Spring Hill College Women's Basketball 2016-17

2016-17 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016-17

Spring Hill College women’s basketball head coach Karen McConico welcomes back her most experienced team of her six-year career with the Badgers for the 2016-17 season. “Our four seniors have a new mindset and they have a mature attitude about the upcoming season,” she says. “They really want to go out with a bang and they see that the talent of our newcomers can help them do it.

”McConico brought in eight new faces during the offseason and she is confident that at least five of them can make an immediate impact on the program. “They all have the right attitude,’ she says. “They work really hard and have raised us to a new level of competitiveness. Coming from winning teams and bringing winning attitude, they all know what winning is and what it means. That attitude is contagious.”

The Badgers will have five starters back for the new season, but McConico warns them all that nobody is assured a starting spot this year. “No job is safe this year,” she says. “That’s great as a coach because it promotes competitiveness as well as team comradery. Our new faces will push the returners and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Spring Hill’s strength this year lies in the post and under the basket where senior center and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Pre-Season All-Conference selection Leah Washington of Houma, La., teams with fellow senior forwards Camry Johnson from Mobile’s Faith Academy and Alishia Drayton-Lewis of Jacksonville, Fla., to put a combined nine years of experience on the floor. “Our interior could be excellent this year,” says McConico. “We have three tough seniors leading the charge followed by some very talented younger players who have the size to control the inside in a physical conference.”

Sophomore 6-foot, 1-inch forward Tiffany Valentine from Houston, Texas, has gotten stronger over the summer while junior college transfer forward Angel Carthen of Wilmer, Ala., brings starting experience and success. “Frankly, Tiffany was disappointed in her freshman year,” McConico admits. “But she has realized she needs to focus more and what it takes to be successful at this level.” McConico also likes what she has seen from Carthen. “Angel is a workhorse on the

inside,” she says. “She goes after every rebound and fights for the ball.”

Freshmen forwards Windee Johnson from Greenbriar, Tenn., and Katie Krout of Tuscaloosa, Ala., have impressed the Badger coaches with their commitment and abilities during early workouts and will make their presence felt early.

As for the outside, McConico brought in junior point guard Johnta Hughes from Hattiesburg, Miss., after a successful junior college career. “Hughes is a natural point guard,” McConico says. “She comes from a winning tradition and is a true floor general who controls the action while looking to get the ball where it needs to be.” With Hughes taking over at point guard, McConico will shift junior Jennifer Clark of Kenner, La., to a guard position along with freshman Elise Reilly from Covington, La. “Having Hughes frees us to put Jen where she feels comfortable and Reilly was the Number 1 scorer in Louisiana last year, so not only will we cut down on turnovers, but we put scorers in position to either score or force defenses to free up the inside for Leah. We can also let Leah get down the floor on offense sooner and not worry about her bringing up the ball like she had to do last year.”

With the pieces falling into place, McConico begins sizing up her options. “Alishia has been working on finishing on the inside and begun to find the square for easy buckets while (senior guard) Brittney Davis (Foley, Ala.) has three years of experience and that’s invaluable,” she says. “We also have (junior guard) Jewel Hill who started 21 games last year, so we are deep in experience this year.” Freshmen guards Nora Brooks of St. Louis, Mo., Daja Walker of Tuskegee, Ala., and Hannah Fillmore of Brewton, Ala., are more weapons that McConico has at her disposal who will see action throughout the year. McConico is always excited to get the new season started, but it is obvious that this season has her especially ready to roll the ball out on the court. “We really have shifted our entire culture,” she says. “We have the pieces in place and the younger players have not only gained the respect of the veterans, but they are pushing and inspiring them. Our belief in each other is better than ever and we really are focused on team and not self. These ladies want SHC to be a top team.”

COACHING STAFF

Karen McConico – Head Coach, 6th Season

Karen McConico begins her fifth season as the head coach of Spring Hill College women’s basketball program. During McConico’s seven-year tenure as Assistant Coach at High Point University, the Panthers built an overall record of 118-94 including a 65-37 record in the Big South Conference as the program completed the transitioned from NCAA Division II to Division I status. McConico was a major factor in the Panthers’ regular reason Big South Championship in 2006-07 and their trip to the National Women’s Invitation Tournament (NWIT) that same season.

On the court, McConico still ranks as the all-time leading scorer in High Point men’s and women’s basketball history with 2,616 points scored from 1994-98 when the Panthers played among the NCAA Division II ranks. She is also the all-time assists leader at HPU with 645 handouts and ranks fourth in career rebounding with 904 boards.

McConico, a native of Apex, N.C., graduated from HPU with a bachelor’s degree in Human Relations in 1998. She played professionally in Switzerland from 1998 to 2000 where she averaged 25 points per game as a point guard. She began her coaching career in 2000 at Cary (N.C.) High School where she was head coach until 2002. She is married to Calvin McConico, Jr., she has one son, Karvin.

Amy Calhoun – Assistant Coach, 6th season

A native of Apex, N.C., Calhoun is in her fourth season at SHC following a four-year playing career at High Point University where she played in 121 games with 61 starts. The former forward finished her career as the 10th leading scorer in High Point’s NCAA Division 1 history by scoring 813 points and fourth in assists with 248 handouts.

Urysla Cotton – Graduate Assistant Coach

Urysla Kerenza Cotton, a native of Apex, N.C., joined the Badger staff in October 2015. She graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Communications where she was a two- sport athlete as a 4-year scholarship athlete in basketball averaging nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks during the 2009-2010 season. After completing the undergraduate program at Elon, Cotton played a year of professional basketball in Montijo, Portugal, for Montijo Banda Basket where she was the club and the league’s first American player. In 2014-2015, Cotton served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach with the Garner High School Girl’s JV team.

