Honors Abound for the Gulls
Beverly, MA-- Head Coach Jennifer Lucey and two women's basketball players earned Commonwealth Coast All-Conference recognition, as announced by the Conference. Coach Lucey was named Coach of the Year, Liz Yuneman earned First Team All-Conference and Jodi Brown received Honorable Mention All-Conference.
Coach Lucey earns this esteemed honor in only her second year at the EC helm. Coach Lucey led the 18-10 Gulls to their most successful season ever. The women hoopsters had a record setting year, winning the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) regular season title for the first time ever and breaking school records set for: (i) most wins in a row (14); (ii) most wins in a season (18); (iii) most games played in a season (28); and (iv) farthest advanced in post-season play (ECAC bid).
Last year, Coach Lucey inherited a team that had consistently hovered around a .500 record. Since becoming an NCAA member in 1993, Endicott had tallied a record of 107 wins and 135 losses for a 44% winning percentage. In her first year, Coach Lucey led the 2003-2004 Gulls to a 13-13 record, 10-7 in the CCC. However, the women finished their season strong, winning 7 of their last 8 regular season games, and the Gulls made CCC playoffs for the 4th time in 5 years.
With a 64% winning percentage this year the Gulls hosted their first ever playoff game and made it to the semifinals of the CCC tournament. They received their first ECAC bid in the program's history. As the 7th seed, the Gulls traveled to Mount Holyoke College (2nd seed) where they lost a tightly contested match. The young Gulls, who lose only one senior to graduation, are excited about the experience they gained this year and look forward to next year.
"One of the most important hurdles we had to jump over this year was realizing mentally that we are a good team," said Coach Lucey. "We played a much tougher non-conference schedule this year and it paid off. Everyone's faces lit up when we played Wesleyan into overtime in the beginning of January (Wesleyan was ranked in the top 25 in the country at the time and ended up making it into the NCAA Division III tournament this year). It was definitely tough to lose that game but the game itself helped us realize that we could play with anyone. Six days later, with a new-found confidence, we traveled to conference pre-season favorite Colby Sawyer and won by two. We had only defeated Colby Sawyer once before in our 12-game history and we had never beat the Chargers at their place. It was such a big win."
Coach Lucey comes from a tradition of winning. As a division II scholarship player at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH, Lucey started three years, was a captain her senior year, and was named Female Student Athlete of the Year in 1998. During her career, the team was 76-38 and made two NCAA regional tournament appearances. As a senior at Norwood High School, she helped her team post a 22-2 record and a South Sectional Division I title. The Mustangs lost in the semifinals of the state tournament (at the former Boston Garden) to the eventual state champions, Haverhill.
Coach Lucey also serves as Sports Information Coordinator for the Endicott Athletic Department.
Endicott College junior Liz Yuneman received First Team All-Conference Honors from the Commonwealth Coast Conference following the end of the basketball season. The former St. Francis Prep student-athlete from Middle Village, NY is one of only five players from the 13-team conference to receive this prestigious award. A 5'7 guard, Yuneman, led the Gulls in overall scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game. Twice throughout the season she earned Player of the Week honors and two more times received Honorable Mention honors. Yuneman led the Gulls (18-10) to their most successful season ever.
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In a win at New England College on February 3rd Yuneman scored a career-high 25 points. That night she connected for six 3-pointers, falling just one basket shy of the school record set for 3-pointers made in a game (7). Yuneman did, however, break the school record for best 3-point field goal percentage in a season as she connected on 40% (50-125) of her 3-point field goal attempts this year.
Not just a threat from behind the arc, Yuneman went to the free throw line more than anyone else on the team, draining 79 of 117 attempts (68%). She reached double-digits in scoring 20 times throughout the season, scoring 20 or more points four times. She also led the Gulls with her impressive 1.25 assist/turnover ratio (50/40) and had the third most steals on the team with 47.
"She was a threat on offense all season," said Head Coach Jen Lucey said. "We are a fairly well-balanced team with more than five players who could carry us on a given night, but it was Liz who consistently led us this year. Her versatility on the court makes her a tough player to defend."
Endicott College junior Jodi Brown received Honorable Mention All-Conference Honors. The former Coventry (RI) High School standout is one of only fifteen players from the 13-team conference to receive an All-Conference award. A 5'5" guard, Brown helped lead the Gulls (18-10) to their most successful season ever.
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In a win at Curry College on February 12th, Brown scored a career-high 26 points. That night she connected for six 3-pointers, falling just one basket shy of the school record set for 3-pointers made in a game (7).
Brown did not receive her award solely for her scoring abilities. "What makes Jodi's contributions to this team so special is that she does everything," said Head Coach Jen Lucey. She led the team this year (along with starting point guard, Carly Haynes) in assists (70). The junior captain was the Gull's fourth leading scorer averaging 8.6 points per game. Although only a 5'5" guard, she was the team's third leading rebounder averaging 4.7 per game. She had an impressive 1.15 assist/turnover ratio (70/61) and collected the fourth most steals on the team (45). She continued to lead the Gulls at the free throw line connecting on 78% of her attempts.
"Jodi is our smartest player on the court," said Head Coach Jen Lucey. "Sure she is a pure shooter and last year she even led us in scoring, but this year we were a much more well-balanced team and we needed Jodi's smarts out there more than her scoring. And Jodi delivered, playing outstanding defense, rebounding, finding her open teammates. She does it all."