Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: Tom Cunningham
Coach
Tricia Fabbri (22nd season, 350-269; .565) is entering this season as the all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac women’s basketball history. In 2015-16, Fabbri led her team to its fifth straight 20-win season. Since joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 2013-14, Fabbri has guided her team to a 56-10 record against all MAAC opponents.
Last year
No team can bounce back from losing all five starters from a championship team, right? Well, not so fast. To start the season last year, the Bobcats were coming off winning a MAAC Championship, while losing its five starters from the year before. The Bobcats lost some of the best players in program history in Samantha Guastella, Jasmine Martin, and Gillian “Boo” Abshire. Tricia Fabbri and her staff brought in four freshmen to replace these players. A roster that boasted eight of 15 players being underclassmen, it was a season that was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the program. Quinnipiac stumbled a bit to start conference play a year ago, dropping its first three games to Marist, Manhattan, and Monmouth. After the loss to Monmouth, Quinnipiac returned home to take on a struggling Rider team. The Bobcats cruised to a 64-51 victory, and the streak was on. The Bobcats went on to win their final 17 MAAC games, en route to clinching the MAAC regular season title. Quinnipiac would then defeat Niagara in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament, and then took care of Monmouth in the semifinals. In that semifinal victory, however, Quinnipiac suffered a big loss, with senior Maria Napolitano going down with a knee injury. In the MAAC Championship game against the Iona Gaels, the Gaels proved to be too much for the banged up Bobcats. Iona won the MAAC Championship, defeating Quinnipiac 57-41. The loss ended Quinnipiac’s 19-game winning streak. Despite falling to the Gaels, the Bobcats clinched a spot in the WNIT postseason tournament. Quinnipiac hosted the University of Maine in the opening round. Quinnipiac took out Maine easily 90-44 behind 21 points from Paula Strautmane. It was the first ever national postseason win for the program. In the second round, Quinnipiac hosted Temple, but ultimately fell 64-62, ending the team’s season. The 2015-16 season saw Quinnipiac take major steps to becoming one of the premiere mid-major basketball programs in the region.
Key Losses
Maria Napolitano (2015-16 All-MAAC Second Team, 2016 MAAC All-Tournament Team; 10.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.5 spg)
New Faces
Vanessa Udoji, 5-11 Guard/Forward (Randolph, MA; Northfield Mount Hermon)
Taylor Herd, 5-9 Guard (Quakertown, PA; Lansdale Catholic)
Jaden Ward, 6-0 Forward (Wisconsin Dells, WI; Wisconsin Dells)
Paige Warfel, 6-0 Forward (Chester Springs, PA; Downingtown East)
Katie Grant, 6-4 Forward (Phoenix, AZ; Horizon)
Under the Radar
Jen Fay
Fay missed the entire 2015-16 campaign with an ACL injury. The 6-foot forward redshirted last season, and could be the x-factor for this Quinnipiac team. Fay played in all 35 games during the team’s run to a MAAC Championship during her freshman season in 2014-15. She was part of the second unit , along with current teammates Sarah Shewan and Adily Martucci, that many thought could have competed with several starting lineups in the MAAC that season. Fay also brings more experience to the lineup after playing significant minutes in the 2015 MAAC Tournament, as well as getting minutes in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Oklahoma. Fay can add additional scoring depth to help the likes of Paula Strautmane and Aryn McClure on the offensive end. Expect Fay to be a major part of Tricia Fabbri’s plan this season, to add another piece to an already dynamic lineup.
3 Games to watch
Michigan State (Dec. 6)
A Big Ten opponent making the trip to Hamden to take on this Quinnipiac team is a huge boost for the program. Not only is Michigan State a team in a power-conference, but Michigan State is one of the top teams in the entire country. In the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, Michigan State was ranked 22nd in the nation. The Spartans made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and defeated Belmont in the first round, before falling to Mississippi State in the second round. Tori Jankoska returns for her senior season, after averaging over 15 points per game last season. The Bobcats will have their hands full with this Spartans team, but it will be a great test before this team begins its run at another MAAC title.
New Mexico State (Dec. 19 in Las Vegas)
When it comes to being a mid-major basketball team, out of conference games do not matter nearly as much as in-conference games. In the case of the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team, however, non-conference games matter a bit more as the Bobcats are trying to gain more national recognition. New Mexico State is a team that also made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, but fell in the first round. This game is a test for the Bobcats to play a quality opponent, with a real chance to win. Any time a team can play in a tournament such as this with teams from around the country it is a great chance for the team to get nationally recognized. This game is a chance for the Bobcats to make it known that they one of the true up and coming teams in the country.
@ Iona (Jan. 28)
The rematch that everyone has circled on their calendar. These two teams battled for the MAAC regular season title last year in the final game of the regular season, and then duked it out in Albany for the MAAC Tournament Championship. Quinnipiac took the two regular season matchups against Iona, before the Gaels topped the Bobcats in the MAAC Championship. Iona did lose one of the program’s best in Joy Adams. The team does return MAAC Preseason Player of the Year in Marina Lizarazu, who will be one of the best in the conference this season. These two teams were picked to finish in the top two spots in the conference. In addition, the Bobcats and Gaels were both ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Mid-Major top 25 poll, sitting at 13 and 18 respectively. By the time this matchup comes around both teams should be starting to hit midseason form, which could make this one of the must-watch games all season.
Where will they finish?
Prediction: 26-4, 19-1 MAAC; 1st Place in MAAC
It is tough to see this team finishing anywhere BUT the top spot in the MAAC at the end of the regular season. The team has too much talent not to. Aryn McClure, Paula Strautmane, Jen Fay, Morgan Manz, Adily Martucci, Carly Fabbri, and the list goes on of players that will contribute this season. The Bobcats have yet another tough out of conference schedule with teams like Florida Gulf Coast, Dayton, Michigan State, and New Mexico State on the schedule that will prepare Quinnipiac for a deep run in the MAAC. Assuming the Bobcats remain healthy, most important for the stretch run, this team should find itself on the top of the conference at the end of the regular season. The team has the firepower to easily make it back to the MAAC Championship as well. The Bobcats are one of the deepest teams in the entire conference which will help tremendously when trying to make a deep postseason run. This team should reign as the 2017 MAAC Tournament Champions as well. My prediction is for this team to roll through the regular season and the MAAC Tournament reaching the NCAA Tournament for its third time in the last five seasons.
