Nov. 5, 2007

For most teams, losing your program's all-time leading scorer, top-rebounder and three-year starter at point guard would signal a rebuilding year. For head coach Ed Swanson, the jury is still out on the 2007-08 Sacred Heart Pioneers. "I'll tell you in March if it's a rebuilding year," stated the head coach. "Some things will have to fall in place for us. Our margin of error isn't what it's been in years past."

Despite losing four seniors who helped deliver the program's first conference title and 87 wins in four years, the cupboard isn't completely bare for Coach Swanson. The return of junior center Kaitlin Sowinski and senior Lisa Moray along with the debut of junior Stephanie Ryan in the starting lineup has the 18-year head coach optimistic about his team's chances of once again challenging for a spot among the Northeast Conference elite.

"I think we have two solid starters coming back in Kaitlin Sowinski and Steph Ryan as a transfer," commented Swanson. "We have some people who can score the ball. The big question is will we be able to stop teams and rebound the basketball. I won't really know until we get it going."

The task is a tall one for all 11 Pioneers on the roster as SHU will need to find a way to replace the scoring lost with the graduation of Amanda Pape, 19.4 points per game, and Jasmine Walker, 12.4 points per game. The duo also dominated the glass last year, combining for 17.7 boards per game, while finishing their careers one and two on the all-time rebounding list.

"I think we can replace the points somehow," commented the head coach. "I believe all of our players are talented and just need the opportunity to step-up this season. The intangibles - the assists, the rebounding - those are the things that are tough to replace. And we need to find out if we have that core toughness, that perseverance, the resiliency. Can we find that?"

Sowinski fit in nicely last season as a third cog in the SHU offense while serving as a defensive presence in the paint. She returns as the Pioneer's top-scorer at 11.2 points per game while shooting 55.8% (140-251) from the field, second in the league. She pulled down 6.1 rebounds a game and also continued to alter shots defensively coming up with 87 blocks, second in the NEC.

The 6-4 senior is going to be counted on to continue her development into a dominate presence on the floor to guide this young team. "She has the skills and the ability to be an all-conference type player," Swanson stated. "We are looking for her to develop that mean streak, go-to-type player attitude."

In addition to her scoring and rebounding, Coach Swanson hopes the junior center can become even more of a complete player. "We are looking for her to make some adjustments in her game like becoming a better passer. She can beat people with her scoring inside and on defense, now she has to learn to beat people with her passing. Teams are going to double down on her and force our other players to make plays."

Ten other players surround Sowinski in the middle led by Ryan on the wing and a big-game shooter in Moray. Ryan steps into a starting role this year after transferring across town from Fairfield University last year. The junior guard brings a ball hungry toughness to the court that is sure to have Pioneer fans excited.

"She's got to get those competitive juices flowing again and she just loves to play," said Swanson. "Steph is my type of player. A big, tough wing that can go after it both on offense and defense."

Moray is the team's only senior on the roster and will need to lead both on and off the court. She has continually shown she can hit the big shot in big games and is one the NEC's top-three point threats. The senior guard set a new SHU school record last season knocking down 69 shots from behind the arc. Moray can also dish the basketball and led the conference in assist to turnover ration last season with 106 assists against just 51 miscues.

At the point, Coach Swanson has a pair of options to replace three-year starter and two-time captain Kerri Burke, now a member of the coaching staff and the program's all-time assist leader. Junior Khalia Cain and freshman Maggie Cosgrove are both expected to play major minutes this season running the Pioneer offense. Cain started 14 games last year when Burke went down with a knee injury and played well. She averaged 4.4 points per game with 49 assists on the year. She also showed a knack for getting to the free throw line, hitting 51-of-83 at the charity stripe.

"Khalia had some exceptional games last year as a starting point guard and it is going to be key for us if she can do that on a consistent basis. Maggie is a very capable point guard as well who can be thrown into the fire in tough situations and I know she can handle it."

Also adding depth at the guard position is the return of junior Liz Gruber and the addition of freshman Alisa Apo. Gruber has shown she can provide an offensive spark off the bench for the Pioneers while Apo is a scorer who could challenge for major minutes and a starting role.

"Alisa is the kind of player Pioneer fans are really going to enjoy watching," stated Swanson. "She is a real athletic, slashing, fun-type player with that real cool demeanor. The type of player that doesn't seem like she is doing much then you look up and she has 16."

Joining Sowinski on the front line and in the paint is sophomore Lindsey Gibson and a trio of six-foot plus freshmen. Gibson played in 29 games last season and will be counted on to contribute especially on the boards as a sophomore. Freshmen Lindsey Greenlee, Markie Schmidt and Maureen Reilly all figure to be in the mix throughout the season.

"Somewhere along the line all 11 players are going to have to contribute," according the Swanson. "We need to develop an identity, find out who we are and that's going to take some time. We need players to seize the moment, seize the opportunity so we can find out who we are. Thus far, I like the way we have worked in the off-season."

Coach Swanson and his staff have once again put together a challenging slate of games in 2007-08. The Pioneers will face teams from the Atlantic-10, America East, MAAC, Ivy League, Patriot League and Mountain West conferences as well as the traditionally tough NEC match-ups.

"This schedule will challenge us and continue to elevate the program further and keep us climbing that RPI scale. We want to keep playing different leagues, to keep challenging ourselves to get us ready for a tough NEC run."

The highlight of the non-conference schedule features the Pioneers meeting the cross-town Fairfield Stags for the first time since the 1980-81 season. SHU will play the Stags as part of double header with the men's team at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The Pioneers will also renew match-ups with Rhode Island, Dartmouth and Lehigh, teams they haven't faced since their first years in Division I. A new series will begin this year as well as the Brigham Young Cougars pay a visit to the William H. Pitt Center in early December.

The Northeast Conference is coming off another top-notch season with three teams posting 20 or more wins for the second-straight year. The Pioneers, Long Island Blackbirds and Robert Morris Colonials all tied for the league's regular season title and add deep Quinnipiac and Monmouth squads to that mix this season and the conference looks poised for another exciting year.

"There were some excellent hires around the league and there are definitely three early favorites in Long Island, Robert Morris and Quinnipiac," stated Swanson. "There is always that surprise team that gets in the mix. We hope to be in that team. We just want to play and play and get that ball rolling and keep it rolling right through March."