2009-10 Season in Review

Under second year Head Coach Shannon Howley, the Elmira College Soaring Eagles Women’s Basketball team finished the 2009-10 season with a record of 4-21 (2-14 Empire 8). The Soaring Eagles were extremely competitive all year long, but could not overcome late game struggles, losing 5 games by 6 points or less. Despite the team’s balance, experience, and veteran leadership, the Soaring Eagles struggled in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference.

The Soaring Eagles stumbled out of the gate, but earned home wins against out of conference opponents Clarkson University 74-57, and Penn Tech 83-50, while defeating Empire 8 foes RIT 65-62 and Hartwick 67-38 on the road.

Playing in their final season for the Soaring Eagles were Chelsey Kent ’10 (Sherman, NY -- Sherman), Alysha Giarra ’10 (Ridgefield Park, NJ -- Ridgefield Park), Stephanie Woychak ’10 (Elmira, NY -- Thomas Edison), and Meghan Sullivan ’10 (Pine City, NY -- Elmira Notre Dame). Starting in all 25 games for Elmira College, Kent played 25.4 minutes per game, averaged 6.4 points with a field goal percentage of 42.3%. She also totaled 95 rebounds on the season to go along with 38 assists, 15 steals, and 9 blocks. Giarra started 24 games in 2009-10, averaging 26.2 minutes and 2.8 points per game. She collected 84 rebounds, 49 steals, and led the team with 64 assists.

Woychak and Sullivan appeared in 24 and 18 games respectively for the Soaring Eagles. Woychak averaged 10.5 minutes and 1.9 points per game, grabbing 38 rebounds, while also recording 20 assists and 9 steals. Sullivan finished her final year averaging 9.4 minutes and 1.1 points per game, adding 15 rebounds and 7 steals for the Soaring Eagles.

The third year players for Elmira College made great strides this season and look to continue to improve in 2010-11. Among the third year players returning is Erin Rupell ’11 (Lehighton, PA -- Lehighton) who led the team with 11.7 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, and 22 blocks. Starting 24 of the 25 games she appeared, Rupell played 29.4 minutes per game while totaling 31 assists and 49 steals. For her efforts Rupell was named to the Empire 8 All-Conference Second Team. Combined with her frontcourt teammate Rebecca Fretz ’11 (Kunkletown, PA -- Pleasant Valley), the Soaring Eagles will have a dynamic low post presence next season. Fretz started 22 of the 23 games played, averaging 30.3 minutes, 10.5 points, and 6.3 rebounds per game, while also notching 22 assists, 15 steals, and 7 blocks.

Becky Peterman ’11 (Glen Gardner, NJ -- Voorhees), Tesia Kaczynski ’11 (Mansfield, PA -- Mansfield), and Laura Bolan ’11 (Newcomb, NY -- Newcomb Central) logged solid minutes and gained valuable experience in 2009-10. Peterman started 22 games for Elmira College, finishing the season with 7.7 points per game. In her 24 appearances, she averaged 27.6 minutes a game with 49 rebounds, 39 assists, and 30 steals. Kaczynski averaged 17.5 minutes in her 25 appearances, ending the season scoring 5.3 points per game. Kaczynski led the team with 28 made three point field goals, while also totaling 41 rebounds, 28 assists, and 16 steals. Bolan finished appearing in 14 games, notching 5.1 minutes per game and 2.2 points per game shooting 11 for 21 from the field, while grabbing 16 rebounds, blocking 6 shots, and recording 4 steals.

Making a great impact in her second season, Amanda Lawlor ’12 (Cortland, NY -- Cortland) continued to grow throughout her 23 appearances. In 2009-10 Lawlor averaged 23.6 minutes per game off the bench, and led the team in field goal percentage shooting 44.5% on the season. She finished with 9.9 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, 21 assists, 14 steals, and 8 blocks.

First year players included Darcy James ’12 (Castile, NY -- Letchworth Central), Allie Berry ’13 (Forty Fort, PA -- Wyoming Seminary), and Molly Grover ’13 (Cumberland, ME -- Cheverus). James appeared in 14 games averaging 5.4 minutes per game, recording 10 points and 13 rebounds. She was also Elmira’s representative for Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year. Enduring an injury plagued season, Berry averaged 6.3 minutes in her 7 appearances, averaging 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 points per game. Grover appeared in 11 games playing 2.6 minutes per game, in which she notched 4 steals and 3 assists.

Returning an experienced group of players, Coach Howley hopes next year’s team can find the rhythm early in the season en route to a successful 2010-11 campaign.

Elmira will lose Kent, Giarra, Sullivan, and Woychak to graduation.