University of New Hampshire Athletics
Saturday, January 16
Stony Brook, N.Y.
2 PM
University of New Hampshire
at
Stony Brook University
Photo by: Gil Talbot
Women's Basketball Heads to Stony Brook (Jan. 16, 2 p.m.)
1/14/2016 12:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
STORYLINES:
Senior forward Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.) and sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored in double figures against Albany. Coia had all 13 of her points in the second half and Pogue scored 12. The Wildcats matched their season-high with seven three-pointers against Albany. They went 7-for-18 from behind the arc and all seven baskets came from players off the bench. Redshirt freshman Emily Peters (Lindstrom, Minn.) matched her season-high in three-pointers with three, out of four attempts. Freshmen Sam Sabino (Rumson, N.J.) and Alli Gribbin (Keller, Texas) each added her first collegiate trey. Bench players accounted for 23 points.
Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) leads three Wildcats averaging double figures with 15.1 points a game and also leads in rebounds with 6.7. Pogue averages 11.1 points a game and Coia is at 10.7. Pogue and Coia each average 4.8 rebounds a game. Sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) returned from an injury and had a team-leading four assists against Albany. Junior Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine), who has been out with an injury, leads the team with 45 assists.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: Stony Brook has won seven straight games, including its first three America East contests, and is 11-5 overall to go with its 3-0 league record. The Seawolves have been a comeback team in America East games. They have trailed in each game by at least nine points before rallying to beat Binghamton (64-58), UMass Lowell (64-50) and UMBC (69-60 in overtime).
UMBC led Stony Brook by 13 points in the third period on Wednesday but could not hold on. The Seawolves outscored UMBC, 18-9, in overtime. Junior guard Christa Scognamiglio led Stony Brook with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Seawolves made a season-high, 10 three-point field goals against UMBC in 25 attempts. They skunked UMBC in bench points, 19-0.
Ogechi Anyagaligbo, a 6-foot freshman forward, leads the league in rebounding and averages a double-double for the Seawolves. She's scoring 10.9 points and collecting 10.2 rebounds a game. Senior forward Brittany Snow leads in scoring with 16.1 points per game. The Seawolves have five players averaging 8.9 or more points a game. Stony Brook is second in the league in scoring at 63.2 points a game and allows a third-best 58.7 a contest. The Seawolves are second in rebounding margin at plus-6.9 to Albany's plus-12.4
Caroline McCombs led Stony Brook to a 17-14 overall record and 10-6 mark in America East in her first season as coach last year. A 1998 graduate of Youngstown State University, she was an assistant at Auburn prior to Stony Brook and before that served as an assistant at Northwestern, Pittsburgh and Valparaiso.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. STONY BROOK: The Seawolves and Wildcats meet for the 33rd time in the all-time series. UNH controls the series with a 20-12 record overall. Stony Brook holds a slight edge when playing on its home floor, as the Wildcats are 6-7 on the road. Last year, the teams split the regular season series 1-1.
BELANGER AT THE STRIPE: Elizabeth Belanger, a career 77.0 percent free throw shooter, is having a breakout year from the charity stripe. The senior guard has knocked down 59 of 68 attempts, boasting a .868 free throw percentage. She is third among America East players and ranked 34th in the nation as of Jan. 14.
ROAD WARRIORS: UNH will travel a total of 2,743.4 miles in its season-long five-game road swing. The 'Cats start the road trip at Boston College on Sunday, Dec. 13 (1 p.m.). New Hampshire then treks to Bryant University on Sunday, Dec. 20 (1 p.m.). After a visit to the Tar Heel State on Tuesday, Dec. 29 (2 p.m.) against the University of North Carolina, UNH travels to Yale University to close out its non-conference schedule Saturday, Jan. 2 (2 p.m.). New Hampshire caps off the road trip at Binghamton University to open the America East schedule Saturday, Jan. 9 (4 p.m.).
CLEAN GLASS: UNH pulls down 37.1 rebounds per game this season. The team holds a rebounding margin of +2.8, which is the third best in America East. In 15 games this season, New Hampshire has been only outrebounded twice.
UP FRONT AND PERSONAL: The front court of Elizabeth Belanger, Corinne Coia and Carlie Pogue have backboned the scoring for UNH this season. The trio registers 36.9 points per game this season, accounting for 62 percent of New Hampshire's points. The 'Cats inflict much of their scoring near the rim. New Hampshire is 5-2 this season when outscoring its opponent in the paint. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats are 31-8 when they win the scoring battle in the paint.
