Women & Sport: Thanks to some NJ talent, NYU women's basketball team is 11-0, ranked No. 1
The New York University women’s basketball team is on a hot streak — thanks in part to the contributions of some talented players who hail from the Garden State.
The Division 3 Violets are 11-0 after Saturday's 78-46 victory over Brandeis University and currently sit No. 1 in the nation in a D3hoops.com poll. The impressive season is far from over, with Saturday's game the Violets' first in University Athletic Association play.
"Obviously the most important ranking is the last one, but I am super proud for this program to be acknowledged by the voters at D3hoops.com as the #1 team in the country for the first time in program history," said the team’s head coach, Meg Barber, in a statement last month. "Hopefully, it will fuel our work ethic over the break and into the gauntlet" of University Athletic Association play.
The team first earned the top ranking on Dec. 18 and has maintained the spot for two polling weeks in a row. It marked the first time in program history the squad earned the top spot since polling began in 1999.
The Violets have players from nine states, and even a player from Iceland. Three players on the roster hail from New Jersey: sophomores Chloe Teter of Little Silver and Belle Pellecchia of Mendham, and junior Jordan Janowski of Woodcliff Lake, who is currently injured.
Pellechia, who attended Rutgers Prep, was named this week to D3hoops.com’s Team of the Week. Entering Saturday's action she led the Violets in assists per game (5.1) and steals per game (2.4). At last week’s NYU Holiday Classic, the guard averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks per game for the team’s pair of wins. The sophomore previously secured a spot on the First Team All-UAA and was honored as the UAA Rookie of the Year and UAA Defensive Player of the Year.
Teter, who was a three-year captain at Red Bank Regional, is the third-leading player on the Violets for steals per game (1.3). Janowski, who previously earned Second Team All-UAA honors prior to her injury, is a graduate of Saddle River Day School.
The Violets are a team worth keeping an eye on as they enter UAA play.
Keeping their No. 1 rank won’t be easy, with teams like Chicago also on an undefeated run, and Rochester and Emory so far only losing one game this season. The competition is expected to be tough.
Before Saturday, the Violets' previous game against the Bowdoin College was a close call, with NYU defeating the Polar Bears 78-75. The tight game was a good final test for NYU before conference play, Baber said after that game.
"It's invaluable," she said. "To have such a close contest and win, you just feel like you've really been tested. This will be what UAA play is game in and game out, so it's phenomenal to see us be in such a tight situation.
"Hopefully it just prepares us for the gauntlet ahead of us," she said.
Women & Sport is a NorthJersey.com column devoted to female athletes from the rec league level to those in college and the pros. If you've got a tip on an athlete from North Jersey who should be noted in the column, no matter how young they are or how old, please drop me a line at anzidei@northjersey.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Thanks to NJ talent, NYU women's basketball is ranked #1
