University of New Hampshire Athletics
Friday, November 9
Minneapolis, Minn.
9 PM (ET)
University of New Hampshire
at
Minnesota
(Photo by Gil Talbot)
Photo by: Gil Talbot
Wildcats Begin 2018-19 Campaign at Minnesota, NDSU
11/9/2018 10:42:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The ‘Cats travel west for Friday night and Sunday afternoon tilts.
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire women's basketball team kicks off the 2018-19 season with a weekend road trip beginning Friday, November 9 at Minnesota. First game tips off at 9 P.M. eastern time, before the Wildcats travel to North Dakota State for their second game of the year; tip-off at NDSU is at 5 P.M. EST.
UNH STORYLINES:
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Coach Maureen Magarity, beginning her ninth season as head coach, has led UNH to its best two-year run in the history of the program the last two seasons.
UNH went 19-12 overall and 9-7 in America East least season, following up on 26-6 and 15-1 marks in 2016-17. The Wildcats advanced to the America East semifinals each season. The team's 45 victories over the last two years combined is the best two-year win total in school history.
Junior forward Ashley Storey, who missed all of last season with an injury, and Alli Gribbin, the lone senior on the team, lead the Wildcats into the season as captains. Sophomore guard Amanda Torres worked her way into a starting lineup that had been composed of all seniors late last season.
The Wildcats – with seven freshmen among the 13 players on the roster - play their home opener against Sacred Heart on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- The Golden Gophers went 24-9 overall and 11-5 in the Big 10 last year.
- They lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament and Big 10 tournament.
- Former Minnesota standout Lindsay Whalen makes her coaching debut on Friday night.
- Destiny Pitts was named Big 10 freshman of the year last season.
- Destiny Pitts and Kenisha Bell were both named to the preseason All-Big 10 team picked by media and coaches
- The Golden Gophers were picked third in the league's preseason poll.
- They return four of their five starters, accounting for 67. 3 percent of points, 68.9 percent of rebounds and 78.1 percent of assists.
- Kenisha Bell set school records last year in free-throws made (187) and free-throw attempts (255). Her total assists (223) was the second most in the past 30 years of the program's history.
- Bell averaged 20 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.6 steals.
- Bell finished sixth in the nation in free throw attempts, seventh in free throws made, ninth in assists per game and 10th in total assists
- Pitts led the team with 7.2 rebounds per game. She was ranked fourth in the league for 3-pointers (90).
- Pitts was named the Big 10 freshman of the year seven times.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
- North Dakota State went 9-20 overall and 2-12 in the Summit League last season.
- The Bison opened the season with a 49-43 win over Mayville State on Tuesday night.
- They play Creighton at home on Friday night.
- Michell Gaislerova and Tyrah Spencer led North Dakota State with 13 points each against Mayville.
- The Bison return four of their top scorers from last season.
- Forward Reilly Jacobson averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
- Sarah Jacobson, no relation to Reilly, averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists a game.
HOME COOKING
Only two of UNH's eight games in November are at home. In contrast, the Wildcats play four of their five December games in Lundholm Gymnasium.
The November home games are against Sacred Heart on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. and against Bryant University on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m.
UNH plays home games against the University of New England on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.; against Holy Cross on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.; against Dartmouth on Friday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. and against Princeton on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m.
The Wildcats open the America East portion of the schedule with a game at Maine on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
They play their first home league game against play Binghamton on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m.
Tickets for all home games are available by calling 603-862-4000 or at www.unhwildcats.com.
HOW YOUNG IS YOUNG?
So just how young are these Wildcats?
UNH has one senior on the roster with three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen.
The average age of the Wildcats on opening day, Nov. 9, is 19 years, eight months and 12 days.
THE FRONTCOURT
Junior Ashley Storey, 6-foot-3, returns to lead the team in the frontcourt. Storey started 17 games her freshman year and was named to the America East All Rookie team after averaging 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds She averaged 4.9 points and 4 rebounds as a sophomore before missing last season.
"We expect a lot from Ashley," Magarity said. "She's come back much stronger and on the court she hasn't missed a beat. We're going to rely on her to rebound and score. She can score in a lot of different ways and can run the floor very well for a big kid."
Sophomore Maggie Ahearn, 6-foot-2, sat out last season after transferring to UNH from Providence College. She played five games as a freshman at Providence.
Storey and Ahearn are joined up front by three freshmen: 6-foot Faith Bonett, 6-foot-2 Ivy Gogolin and 6-foot-3 Mary Foster.
THE BACKCOURT
Sophomore Amanda Torres, 5-foot-7, is the lone returning starter from last season.
"Amanda had a great freshmen year and gained a lot of valuable experience when she ended up as the starting point guard," Magarity said. "She needs to step up even more with her leadership this year. She pushes the ball in transition and gets the team going. She's very aggressive off the bounce and her first step is really quick and her outside shooting continues to improve."
