Continued improvement is Corsairs' goal
for 2000-2001 women's basketball season

(Dartmouth, MA) -- UMass Dartmouth's women's basketball team has made some significant progress in the last two years under head coach Lynn Sheedy. The Corsairs doubled their number of victories from the previous season and earned victories over the two top teams in the Little East Conference during the regular season.

Heading into her third season with the program, Coach Lynn Sheedy has 6 players returning who have played important roles in the Corsairs' rebuilding process.

"After getting those wins over Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut last year, we have started to gain some respect within the LEC," said Sheedy. "These wins have proven to us as well as our opponents what our team is capable of doing. Our goal this year is to play at this level on a regular basis. What last year was the exception, we hope this year becomes the norm -- solid, consistent play throughout the season."

It would appear Coach Sheedy has the tools to move the Corsairs ahead this season with 4 of the 5 top scorers and leading rebounders back from last season's 8-17 team.

UMass Dartmouth will be strong up front because of the return of the Corsairs' co-captains Katie Douglas (Sharon, MA) and Melissa Gears (Rochester, NY). The Douglas-Gears combination ranked in the top 6 in LEC rebounding last season, with Gears fourth, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game and Douglas sixth with 7.8 rebounds per game. Gears was 11^th in scoring and led the Corsairs with 10.2 points per game and Douglas averaged 8.2 points per game.

"Both of our captains are going to be expected to provide on court leadership," said Sheedy, who will be joined by assistant coach Christine Elliott and Peter Lyons. "Both exemplify a strong work ethic and are committed to making this our best season ever."

A transfer from St. John Fisher last year, Gears was an important addition to the Corsairs in her first season. In addition to her scoring and rebounding, she demonstrated an outside shooting touch and a strong defensive game as well. Gears led the Corsairs in free throw shooting (96-122, 78.7%) and had 8 blocked shots and 25 steals. Douglas had to handle the ball in the open court last season and it turned her into a more versatile player. Douglas was the Corsairs� top three-point shooter (16-54, 29.7%), led the team in assists (66) and blocked shots (14) and was second in steals (41).

"In my 20 plus years of coaching, Katie is one of the most talented and hardest working players I�ve been associated with," said Sheedy. "Her versatility, combined with her desire to do well, makes her a major threat to anyone who tries to get in her way."

Complementing the strong inside presence of Douglas and Gears is the return of sophomore guard Jess Cummings (Middleboro, MA). Last season, Cummings averaged 8.4 points per game, fourth best on the team, and 3.6 rebounds plus 21 steals.

Cummings has always been one of the Corsairs' best shooters, connecting for a team-high 90-262 from the floor (34%) and 13-41 from three-point range (31.7%). Over the off season, Cummings improved her conditioning and speed and is now an improved defensive player, according to Sheedy.

Joining Douglas and Gears up front will be junior forward Carla Ferriera (Marion, MA), who joins the women's basketball team following another solid season with the Corsairs' women�s volleyball program. Ferreira added 6.5 points and 6 rebounds per game last year, third best on the team, along with 11 blocked shots and 30 steals.

Two other returners from last season, junior guard Becky Mackey (Quincy, MA) and sophomore forward/guard Larissa Morse (Sterling, MA), will be asked to take on more responsibilities this season. Before a pre-season injury slowed her down, Mackey was the leading candidate to take over the point guard position left vacant by the graduation of Natarsha Silva. Last year, Mackey saw limited time at guard but has demonstrated that she can hit the open shot and has the ball-handling skills to control the offense. In Morse's case, she also saw limited action last season but took full advantage of the Corsairs trip to Portugal last summer for an international basketball tournament. Morse averaged 2.5 points and 21 rebounds per game in 19 games last season.

"Larissa made a very strong appearance in the Amadora Tournament in Portugal," said Sheedy. "Having played forward in high school, she has been developing her perimeter game. She is a gifted athlete, who is continuing to develop her skills in the backcourt. But at 5-9, she has the size to match up inside and the quickness to defend guards and can score in the paint as well."

UMass Dartmouth will also be adding 7 newcomers to the roster this season. From that group, Sheedy is looking to fill at least one starting job and establish a rotation of players coming off the bench.

"This year's class of first-year players brings a wealth of talent along with a strong fundamental base," said Sheedy. "With the loss of Silva at point guard and Mackey�s injury, the point guard position will be shared among three first-year players."

Sheedy will be counting on a combination of newcomers, including Lauren Johnson (Swansea, MA), Kelly O�Neil (Mansfield, MA) and Jessica Kennedy (North Port, FL) to make a move into the starting lineup. All three come to UMass Dartmouth with strong basketball backgrounds in high school. Johnson was a team MVP at Case High School and has played for the AAU Bristol Stars and Ocean State Shades, while O'Neill was a team MVP at Mansfield High and an All-Hockomock League All-Star. Kennedy was an All-Scholastic selection and winner of her team's Best Defensive Player Award at Venice (FL) High School.

Rounding out the lineup for UMass Dartmouth are sophomore guard Rhonda Watts (Springfield, MA), first-year guard Clare Antil (Lee, MA) and first-year forward Amy Satkevich (Quincy, MA). Watts is a newcomer to the program, who took a year off last season, while Antil was a team MVP and Southern Berkshire All-Division selection at Norfolk County Agricultural High School. Satkevich was an All-Scholastic selection by the Patriot Ledger and was a Catholic Conference All-Star at Fontbonne Academy.

The Corsairs will need to pull together its starting lineup in a hurry because looming in the distance is another competitive season in the LEC, according to Sheedy. Southern Maine lost 3 players from last year but will still be an NCAA Tournament caliber team. Last year's regular season champions from Western Connecticut have almost all of its key players back for another season as well. Sheedy said she expects Plymouth State with its effective up-tempo game to be a factor in the LEC race as well.

"Our goal is to win more games overall and to increase our number of LEC victories," said Sheedy. "Down the line we would like to move up in the LEC standings and host a first round LEC game."