShea topped 1,000 points and 700 rebounds in New Jersey.
Army was picked for fifth in the Patriot League preseason coaches and sports information director poll. Boston University is the clear favorite, ahead of Lehigh, Holy Cross and Bucknell. Trailing Army in the poll were Lafayette, Colgate, American, Loyola and Navy. Traversi said the Division I transfer portal has changed the landscape, and the league is breaking in new coaches at American (former Marist assistant Megan Gebbia moved to Wake Forest) and Lehigh.
The non-league slate includes home games with Yale, Sacred Heart and Eastern Kentucky and road contests with Vermont, William & Mary, Hofstra and Maine.
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
Roster
Seniors – No. 0 Jaida Strippoli, G; No. 3 Natalie Rhine, G; No. 4 Kamryn Hall, F; No. 11 Sabria Hunter, F; No. 14 Hope Brown, G
Juniors – No. 1 Melanie George, G; No. 2 Sam McNaughton, G; No. 22 Regan Warren, F; No. 34 Lauren Lithgow, G; No. 34 McKenzie Muse, F
Sophomores – No. 12 Vasana Kearney, G; No. 13 Trinity Hardy, G
Freshmen – No. 10 Addison Ainsworth, F; No. 21 Reese Ericson, G; No. 22 Charlotte Richman, G; No. 24 Alivia Stephens-Kirkman, G/F; No. 25 Julianna Laguna, G; No. 31 Linden Madison, F; No. 44 Sara McShea, G
Head coach: Missy Traversi
Assistants: Cristina Centeno; Tony Diclemente; Anthony Angotti; Sacha Santimano; Kennedi Thompson
Schedule
November
Mon. 7 – Emmanuel, 5 p.m.; Thur. 10 – at Binghamton (9-20, 5-13 America East), 7 p.m.; Sun. 13 – at Texas A&M (14-15, 4-12 Southeastern), 3 p.m. ET (SEC Plus); Wed. 16 – Yale (16-11, 9-5 Ivy), 6 p.m.; Mon. 21 – at Vermont (20-11, 13-5 America East), 6 p.m.; Sun. 27 – at William & Mary (10-20, 5-13 Colonial), 1 p.m.
December
Thur. 1 – Sacred Heart (8-17, 6-2 Northeast), 4:30 p.m.; Wed. 7 – at Hofstra (8-20, 4-14 Colonial), 7 p.m. (FloHoops.com); Sun. 11 – at Maine (20-12, 15-3 America East), 1 p.m.; Sun. 18 – Eastern Kentucky, 1 p.m.; Fri. 30 – at Lehigh* (19-11, 11-7 Patriot, fifth), 2 p.m.
January
Mon. 2 – Lafayette* (12-18, 7-11 Patriot, seventh), 2 p.m.; Thur. 5 – Loyola, Md.* (5-24, 2-16 Patriot, tenth), 6 p.m.; Sun. 8 – at Colgate* (6-24, 4-14 Patriot, ninth), 2 p.m.; Wed. 11 – at American* (23-9, 13-5 Patriot, second), 7 p.m.; Sun. 15 – Boston University* (17-14, 12-6 Patriot, T-third), 3 p.m.; Wed. 18 – at Bucknell* (24-10, 12-6 Patriot, T-third), 2 p.m.; Sat. 21 – Navy* (10-21, 5-13 Patriot, eighth), 11 a.m. (CBS Sports Network); Wed. 25 – American*, 6 p.m.; Sat. 28 – at Holy Cross* (20-11, 14-4 Patriot, first), 2 p.m.
February
Sat. 4 – Bucknell*, 1 p.m.; Wed. 8 – at Loyola, Md.*, 7 p.m.; Sat. 11 – at Navy*, 11 a.m. (CBS Sports Network); Wed. 15 – Colgate*, 11 a.m.; Sat. 18 – at Lafayette*, 2 p.m.; Wed. 22 – at Boston University*, 6 p.m.; Sat. 25 – Holy Cross*, 1 p.m.
March
Wed. 1 – Lehigh*, 6 p.m.
Home games at West Point’s Christl Arena; overall and league marks with placing are listed; asterisk marks Patriot League games; most games on WBNR (1260-AM) or WLNA (1420-AM) and league contests on ESPN Plus (subscription)
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army women's basketball faces transition: 2022-23 preview, roster, schedule