LEAD AT HALF AND NEVER LOOK BACK: The Wildcats have led five times entering the locker rooms and won all five of those games this season.
6-OH-E: Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger earned the nod as a member of the America East Preseason First Team this season. An America East All-Conference First Team honoree last season, the guard has scored at least 20 points 14 times in her career and five times this season. She leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.1 points per game) rebounding (6.7 rebounds per game),and free throw percentage (.868). The senior tallied 13 points and seven rebounds, including the go-ahead basket to help the Wildcats rally to a 61-57 win at Dartmouth on Nov. 16. Belanger followed with a double-double effort of 22 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She exploded for a 23-point, 13-rebound effort in a 67-60 setback against Penn on Nov. 22. Belanger tallied a game-high 17 points in the 64-50 win at CCSU on Nov. 29. She poured in 27 points in the 66-54 loss to Northeastern (Dec. 2). The guard engineered another 20-point performance, dropping 24 against Boston University in a 69-52 rout. Against Siena (Dec. 9), Belanger matched her personal best with four 3-pointers made as part of a 14-point effort in a 57-53 loss. The senior tallied a game-high 15 points as part of a 55-42 setback at Bryant (Dec. 20). Belanger set career-highs in points scored (28) and free throws made (14) in a 65-60 loss at North Carolina. The senior's 1,164 career points ranks third among active America East players and 11th in program history.
COIA IS BACK: Corinne Coia returns to the squad after being sidelined by an injury for the 2014-15 season. In her first full season playing for UNH in 2013-14, the America East All-Conference Second Team honoree played in 30 games with 25 starts. She averaged 11.8 points per game and ranked first on the squad in field goal percentage (.475). The 6-foot-4 forward eclipsed at least 10 points in a team-high 21 of 30 games and paced the Wildcats with six double-doubles. The senior has hit double figures in nine games this season. In her season debut, Coia posted 10 points at home against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13) in a 74-41 win. She followed with a 16-point performance on the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16) in the come-from-behind 61-57 win. Coia notched a season-high 21 points and eight rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The senior logged 11 points and six rebounds in the 67-60 loss at home against Penn (Nov. 22). Coia tallied a game-high 19 points to help propel the Wildcats to a 72-57 win over Manhattan on Nov. 24. She poured in 14 points in the 60-44 triumph at Central Connecticut (Nov. 29). Against Boston University (Dec. 5), the senior turned in 13 points in the 69-52 triumph. The forward eclipsed double figures with a 10-point effort in a 57-53 loss against Siena on Dec .9. On Jan. 13 Coia notched 13 second half points against a tough UAlbany team. Coia averages 10.7 points per game, third best on the squad.
CP32: A member of the America East All-Rookie Team in 2014-15, Carlie Pogue is putting together a strong sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-2 center has registered at least 10 points in nine games this season. In the second game of the 2015-16 slate, she chalked up a season-high 19-point performance on 9 of 10 shooting in the 61-57 win at Dartmouth (Nov. 16). Pogue followed up by pouring in 15 points in the 81-69 win on the road against Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She chalked up 14 points in the 67-60 loss against Penn (Nov. 22). Against Manhattan (Nov. 24), Pogue pitched in 10 points in a 72-57 win. She notched her first double-double of the season with a 13-point 11-rebound performance in a 66-54 setback against Northeastern on Dec. 2. The sophomore notched a season-high three blocks in the 69-52 win against BU (Dec. 5). Pogue logged a season-high 22-point performance in a 57-53 setback against Siena (Dec. 9), just two points shy of matching her personal best. She turned in 10 points, three rebounds and a steal at North Carolina on Dec. 29. The sophomore logged 12 points and two blocks against UAlbany (Jan. 13). Pogue registers 11.1 points per game.
GRANITE STATE GROWN: Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.), a sophomore guard, chose to play collegiate basketball in her home state of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Gatorade and NHIAA Player of the Year in 2013-14, is off to a good start to her sophomore season. Against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13), the sophomore scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the season debut. On the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16), the guard was one-point shy of a double-double, posting nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Simpson also matched her personal best in steals with four. Against Boston University (Dec. 5), Simpson was one-point shy of a personal best in scoring with a 12-point performance to help the 'Cats forge a 69-52 win. The guard also reached 12 points in a 71-51 setback at Boston College (Dec. 13). Against UAlbany, Simpson tallied six points and four assists. The sophomore leads the team with 22 steals.
