Season Preview: 2021-22 Women's Basketball

WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team will look to replace four starters from last year's taem that finished as runner-up in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament. 

2020-21 Season Review: W&J had its best winning percentage since the 2009 season with an overall record of 8-1 (.891). The Presidents won every PAC regular season game by at least 19 points and they continued the winning streak into the PAC Tournament.

W&J held off Bethany in the quarterfinals at Salvitti Family Gymnasium, 66-62. The Presidents used a strong defensive efforts to overpower then defending champion Grove City in the semifinals by a 62-40 score. W&J fell short in its quest for a title, as they were unable to hold a fourth quarter lead in the championship game and fell 65-61 to Saint Vincent.

"Last year was such an interesting time. We are very grateful that we had the experience, but it was also more stressful at times. They enjoyed the process and really came together as a group.  We had a very experienced, senior heavy team that made the ups and downs much easier to handle," said head coach Jina DeRubbo. "Losing in the conference championship is going to stick with us for some time, but coming out of quarantine and going right into the conference tournament with no practice for two weeks and making it to the PAC Championship speaks volumes about who that group was as a team."

The Presidents must replace four starters who were lost to graduation. That group includes PAC Player of the Year Alie Seto, as well as All-PAC honorees Maria Lawhorne (First Team), Lauren Gilbert (Second Team) and Hannah Johnston (Honorable Mention).  That group finished their four-year careers with a combined record of 68-26. The quartet combined to score 3,314 points and advanced to the PAC Tournament Championship game in each of their four seasons.
 

2021-22 PAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
School (first-place votes)	Points	2020-21 Record (PAC)
1. Saint Vincent College (8)	89	10-0 (7-0)
2. Washington & Jefferson College (2)	80	8-1 (6-0)
3. Grove City College	67	8-2 (7-1)
4. Bethany College	63	5-6 (4-5)
5. Westminster College	61	6-5 (5-4)
6. Chatham University	59	4-5 (5-4)
7. Geneva College	42	4-6 (4-5)
8. Waynesburg University	33	3-8 (2-7)
9. Thiel College	26	1-8 (1-7)
10. Franciscan University	20	1-9 (1-8)

 
2021-22 PAC Women's Basketball Players to Watch: Sarah Berardelli, Victoria Koeck, Kamryn Lach, Aleena McDaniel, Piper Morningstar
 
Key Returners: W&J must have a number of players step up if the 2021-22 season is going to be a successful one.  

"We obviously lost a lot of leadership and talent in last year's class.  However, we have some great players back and they are eager to take a bigger role and make this team their own," said DeRubbo.

Senior guard Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) started in all nine games for the Presidents in the 2020-21 season. Morningstar ranked third on the team for three-point percentage and placed in the top 10 in the PAC for assists per game (3.8) and assist/turnover ratio per game (3.8/2.2).

"We are looking for big things from Piper this year.  Her leadership in the preseason has been really strong and the younger kids look up to her. She has done whatever we needed to do playing every position on the floor," DeRubbo said. "We need her to take a bigger scoring role this year, which she is very capable of doing. She is probably the most versatile player in the conference.  At 6-1 she can play the one, post up, and play inside. We often ask her to defend a center with her size and length as well."

After sitting out last season, Aleena McDaniel (Morgantown, W.Va./ Morgantown) returns for her senior year with the Red and Black. McDaniel brings a wealth of experience back as she has appeared in 56 games with 47 starts during her career. In the 2019-20 season, McDaniel was second on the team in assists and fourth on the team for rebounds and steals. She should the ability to produce big scoring games, as she dropped 29 against Geneva and 22 against Saint Vincent in 2019-20.

"Aleena is a phenomenal athlete, we missed her presence on the court last year. I think people in our conference kind of forget about her and what she adds to our team," DeRubbo said. "I have a feeling they will be quickly reminded that she makes our team instantly better and she give us a lot of game experience as well."

Junior forward Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) provided shooting off the W&J bench in her first two seasons. Koeck was tied for first on the team for three-point percentage (.500).  and played in all nine games last season providing at least two or more rebounds and points per game for the Presidents.

"The sky is the limit for Vee, I have told her that for two seasons.  She has the skill set to be an All-PAC player, she simply needs to embrace the role she will play for us this year," says DeRubbo. "She has had two great PAC tournament runs for us, she needs to play with that intensity and confidence in November and not wait until the end of the season."

Sophomore center Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) and senior guard Kamryn Lach (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) played roles off of the bench for W&J during their first seasons with the program. Berardelli recorded a season-high 10 rebounds against Thiel. Lach provided guard depth and long range shooting in her first season after transferring in from Carlow.

Maddi Gutierrez (Bridgeville, Pa./ South Fayette) appeared in six games off the bench and poured in a season-high nine points against Thiel.

Newcomers: The Presidents welcome eight newcomers to the roster with six freshmen, one sophomore, and one transfer joining the 2021-22 squad.

"We are excited about this new group of players we have.  They will without a doubt add depth and skill to our guard play and we have a few very versatile swing players that can play position less basketball which we are excited about," said DeRubbo. "We are most excited about our team dynamic right now.  This group is buying in quickly to the things that make us who we are and are going above and beyond what is expected of them in the preseason."

Sophomore guard Alyssa Pollice (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) comes to W&J after playing her freshman season for PAC rival Westminster. She recorded a season-high of five rebounds against Thiel.

The Presidents welcome a large group of first-year players:
Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin)
Skylar Bibbee (Fairfax, Va./ Chantilly)
Nautica Burwell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice)
Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area)
Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin)
Samantha Maurer (Washington, Pa./Washington)
Sydney Snyder (Loudonville, Ohio/Loundonville)

Team Captains: Aleena McDaniel, Kamryn Lach, Piper Morningstar

Looking at the Schedule: The Presidents are set to compete in a 25-game schedule.

W&J's schedule features seven non-PAC opponents. The Red and Black will take on Marietta (Nov. 13), Denison (Nov. 19), Case Western Reserve or La Roche (Nov. 20), Allegheny (Nov. 23), Capital (Nov. 27), Penn State Behrend (Dec. 7), and Dickinson (Dec. 30).

PAC play starts on Dec. 1 as W&J travels to New Wilmington, Pa. to face Westminster. The first PAC home game will take place on Dec. 15 as W&J hosts Bethany. W&J rings in the New Year at Salvitti Family Gymnasium against Thiel on Jan. 4.

The PAC Tournament is scheduled to be played from February 21 through Feburary 26.

"I am sure to last year's freshman 25 games seems like so many.  I can't speak for the rest of the basketball world, but I learned some things from last year's shortened season that I think we can build on to make us better and more efficient at what we do," DeRubbo said.  "Our non-conference schedule is a challenging one and will prepare us for PAC play.  We have developed quite a rivalry with St. Vincent and Grove City for sure and our Westminster games are always a battle as well."
 
Last Word: "Anytime you lose a group of seniors like we had last year there are some questions marks coming into a new season. It is also an exciting time for your returners to put their own name and mark on a new era. I know it is one they are excited and eager for," said DeRubbo. "I would not consider this team a rebuild in any way but rather a reloading mindset with a group that is ready for the challenge."