New coach, new system, same goal
Nov. 20, 2008
BEVERLY, Mass. - With new head coach Deborah Buff taking the reins, the Endicott women's basketball team looks forward to a fresh start this season with hopes of capturing the elusive The Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship that they have come so close to grabbing in the past four seasons.
Putting last season's disappointing loss in the TCCC Semifinals behind them, the Gulls are determined to succeed this year with the return of their top three scorers from the 07-08 campaign; senior guard Nicole Duchesne (Plaistow, N.H.), junior forward Ceciley Chisholm (Lexington, Mass.) and senior center Nicole Young (Rockland, Mass.). Duchesne, the team's leading scorer, has scored a career total of 965 points, just 35 away from reaching the 1,000 point plateau.
Duchesne, along with fellow seniors Nicole Young and Jenna Cosgrove (Sharon, Mass.), will captain the team against a tough looking The Commonwealth Coast Conference. Ranked 3rd in the preseason polls behind defending champion Colby-Sawyer and a strong Nichols College team, Endicott looks to prove the polls wrong by ascending to first in the conference by season's end.
The Gulls finished last years regular season in 1st place before falling in the Semifinals to the eventual champion Colby-Sawyer. Following Endicott closely in this year's preseason rankings are last year's tournament runner-up Western New England College, and the University of New England, who round out the top five.
Over the past several seasons, the Gulls have proved that they are a force to be reckoned with in TCCC play. Exhibiting an impressive turnaround after the struggles of the late 90's and early 2000's, the team has found a way to bring the Endicott women's basketball program farther than it's ever been, reaching the ECAC playoffs during the 2005-06 season for the first time in the program's fifteen year history. Since then, the last two seasons have been just as impressive, as the Gulls have posted a 19-10 record in consecutive campaigns, amassing the most wins in Endicott history.
New coach Deborah Buff, who went to work immediately upon her arrival in August, is determined to take the team to a place they've never been before; bringing home the championship the Gulls have wanted for so long.
"Our theme this year is trying to take it to the next level. We've never won a banner, never won the TCCC. Obviously we're going to take it one game at a time, but I told the seniors especially, this is it. This is the time to create your own memories," coach Buff remarked.
Of course there is an adjustment period when working with a new head coach, however Buff has seen firsthand the closeness of this team. "I've been very impressed with their chemistry, their work ethic, and their coachability. They bought into the new system right away, and they know they have to work hard if they want to win. They've been outstanding in that aspect," stated coach Buff.
With an impressive past and an even brighter future, this team anticipates a successful 2008-09 season. The Gulls feature a top-level non-conference schedule, hoping it will translate into a "battle tested" squad come conference play. Endicott's non-conference highlights feature 16th-ranked Tufts University, NAIA Sunrise Conference member Maine Fort Kent, Emmanuel College and Salem State.
In addition to experienced leaders Duchesne, Chisholm, Young and Cosgrove, Buff will need contributions from an array of reserves. At the guard position, help will come from both sophomore Ashley Wright (Merrimack, N.H.) and junior Kaylin Burke (Leominster, Mass.), while sophomore forwards Ashley Vitale (Wilmington, Mass.) and Brittany Kelleher (Wakefield, Mass.), along with junior Rachel Hewes (Nashua, N.H.) will add depth to the low post position. The balance between upper and under classmen is sure to make for a well-rounded team, and will hopefully provide the depth needed down the stretch in a playoff run.
The Gulls are certainly ready to get the show on the road as they open play this weekend at the EC Tip-off Invitational with Illinois College on Friday at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday with Maine Fort Kent at noon. Facing stiff competition in the months ahead, the Gulls begin the chase for their first ever women's basketball banner.