SUNY Potsdam

Women’s Basketball 2009-10 Season Preview

11.12.09

Coach Tara Ruckh begins her fifth season at the helm of the Women’s Basketball program with a solid core of returning veterans and complemented by a talented group of newcomers. The Bears lost three starters and a top reserve to graduation.

The Bears are coming off a 17-12 season where they advanced to the finals of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament before dropping a hard-fought 57-51 decision to SUNY Brockport for the automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. The Bears were invited to participate in the ECAC Tournament where they fell to Ithaca 69-64. Other season highlights included a sweep of North Country rivals St. Lawrence & Clarkson, and conference tournament road wins vs. SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Cortland, a nationally ranked team that advanced to the NCAA Second Round.

Ruckh has a solid complement of returning players including the two leading scorers from last year’s team in seniors Cortney Poirier (Moira, NY/Brushton-Moira) and Rachel Graf (Elbridge, NY/Jordan-Elbridge). Poirier is on track to become the all-time leading scorer in Potsdam women’s basketball history. She begins the season with 1,294 points, a career average of nearly 16 ppg, having started every game in each of the past three seasons. She was also among the national leaders in steals last season with 107 thefts. Ruckh expects Poirier to be one of the top Division III players in the conference, and to continue her outstanding play which saw her named to the First Team All-SUNYAC and Second Team All-ECAC Upstate squads last season. Poirier generates much of her offense with her aggressive ball-hawking defense and is outstanding in the transition game taking the ball to the basket and at the free-throw line.

Graf is the Bears’ defensive ace. Coach Ruckh constantly gives her the toughest defensive assignment, and will also be looking to her for more leadership this season. Graf is an excellent passer and unselfish player and her court vision makes her a dangerous player from anywhere on the court. Graf is on pace to reach the 1,000 point plateau this season based on her past performances which have seen her average 10 ppg in each of the last two seasons. Graf has also led the team in field goal percentage in each of her three seasons at Potsdam while being named to both the Commissioner’s List and All-Academic team as a top student in Potsdam’s outstanding creative writing program.

Junior Brittany Whitton (DeKalb Jct./Hermon-DeKalb) returns having backed up the departed Hannah Fairchild at the point last season. Whitton, an All-State selection in high school, is a tough athletic player with an excellent outside shot and the ability to drive and dish. She will see time at both guard positions.

Returning sophomores Kaley Arsenault (Syracuse, NY/Weshill HS) and Stephanie Marcotte (Willsboro, NY/Willsboro HS) will be counted on to step up and take their places in the regular rotation after a year of seasoning with the senior-laden 08-09 team. Arsenault is a strong physical post player with a soft touch who will give Potsdam the size they need in the paint, while Marcotte is a very intelligent player who has vastly improved her game in the last year and has excellent range from the perimeter.

Junior Aimee Kellicutt (Lisle, NY/Whitney Point HS/Broome CC) joins the Potsdam program from Broome CC where she was an All-NJCAA Region III selection and MVP of her conference tournament. Kellicutt can play both point and shooting guard and forces defenses to be concerned with her ability to shoot from the outside and take the ball to the basket. Kellicutt is an excellent floor general and ball handler, with solid defensive skills in the pressing style the Bears like to employ.

Sophomores Sophie Parks (Bogart, GA/North Oconee HS) and Jessica Mehm (Schroon Lake/Schroon Lake HS) also join the Bears this season. Parks is a transfer from Georgia College and State University, who provides much needed size and skill in the paint, while Mehm, who also plays soccer for Potsdam, joins the team for the first time and will add valuable depth and athleticism in the backcourt.

Freshmen players include All-State and All-Northern selection Taylor Bacon (Massena, NY/Massena HS), who led Massena HS to the overall Section X title and the state tournament. Bacon is expected to contribute immediately as a top reserve at the wing positions. Ruckh describes Adedoyin “Dawn” Akingba (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood HS) as a “rebounding machine” and she will see immediate action at a forward spot, giving the Bears an athletic inside force at both ends of the court, while guard Vivien Greiser (Florida, NY/S.S. Seward), a Class D All-State selection, possesses excellent basketball skills and court vision and is already demonstrating leadership on the floor. Section X product Lesley Turner (Gouverneur, NY/Gouverneur) will play a reserve role at the forward position and add to the overall inside presence of the team.

The Bears open their season this Sunday at Utica College with a 2 pm start. Their home opener is Tuesday November 17th at 6 pm in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium against cross-town rival Clarkson University. Potsdam plays a 25 game schedule, including 18 SUNYAC conference games, as well as non-conference tests against perennial Upstate NY powers St. Lawrence, Ithaca, and William Smith.