CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Lesley University women's basketball season is right around the corner, and the Lynx start their season on Friday, November 8 at 5 PM against Purchase College hosted by SUNY-Delhi.
The Lynx will look to continue to build up the program this upcoming season, and with a healthy mix of returners and newcomers, Lesley women's basketball head coach, Martin Rather, is excited about what lies ahead for the squad. "We made program history with the size and depth of this recruiting class," said Rather. "But the most exciting part so far has been watching our new student-athletes gel with our returnees. After just a few weeks of practice, our team is already more fundamentally sound and learning to love playing with one another. With a road-heavy schedule, I have no doubt that this season will present challenges. Still, working with two phenomenal assistant coaches and a team that dares to be great each day, I can't wait to see our continued growth and development."
WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO
- Lesley returns one of the squad's top-five scorers from last season in Savannah Gravitt (Richmond Hill, Ga.). The sophomore guard had a solid first season with the Lynx, averaging 7.8 points per game, including a career-high 20-point outing versus Fitchburg State (Nov.11). She also had seven games where she scored in double figures.
- While the Lynx will be bringing back some student-athletes from last year's squad, Coach Rather has brought on five transfer student-athletes: Leila Chisholm (Santa Barbra, Calif.), Ahidali DeHuelbes (Tucson, Ariz.), Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel (Stafford, Va.), Madalynn Biagi (Lincoln, Calif.), and Bella Terry (El Cajon, Calif.). Chisholm comes to Lesley after playing two years at Santa Barbara Community College, and DeHuelbes joins the Lynx from Eastern Nazarene College. Meanwhile, Sinaman-Daniel makes her way to Lesley from Warren Wilson College, Biagi came from Yuba College, and finally, Terry joins the Lynx from San Diego Mesa College.
- Along with the new transfers, Lesley will welcome three first-year student-athletes in Alawnah Dunda (Fort Ann, N.Y.), Jaira Moore (Chula Vista, Calif.), and Abbie Price (Waco, Texas).
- The Lynx will have 12 non-conference games this year against schools in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), Liberty League, and Conference of New England (CNE).
GAMES TO WATCH
- After a brief three-game road trip to start the season, Lesley makes its home debut with a three-game homestand highlighted by the home opener against Mount Holyoke College on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3:30 p.m.
- The Lynx begin conference play later in the year when they travel to SUNY Delhi on Friday, December 6 at 5:30 p.m.
- Kicking off the month of January, Lesley hosts Maine Maritime Academy on Friday, January 10, at 5:30 p.m. Last season, the Mariners represented the NAC in the NCAA Tournament before being bounced by No. 2 Smith College in the first round.
- Later in January, the squad travels to Fisher College on Tuesday, January 28, at 7:00 p.m. Last season, Lesley topped Fisher for its first victory of the season.
- Four of the last five games to round out the regular season will be home contests for the Lynx including matchups against Salem State (Wednesday, February 5 at 7 p.m.), SUNY Delhi (Friday, February 7 at 5:30 p.m.), SUNY Cobleskill (Sunday, February 9 at 2:30 p.m.), VTSU-Lyndon (Tuesday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m.), and finally, Fisher College (Saturday, February 15 at noon).