SPARK OFF THE BENCH: Senior guard/forward Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) has enjoyed a good start to the 2015-16 season coming off the bench. She has averaged 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, setting new personal bests in scoring three times this season. She first hit a career-high in scoring with 10 points in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She bested her career-high in the scoring column with a 12-point effort against Manhattan (Nov. 24) in a 72-57 victory. In the win against Manhattan she also matched her personal best on the glass with eight rebounds. Spoto has registered 16.4 minutes per game this season.
PASS THE ROCK: Kristen Anderson dished out a career-high nine assists in the 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The junior guard leads the team with 45 helpers this season. Anderson ranks sixth among active conference players with 221 assists.
MOVING UP THE LEADERBOARD: Elizabeth Belanger hit the 1,000-point milestone on a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter at Lundholm Gymnasium against Penn on Nov. 22. She became the 19th player in program history to accomplish the feat and ranks 11th in program history with 1,164 career points.
Below are the UNH all-time scoring records 7 through 11.
7. Danielle Clark 2003-07 1,331
8. Candance Williams 2006-10 1,277
9. Theresa Redmond 1979-83 1,252
10. Kelsey Hogan 2008-14 1,181
11. Elizabeth Belanger 2012-Present 1,169
20-20: Elizabeth Belanger and Corinne Coia each scored over 20 points in the win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. It marks the first time two UNH players scored 20 or more points in a game since Coia and Kelsey Hogan '14 accomplished the feat on Feb. 22, 2014.
FROM THE 603: Two student-athletes on the 2015-16 roster hail from New Hampshire. They are junior Kat Fogarty (Peterborough) and sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry).
WILDCATS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Four of New Hampshire's games this season will be televised. UNH and Maine renews its rivalry in Durham on Jan. 18, which will be featured on ESPN3. New Hampshire is back on ESPN3 six days later on Jan. 24 in a rematch of the America East quarterfinals at Hartford. The game between UNH and UMBC at Lundholm Gymnasium on Jan. 30 will be featured on WBIN Classics. In the following game (Feb. 6), New Hampshire and Binghamton will air on Fox College Sports. Additionally, every game of the 2015 America East Women's Basketball Championship will air on the ESPN networks, including the championship game.
MO' WINS MO' YEARS: On April 24, 2014, head coach Maureen Magarity agreed to a five-year extension with the UNH women's basketball team.
In five seasons at New Hampshire, Magarity has led the Wildcats to back-to-back semifinal appearances in the America East tournament in 2013 and 2014. In the 2013-14 season, she guided the Wildcats to a personal-best 19-12 overall record and 12-4 in conference play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season (19-8, 13-5 AE).
UNH has not had a 20-win season since the 1983-84 season. Here is a look the at the past seasons in program history with at least 19 wins:
1982-83 23-7
1983-84 20-8
1987-88 19-8 (11-3)
1998-99 19-8 (13-5)
2013-14 19-12 (12-4)*
* Coached by Maureen Magarity
TURNING IT AROUND: With the win over Boston University on Dec. 5, head coach Maureen Magarity had an all-time winning percentage above .500 during her tenure at UNH. The sixth year head coach currently owns a 79-85 lifetime record. Magarity has led the Wildcats to four winning seasons during her tenure at UNH. In comparison, New Hampshire was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival.
LEADER OF THE 'CAT PACK: The 2015-16 season marks the sixth season for head coach Maureen Magarity, who became the sixth head coach in program history in May 2010 and the youngest coach of a Division I team – men's or women's – in the country. Magarity quickly made a positive impact on the program with a 73-76 record in her first five seasons; in comparison, UNH was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival. In 2014-15, New Hampshire finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 17-12 and 9-7 against America East opponents. The Wildcats finished the season fourth in the league standings and reached double digit wins for the fourth consecutive year. Magarity led the Wildcats to a 19-12 record and 12-4 in America East play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season. Additionally, Magarity directed New Hampshire to its second consecutive appearance in the America East semifinals, topping Vermont 85-79 (March 7). In just her second year at the helm in Durham, Magarity guided the Wildcats to their second postseason appearance (beyond conference postseason play) in the program's 37-year history when UNH advanced to the 2012 Women's Basketball Invitational. New Hampshire finished the year with a 16-14 overall record to mark the team's first winning season since 2006 and most wins since 2002. In her first season, Magarity led the Wildcats to a 9-20 overall record and they doubled their conference wins from the previous season.
