Women's Basketball, Coach Stock eager to begin 2016-17 season
The MCLA women's basketball program will open up play Tuesday night with a road tilt at Cobleskill. The Trailblazers return their top six scorers from a year ago including Kayla Hotaling, who was an All MASCAC selection a year ago
North Adams, MA- The MCLA Women's Basketball team is eager to begin the 2016-17 season as the program looks to build off of a 14-13 campaign a year ago and a trip to the MASCAC semifinals. MCLA returns a talented roster along with a new head coach this season.
First year head coach Loren Stock will start her coaching career with a strong group of returning players as the Trailblazers return their top six scorers from last season. Stock is enthused about the prospects for 2016-17 with so many key components back and she's eager to get started.
"I expect that we will be a solid competitive team, one that works together and fights for a common goal," the first year coach stated. "I hope to build a dynamic culture to empower my student-athletes to succeed as a program."
The Trailblazers finished fourth in the MASCAC last season and defeated Salem State in a quarterfinal matchup of the postseason tournament before being ousted by eventual league champion Westfield State in the semifinal round. This season, MCLA was selected to finish in 5th place following a vote of the league's coaches.
MCLA will try to move up the MASCAC standings by returning 13 letterwinners from last season's team. Leading the core of veterans is senior Kayla Hotaling (Ravena, NY). The forward led the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots last season on her way to being named All MASCAC. She enters the season with a shot of reaching the 1,000 point plateau after averaging 11.9 ppg as a junior.
Hotaling is part of a large senior contingent that has plenty of experience. She will be joined by four year starters Ashley Clawson (Tolland, CT) and Courtney McLaughlin (Pittsfield, MA). Clawson only averaged 5.0 ppg last season, however she is the team's best defender and will handle the point. McLaughlin chipped in with 8 ppg a season ago and can get to the basket and defensively she led the team in steals with just over two swipes per game.
MCLA returns seniors Brayleigh Hanlon (Wynantskill, NY), Svetlana Morrell (Stillwater, NY), and Anna Despart (Castleton, NY) to the rotation as well providing some experience. Junior Emily Moulton (North Adams, MA) returns as does the sophomore trio of Karina Mattera (Johnston, RI), Courtney Pingelski (Mechanicville, NY), and L'Rae Brundige (Valley Falls, NY). Mattera came on strong in the second half of the season and ended as the team's second leading scorer.
The schedule tips off with an opening game on the road against Cobleskill on November 15th. The Trailblazers will then open up a four game homestand against Dean College on the 17th. The first semester concludes with a trip to Daytona Beach, FL for a pair of games against Emory and Henry and Wheaton (MA). MASCAC play opens up on January 4, 2017 against Worcester State.
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