Alli Gribbin, a 5-foot-11 senior captain, junior Caroline Soucy, 5-foot-9, and junior Sarah Clement, 5-foot-8, are the upper classmen in the backcourt.
The freshmen guards are 5-foot-6 Kari Brekke, 5-foot-9 Kali Grimm, 5-foot-10 Mariah Gonzalez and 5-foot-5 Sarah Serbascewicz.
GOING TO SEE THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
The opener at the University of Minnesota marks the head coaching debut of former Golden Gopher and WNBA standout Lindsay Whalen and sold out 14,625-seat Williams Arena weeks ahead of the game.
"They have a commemorative t-shirt made for coach Whalen," Magarity said. "She's obviously a living legend in Minnesota. Having her back is really exciting for the Minnesota program. It's kind of neat to be a part of that. I think we're really lucky that we have that opportunity and we're going to look at it that way, as just living in the moment and having fun and anything can happen. First game of the year and you never know."
UNH freshman Kali Grimm is from Norwood Young America, Minn.
"That will be really special," Magarity said. "I think Kali's going to bring a lot of people. It's going to be an experience, for sure."
THE COACH
Maureen Magarity, entering her ninth year as head coach, has led UNH to winning seasons in each of the last two and four of the last five seasons.
She guided the team to a record-smashing mark of 26-6 overall and 15-1 in America East in 2016-17. The 26 wins were three more than the Wildcats had ever won in a season and the league record was the team's best ever and earned the school's first America East women's basketball regular season championship.
Along the way, the team set a school record with 13 consecutive wins.
UNH went 19-12 overall and 9-7 in the league last year. The 45-18 overall record over the last two seasons was the top mark for any two-year stretch in program history.
Magarity has a 130-112 record through her eight seasons and stands fourth in all-time wins at UNH. She is three wins out of the third spot and six out of the No. 2 spot on the list.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
While the UNH women's basketball team is facing Minnesota and North Dakota State for the first time, it's not the first time UNH teams have squared off with the Golden Gophers and Bison.
Among the encounters:
UNH STORYLINES:
- UNH is making a two-game road trip to play at Minnesota on Friday and at North Dakota State on Sunday.
- The Wildcats have never played either team.
- Coach Maureen Magarity begins her ninth season as UNH head coach Friday.
- Golden Gopher and WNBA legend Lindsay Whalen makes her coaching debut for Minnesota.
- Williams Arena – with a capacity of 14,625 - has been sold out for the game for weeks.
- Junior forward Ashley Storey missed all of last season rehabilitating from surgery.
- Sophomore guard Amanda Torres started nine games for the Wildcats last season.
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Coach Maureen Magarity, beginning her ninth season as head coach, has led UNH to its best two-year run in the history of the program the last two seasons.
UNH went 19-12 overall and 9-7 in America East least season, following up on 26-6 and 15-1 marks in 2016-17. The Wildcats advanced to the America East semifinals each season. The team's 45 victories over the last two years combined is the best two-year win total in school history.
Junior forward Ashley Storey, who missed all of last season with an injury, and Alli Gribbin, the lone senior on the team, lead the Wildcats into the season as captains. Sophomore guard Amanda Torres worked her way into a starting lineup that had been composed of all seniors late last season.
The Wildcats – with seven freshmen among the 13 players on the roster - play their home opener against Sacred Heart on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- The Golden Gophers went 24-9 overall and 11-5 in the Big 10 last year.
- They lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament and Big 10 tournament.
- Former Minnesota standout Lindsay Whalen makes her coaching debut on Friday night.
- Destiny Pitts was named Big 10 freshman of the year last season.
- Destiny Pitts and Kenisha Bell were both named to the preseason All-Big 10 team picked by media and coaches
- The Golden Gophers were picked third in the league's preseason poll.
- They return four of their five starters, accounting for 67. 3 percent of points, 68.9 percent of rebounds and 78.1 percent of assists.
- Kenisha Bell set school records last year in free-throws made (187) and free-throw attempts (255). Her total assists (223) was the second most in the past 30 years of the program's history.
- Bell averaged 20 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.6 steals.
- Bell finished sixth in the nation in free throw attempts, seventh in free throws made, ninth in assists per game and 10th in total assists
- Pitts led the team with 7.2 rebounds per game. She was ranked fourth in the league for 3-pointers (90).
- Pitts was named the Big 10 freshman of the year seven times.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
- North Dakota State went 9-20 overall and 2-12 in the Summit League last season.
- The Bison opened the season with a 49-43 win over Mayville State on Tuesday night.
- They play Creighton at home on Friday night.
- Michell Gaislerova and Tyrah Spencer led North Dakota State with 13 points each against Mayville.