WILDCATS ON THE AIR: In 2015-16, select UNH basketball games can be heard on three channels spanning the Seacoast and Manchester. Jim Jeannotte, 23-time New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year, handles the play-by-play. Mike Murphy, a five-time winner of the New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year award, does the color commentating.
The Wildcat Sports Radio Network will broadcast a total of 14 UNH women's basketball regular-season games during the 2015-16 season and will air the games during the America East Championships. The Wildcat Sports Radio Network affiliates include:
WPKX-AM - 930 - Rochester
WGIR-AM - 610 - Manchester
Live Stream - Stretch - UNHWildcats.com
Here is the complete schedule:
Nov. 13 vs. Colby-Sawyer
Nov. 22 vs. Penn
Dec. 2 vs. Northeastern
Dec. 5 vs. Boston University
Dec. 9 vs. Siena
Dec. 20 at Bryant
Jan. 13 vs. UAlbany
Jan. 18 vs. Maine
Jan. 21 vs. UMass Lowell
Jan. 30 vs. UMBC
Feb. 6 vs. Binghamton
Feb. 14 vs. Stony Brook
Feb. 20 vs. Hartford
Feb. 25 vs. Vermont
DUE NEXT: The 'Cats are back in action at home on Monday, Jan. 18 as they take on the University of Maine. The game is set for 3 p.m. on Martin Luther King Day and will air on ESPN 3. UNH also welcomes UMass Lowell for a 7 p.m. contest at Lundholm Gym.
Elizabeth Belanger (86.8) and Carlie Pogue (86.5) rank third and fourth in America East in free throw percentage.
The Wildcats (73.9) rank second to UMass Lowell (75.5) in free throw percentage.
Corinne Coia and Carlie Pogue each hit double figures in points for the ninth time this season vs. UAlbany.
Belanger (1,166) is within 15 points of assistant coach Kelsey Hogan (1,181) and the No. 10 spot on UNH's career scoring list.
UNH's seven made three-pointers against Albany matched a season high and all came from players off the bench.
The Wildcats return home for two games next week: They play Maine on Monday (3 p.m.) and UMass Lowell on Thursday (7 p.m.)
Senior forward Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.) and sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored in double figures against Albany. Coia had all 13 of her points in the second half and Pogue scored 12. The Wildcats matched their season-high with seven three-pointers against Albany. They went 7-for-18 from behind the arc and all seven baskets came from players off the bench. Redshirt freshman Emily Peters (Lindstrom, Minn.) matched her season-high in three-pointers with three, out of four attempts. Freshmen Sam Sabino (Rumson, N.J.) and Alli Gribbin (Keller, Texas) each added her first collegiate trey. Bench players accounted for 23 points.
Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) leads three Wildcats averaging double figures with 15.1 points a game and also leads in rebounds with 6.7. Pogue averages 11.1 points a game and Coia is at 10.7. Pogue and Coia each average 4.8 rebounds a game. Sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) returned from an injury and had a team-leading four assists against Albany. Junior Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine), who has been out with an injury, leads the team with 45 assists.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK: Stony Brook has won seven straight games, including its first three America East contests, and is 11-5 overall to go with its 3-0 league record. The Seawolves have been a comeback team in America East games. They have trailed in each game by at least nine points before rallying to beat Binghamton (64-58), UMass Lowell (64-50) and UMBC (69-60 in overtime).
UMBC led Stony Brook by 13 points in the third period on Wednesday but could not hold on. The Seawolves outscored UMBC, 18-9, in overtime. Junior guard Christa Scognamiglio led Stony Brook with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Seawolves made a season-high, 10 three-point field goals against UMBC in 25 attempts. They skunked UMBC in bench points, 19-0.
