WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
A Look Ahead at the 1998-1999 Lord Jeffs
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
A Look Ahead at the 1998-1999 Lord Jeffs
The Jeffs lose only one senior to graduation. Returning to lead the way will be Academic All-NESCAC co-captain Kathryn Hersey '99, who also claimed All-NESCAC Second Team honors for the second straight year. Hersey finished as the league's second-leading rebounder, pulling down 9.7 boards per game to put her second in Amherst history with 625 in three years. Averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, Hersey will begin her senior season with 29 double-doubles (15 in 1997-98) and as Amherst's fifth all-time leading scorer with 959 points.
Co-captain Janinne Noel '99, the team's Most Improved Player for the 1997-98 season, averaged 10.3 points and 2.1 assists per game, along with 2.1 steals in each contest. Noel set a school record with six 3-point field goals against Springfield College, and she holds the all-time record with 146 3's over three seasons.
The captains will be joined by an outstanding supporting cast. Forward Naomi Sullivan '00 averaged 6.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while Deirdre McCarthy '01 had a fine first year with 4.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Both earned Academic All-NESCAC recognition, along with Liza Feldman '00, who averaged 4.6 ppg and led the team by shooting 87.5% at the free throw line. Added depth will come from Dacia Walker '00, Melissa Roja '00, Charlotte Taylor '01, Rebecca Sacher '01, Margaret Riley '01, Jen Sielicki '01 and 1997-98 Coaches' Award winner, Margaret Lischer '01.
Joining this group of talented upperclasswomen will be Crystal Campaigne, a 6-0 forward transferring from Smith College, and two first year players: 5-8 guard/forward Cara Coscarelli (West Hartford, CT/William Hall HS) and 5-11 point guard/forward Hallison Putnam (Lexington, KY/Sayer HS). With this exciting group of players, Amherst will once again be considered as a top contender in New England.
Coach Billy McBride
Coach McBride has been a full time member of the Amherst College coaching staff for the past eight years. He has assisted both men's and women's programs in basketball, track and football. In McBride's four years as head coach of the women's basketball team, the Jeffs have gone 63-55. A native of Syracuse, NY, McBride was a former high school All-City and All-Upstate performer in basketball and football, and he was awarded the City's MVP in 1974. Upon graduation, Billy received an athletic scholarship to attend Tennessee State University, where again he played both basketball and football. In 1975, McBride was a point guard on the varsity basketball team that participated in the Division II NCAA Final Four. Following graduation from TSU in 1979, McBride was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and went on to play six years in the Canadian Football League. Before coming to Amhrest, McBride returned to New York from Canada to serve as athletic director and head basketball and football coach at the Allen Stevenson School in New York City.