GENERAL FACTS

Institution: Spring Hill College

City/State/Zip: Mobile, AL 36608

President: Christopher Puto, Ph.D.

Founded: 1830

Enrollment: 1,496

Nickname: Badgers

School Colors: Purple, white School website: shc.edu/about

Home Facility: Arthur R. Outlaw

Recreation Center

Capacity: 1,500

Affiliation: NCAA Division II

Conference: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic

Division: West

Athletic Director: Jim Hall

Alma Mater: Grinnell College, 1995

Compliance: Chad LeBlanc

Senior Woman Administrator: Alison Sellers-Cook

Faculty Athletic Representative: Steve Almquist, Ph.D.

Athletic Department Phone: 251-380-3485

Athletic Department Fax: 251-460-2196

Sports Information Director: Jim Stennett Alma Mater: Mississippi State, 1990

SID Phone: (251) 380-4468

SID Email: jstennett@shc.edu

Athletic Web Site: www.shcbadgers.com

Facebook: SHCBADGERS

Twitter: SHCBADGERS

Instagram: SHCBADGERS

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach: Karen McConico Alma Mater: High Point, 1998

Record at school/years: 50-87/5 years

Career record/years: 50-87/5 years Office Phone: (251) 380-3488

Assistant Coach: Amy Calhoun (5 years)

Graduate Assistant: Urysla Cotton (1 year)

Head Athletic Trainer: Brian Gronewold, ATC

Office Phone: 251-380-3493

TEAM INFORMATION

Overall Record Last Year: 10-16

Conference/Finish: 8-9 (3rd of 8 SSAC West)

Starters returning/lost: 4/1

First Year: 1973

Overall Record: 446-618 (since 1977)

www.shcbadgers.com

2016-17 ROSTER

2015-16 RESULTS

Date Opponent

Nov. 13 at Southern University (Exhibition) Baton Rouge, La. L; 46-65

Nov. 15 at University of West Alabama Livingston, Ala. L; 64-66

Nov. 17 at University of South Alabama (Exhibition) Mitchell Center L; 49-64

Nov. 20 University of West Alabama Home L; 67-68 (ot)

Nov. 21 at Mississippi College Clinton, Miss. W; 83-76

Nov. 24 University of West Florida Home L; 44-57

Dec. 3 *Tuskegee University Home W; 65-38

Dec. 5 at William Carey University Hattiesburg, Miss. L; 52-61

Dec. 12 University of Montevallo Home L; 51-65

Dec. 14 *Miles College Home L; 60-64

Dec. 16 Southern University at New Orleans Home W; 75-61

Dec. 18 at Loyola University (La.) New Orleans, La. L; 53-71

Dec. 31 at Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans, La. L; 45-65

Jan. 4 *at Paine College Augusta, Ga. W; 70-62

Jan. 7 *Fort Valley State University Home W; 90-67

Jan. 9 *Albany State University Home L; 48-56

Jan. 14 *at Benedict College Columbia, S.C. L; 64-72

Jan. 16 *at Claflin University Orangeburg, S.C. L; 42-58

Jan. 18 *at Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, Ga. W; 56-53

Jan. 23 *Stillman College Home L; 51-55

Jan. 28 *Lane College Home W; 62-54

Feb. 1 *at Lemoyne-Owen College Memphis, Tenn. L; 70-85

Feb. 4 *at Central State University Wilberforce, Ohio W; 62-60

Feb. 6 *at Kentucky State University Frankfort, Ky. L; 72-78 (ot)

Feb. 8 *at Lane College Jackson, Tenn. W; 57-51

Feb. 15 *Lemoyne-Owen College Home W; 69-52

Feb. 18 *Central State University Home L; 64-66

Feb. 20 *Kentucky State University Home L; 52-66 *SIAC game

2015-16 SIAC

2016-17 SCHEDULE

Date

Nov. 11 University of West Alabama

Nov. 12 at Southern University (Exhibition) Baton Rouge, La. 3 p.m.

Nov. 14 University of Mobile Home 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 17 at University of South Alabama (Exhibition) USA Mitchell Center 7 p.m.

Nov. 19 at University of West Alabama Livingston, Ala. 2 p.m.

Nov. 22 at University of West Florida Pensacola, Fla. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 Loyola University (La.)

Dec. 10 at University of Mobile

Dec. 12 William Carey University

5:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 at Shaw University Raleigh, N.C. 5:30 p.m. (EST)

Dec. 17 at High Point University (Exhibition) High Point, N.C. 2 p.m. (EST)

Jan. 2 *Paine College Home 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 5 *at Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, Ga. 5:30 p.m. (EST)

Jan. 7 *at Albany State University Albany, Ga. 2 p.m. (EST)

Jan. 12 *at Tuskegee University Tuskegee, Ala. 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 14

Jan. 16

Jan.

Jan. 23 at Auburn University Montgomery Montgomery, Ala. 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 *at Miles College Fairfield, Ala. 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 *at Lane College Jackson, Tenn. 2 p.m.

Jan. 30 *LeMoyne-Owen College

Feb. 4

Feb. 6

Feb. 10

Feb. 16 *at LeMoyne-Owen College Memphis, Tenn. 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 *at Central State University Wilberforce, Ohio 2 p.m. (EST)

Feb. 20 *at Kentucky State University Frankfort, Ky. 5:30 p.m. (EST)

Feb. 23 *Lane College

5:30 p.m. *SIAC game