Ogechi Anyagaligbo, a 6-foot freshman forward, leads the league in rebounding and averages a double-double for the Seawolves. She's scoring 10.9 points and collecting 10.2 rebounds a game. Senior forward Brittany Snow leads in scoring with 16.1 points per game. The Seawolves have five players averaging 8.9 or more points a game. Stony Brook is second in the league in scoring at 63.2 points a game and allows a third-best 58.7 a contest. The Seawolves are second in rebounding margin at plus-6.9 to Albany's plus-12.4
Caroline McCombs led Stony Brook to a 17-14 overall record and 10-6 mark in America East in her first season as coach last year. A 1998 graduate of Youngstown State University, she was an assistant at Auburn prior to Stony Brook and before that served as an assistant at Northwestern, Pittsburgh and Valparaiso.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. STONY BROOK: The Seawolves and Wildcats meet for the 33rd time in the all-time series. UNH controls the series with a 20-12 record overall. Stony Brook holds a slight edge when playing on its home floor, as the Wildcats are 6-7 on the road. Last year, the teams split the regular season series 1-1.
BELANGER AT THE STRIPE: Elizabeth Belanger, a career 77.0 percent free throw shooter, is having a breakout year from the charity stripe. The senior guard has knocked down 59 of 68 attempts, boasting a .868 free throw percentage. She is third among America East players and ranked 34th in the nation as of Jan. 14.
ROAD WARRIORS: UNH will travel a total of 2,743.4 miles in its season-long five-game road swing. The 'Cats start the road trip at Boston College on Sunday, Dec. 13 (1 p.m.). New Hampshire then treks to Bryant University on Sunday, Dec. 20 (1 p.m.). After a visit to the Tar Heel State on Tuesday, Dec. 29 (2 p.m.) against the University of North Carolina, UNH travels to Yale University to close out its non-conference schedule Saturday, Jan. 2 (2 p.m.). New Hampshire caps off the road trip at Binghamton University to open the America East schedule Saturday, Jan. 9 (4 p.m.).
CLEAN GLASS: UNH pulls down 37.1 rebounds per game this season. The team holds a rebounding margin of +2.8, which is the third best in America East. In 15 games this season, New Hampshire has been only outrebounded twice.
UP FRONT AND PERSONAL: The front court of Elizabeth Belanger, Corinne Coia and Carlie Pogue have backboned the scoring for UNH this season. The trio registers 36.9 points per game this season, accounting for 62 percent of New Hampshire's points. The 'Cats inflict much of their scoring near the rim. New Hampshire is 5-2 this season when outscoring its opponent in the paint. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats are 31-8 when they win the scoring battle in the paint.
LEAD AT HALF AND NEVER LOOK BACK: The Wildcats have led five times entering the locker rooms and won all five of those games this season.
6-OH-E: Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger earned the nod as a member of the America East Preseason First Team this season. An America East All-Conference First Team honoree last season, the guard has scored at least 20 points 14 times in her career and five times this season. She leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.1 points per game) rebounding (6.7 rebounds per game),and free throw percentage (.868). The senior tallied 13 points and seven rebounds, including the go-ahead basket to help the Wildcats rally to a 61-57 win at Dartmouth on Nov. 16. Belanger followed with a double-double effort of 22 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She exploded for a 23-point, 13-rebound effort in a 67-60 setback against Penn on Nov. 22. Belanger tallied a game-high 17 points in the 64-50 win at CCSU on Nov. 29. She poured in 27 points in the 66-54 loss to Northeastern (Dec. 2). The guard engineered another 20-point performance, dropping 24 against Boston University in a 69-52 rout. Against Siena (Dec. 9), Belanger matched her personal best with four 3-pointers made as part of a 14-point effort in a 57-53 loss. The senior tallied a game-high 15 points as part of a 55-42 setback at Bryant (Dec. 20). Belanger set career-highs in points scored (28) and free throws made (14) in a 65-60 loss at North Carolina. The senior's 1,164 career points ranks third among active America East players and 11th in program history.
COIA IS BACK: Corinne Coia returns to the squad after being sidelined by an injury for the 2014-15 season. In her first full season playing for UNH in 2013-14, the America East All-Conference Second Team honoree played in 30 games with 25 starts. She averaged 11.8 points per game and ranked first on the squad in field goal percentage (.475). The 6-foot-4 forward eclipsed at least 10 points in a team-high 21 of 30 games and paced the Wildcats with six double-doubles. The senior has hit double figures in nine games this season. In her season debut, Coia posted 10 points at home against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13) in a 74-41 win. She followed with a 16-point performance on the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16) in the come-from-behind 61-57 win. Coia notched a season-high 21 points and eight rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The senior logged 11 points and six rebounds in the 67-60 loss at home against Penn (Nov. 22). Coia tallied a game-high 19 points to help propel the Wildcats to a 72-57 win over Manhattan on Nov. 24. She poured in 14 points in the 60-44 triumph at Central Connecticut (Nov. 29). Against Boston University (Dec. 5), the senior turned in 13 points in the 69-52 triumph. The forward eclipsed double figures with a 10-point effort in a 57-53 loss against Siena on Dec .9. On Jan. 13 Coia notched 13 second half points against a tough UAlbany team. Coia averages 10.7 points per game, third best on the squad.