- The Bison return four of their top scorers from last season.
- Forward Reilly Jacobson averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
- Sarah Jacobson, no relation to Reilly, averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists a game.
HOME COOKING
Only two of UNH's eight games in November are at home. In contrast, the Wildcats play four of their five December games in Lundholm Gymnasium.
The November home games are against Sacred Heart on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. and against Bryant University on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m.
UNH plays home games against the University of New England on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.; against Holy Cross on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.; against Dartmouth on Friday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. and against Princeton on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m.
The Wildcats open the America East portion of the schedule with a game at Maine on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
They play their first home league game against play Binghamton on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m.
Tickets for all home games are available by calling 603-862-4000 or at www.unhwildcats.com.
HOW YOUNG IS YOUNG?
So just how young are these Wildcats?
UNH has one senior on the roster with three juniors, two sophomores and seven freshmen.
The average age of the Wildcats on opening day, Nov. 9, is 19 years, eight months and 12 days.
THE FRONTCOURT
Junior Ashley Storey, 6-foot-3, returns to lead the team in the frontcourt. Storey started 17 games her freshman year and was named to the America East All Rookie team after averaging 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds She averaged 4.9 points and 4 rebounds as a sophomore before missing last season.
"We expect a lot from Ashley," Magarity said. "She's come back much stronger and on the court she hasn't missed a beat. We're going to rely on her to rebound and score. She can score in a lot of different ways and can run the floor very well for a big kid."
Sophomore Maggie Ahearn, 6-foot-2, sat out last season after transferring to UNH from Providence College. She played five games as a freshman at Providence.
Storey and Ahearn are joined up front by three freshmen: 6-foot Faith Bonett, 6-foot-2 Ivy Gogolin and 6-foot-3 Mary Foster.
THE BACKCOURT
Sophomore Amanda Torres, 5-foot-7, is the lone returning starter from last season.
"Amanda had a great freshmen year and gained a lot of valuable experience when she ended up as the starting point guard," Magarity said. "She needs to step up even more with her leadership this year. She pushes the ball in transition and gets the team going. She's very aggressive off the bounce and her first step is really quick and her outside shooting continues to improve."
Alli Gribbin, a 5-foot-11 senior captain, junior Caroline Soucy, 5-foot-9, and junior Sarah Clement, 5-foot-8, are the upper classmen in the backcourt.
The freshmen guards are 5-foot-6 Kari Brekke, 5-foot-9 Kali Grimm, 5-foot-10 Mariah Gonzalez and 5-foot-5 Sarah Serbascewicz.
GOING TO SEE THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
The opener at the University of Minnesota marks the head coaching debut of former Golden Gopher and WNBA standout Lindsay Whalen and sold out 14,625-seat Williams Arena weeks ahead of the game.
"They have a commemorative t-shirt made for coach Whalen," Magarity said. "She's obviously a living legend in Minnesota. Having her back is really exciting for the Minnesota program. It's kind of neat to be a part of that. I think we're really lucky that we have that opportunity and we're going to look at it that way, as just living in the moment and having fun and anything can happen. First game of the year and you never know."
UNH freshman Kali Grimm is from Norwood Young America, Minn.
"That will be really special," Magarity said. "I think Kali's going to bring a lot of people. It's going to be an experience, for sure."
THE COACH
Maureen Magarity, entering her ninth year as head coach, has led UNH to winning seasons in each of the last two and four of the last five seasons.
She guided the team to a record-smashing mark of 26-6 overall and 15-1 in America East in 2016-17. The 26 wins were three more than the Wildcats had ever won in a season and the league record was the team's best ever and earned the school's first America East women's basketball regular season championship.
Along the way, the team set a school record with 13 consecutive wins.
UNH went 19-12 overall and 9-7 in the league last year. The 45-18 overall record over the last two seasons was the top mark for any two-year stretch in program history.
Magarity has a 130-112 record through her eight seasons and stands fourth in all-time wins at UNH. She is three wins out of the third spot and six out of the No. 2 spot on the list.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
While the UNH women's basketball team is facing Minnesota and North Dakota State for the first time, it's not the first time UNH teams have squared off with the Golden Gophers and Bison.
Among the encounters:
- The UNH women's hockey team beat Minnesota, 4-1, in the semifinals of the American Women's College Hockey Alliance tournament in 1998.
- The Wildcats went on to win the AWCHA title, before the NCAA sponsored the event, with a 4-1 win over Brown.
- The Minnesota men's hockey team beat UNH, 5-1, in the NCAA championship game in 2003 in Buffalo.
- UNH fell at North Dakota State in the semifinals of the NCAA Division I FCS tournament on Dec. 20, 2013.
- The Bison went on to win the national championship. They have won six of the last seven FCS national titles.
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