CP32: A member of the America East All-Rookie Team in 2014-15, Carlie Pogue is putting together a strong sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-2 center has registered at least 10 points in nine games this season. In the second game of the 2015-16 slate, she chalked up a season-high 19-point performance on 9 of 10 shooting in the 61-57 win at Dartmouth (Nov. 16). Pogue followed up by pouring in 15 points in the 81-69 win on the road against Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She chalked up 14 points in the 67-60 loss against Penn (Nov. 22). Against Manhattan (Nov. 24), Pogue pitched in 10 points in a 72-57 win. She notched her first double-double of the season with a 13-point 11-rebound performance in a 66-54 setback against Northeastern on Dec. 2. The sophomore notched a season-high three blocks in the 69-52 win against BU (Dec. 5). Pogue logged a season-high 22-point performance in a 57-53 setback against Siena (Dec. 9), just two points shy of matching her personal best. She turned in 10 points, three rebounds and a steal at North Carolina on Dec. 29. The sophomore logged 12 points and two blocks against UAlbany (Jan. 13). Pogue registers 11.1 points per game.
GRANITE STATE GROWN: Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.), a sophomore guard, chose to play collegiate basketball in her home state of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Gatorade and NHIAA Player of the Year in 2013-14, is off to a good start to her sophomore season. Against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13), the sophomore scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the season debut. On the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16), the guard was one-point shy of a double-double, posting nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Simpson also matched her personal best in steals with four. Against Boston University (Dec. 5), Simpson was one-point shy of a personal best in scoring with a 12-point performance to help the 'Cats forge a 69-52 win. The guard also reached 12 points in a 71-51 setback at Boston College (Dec. 13). Against UAlbany, Simpson tallied six points and four assists. The sophomore leads the team with 22 steals.
SPARK OFF THE BENCH: Senior guard/forward Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) has enjoyed a good start to the 2015-16 season coming off the bench. She has averaged 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, setting new personal bests in scoring three times this season. She first hit a career-high in scoring with 10 points in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She bested her career-high in the scoring column with a 12-point effort against Manhattan (Nov. 24) in a 72-57 victory. In the win against Manhattan she also matched her personal best on the glass with eight rebounds. Spoto has registered 16.4 minutes per game this season.
PASS THE ROCK: Kristen Anderson dished out a career-high nine assists in the 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The junior guard leads the team with 45 helpers this season. Anderson ranks sixth among active conference players with 221 assists.
MOVING UP THE LEADERBOARD: Elizabeth Belanger hit the 1,000-point milestone on a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter at Lundholm Gymnasium against Penn on Nov. 22. She became the 19th player in program history to accomplish the feat and ranks 11th in program history with 1,164 career points.
Below are the UNH all-time scoring records 7 through 11.
7. Danielle Clark 2003-07 1,331
8. Candance Williams 2006-10 1,277
9. Theresa Redmond 1979-83 1,252
10. Kelsey Hogan 2008-14 1,181
11. Elizabeth Belanger 2012-Present 1,169
20-20: Elizabeth Belanger and Corinne Coia each scored over 20 points in the win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. It marks the first time two UNH players scored 20 or more points in a game since Coia and Kelsey Hogan '14 accomplished the feat on Feb. 22, 2014.
FROM THE 603: Two student-athletes on the 2015-16 roster hail from New Hampshire. They are junior Kat Fogarty (Peterborough) and sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry).
WILDCATS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Four of New Hampshire's games this season will be televised. UNH and Maine renews its rivalry in Durham on Jan. 18, which will be featured on ESPN3. New Hampshire is back on ESPN3 six days later on Jan. 24 in a rematch of the America East quarterfinals at Hartford. The game between UNH and UMBC at Lundholm Gymnasium on Jan. 30 will be featured on WBIN Classics. In the following game (Feb. 6), New Hampshire and Binghamton will air on Fox College Sports. Additionally, every game of the 2015 America East Women's Basketball Championship will air on the ESPN networks, including the championship game.
MO' WINS MO' YEARS: On April 24, 2014, head coach Maureen Magarity agreed to a five-year extension with the UNH women's basketball team.
In five seasons at New Hampshire, Magarity has led the Wildcats to back-to-back semifinal appearances in the America East tournament in 2013 and 2014. In the 2013-14 season, she guided the Wildcats to a personal-best 19-12 overall record and 12-4 in conference play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season (19-8, 13-5 AE).
UNH has not had a 20-win season since the 1983-84 season. Here is a look the at the past seasons in program history with at least 19 wins:
1982-83 23-7
1983-84 20-8
1987-88 19-8 (11-3)
1998-99 19-8 (13-5)
2013-14 19-12 (12-4)*
* Coached by Maureen Magarity
TURNING IT AROUND: With the win over Boston University on Dec. 5, head coach Maureen Magarity had an all-time winning percentage above .500 during her tenure at UNH. The sixth year head coach currently owns a 79-85 lifetime record. Magarity has led the Wildcats to four winning seasons during her tenure at UNH. In comparison, New Hampshire was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival.
LEADER OF THE 'CAT PACK: The 2015-16 season marks the sixth season for head coach Maureen Magarity, who became the sixth head coach in program history in May 2010 and the youngest coach of a Division I team – men's or women's – in the country. Magarity quickly made a positive impact on the program with a 73-76 record in her first five seasons; in comparison, UNH was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival. In 2014-15, New Hampshire finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 17-12 and 9-7 against America East opponents. The Wildcats finished the season fourth in the league standings and reached double digit wins for the fourth consecutive year. Magarity led the Wildcats to a 19-12 record and 12-4 in America East play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season. Additionally, Magarity directed New Hampshire to its second consecutive appearance in the America East semifinals, topping Vermont 85-79 (March 7). In just her second year at the helm in Durham, Magarity guided the Wildcats to their second postseason appearance (beyond conference postseason play) in the program's 37-year history when UNH advanced to the 2012 Women's Basketball Invitational. New Hampshire finished the year with a 16-14 overall record to mark the team's first winning season since 2006 and most wins since 2002. In her first season, Magarity led the Wildcats to a 9-20 overall record and they doubled their conference wins from the previous season.
WILDCATS ON THE AIR: In 2015-16, select UNH basketball games can be heard on three channels spanning the Seacoast and Manchester. Jim Jeannotte, 23-time New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year, handles the play-by-play. Mike Murphy, a five-time winner of the New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year award, does the color commentating.
The Wildcat Sports Radio Network will broadcast a total of 14 UNH women's basketball regular-season games during the 2015-16 season and will air the games during the America East Championships. The Wildcat Sports Radio Network affiliates include:
WPKX-AM - 930 - Rochester
WGIR-AM - 610 - Manchester
Live Stream - Stretch - UNHWildcats.com
Here is the complete schedule:
Nov. 13 vs. Colby-Sawyer
Nov. 22 vs. Penn
Dec. 2 vs. Northeastern
Dec. 5 vs. Boston University
Dec. 9 vs. Siena
Dec. 20 at Bryant
Jan. 13 vs. UAlbany
Jan. 18 vs. Maine
Jan. 21 vs. UMass Lowell
Jan. 30 vs. UMBC
Feb. 6 vs. Binghamton
Feb. 14 vs. Stony Brook
Feb. 20 vs. Hartford
Feb. 25 vs. Vermont
DUE NEXT: The 'Cats are back in action at home on Monday, Jan. 18 as they take on the University of Maine. The game is set for 3 p.m. on Martin Luther King Day and will air on ESPN 3. UNH also welcomes UMass Lowell for a 7 p.m. contest at Lundholm Gym.
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/ Women's BasketballUNH WBB vs Binghamton 1-5-19 Highlights
Saturday, January 05
UNH Women's Basketball vs Princeton Highlights (12-29-18)
Saturday, December 29
UNH Women's Basketball vs Dartmouth Highlights (12-21-18)
Friday, December 21
UNH Women's Basketball vs Holy Cross Highlights (12-9-18)
Sunday, December 09