Youth will be served as the 2015-16 edition of the UM-Presque Isle women’s basketball team will see a complete overhaul of the Owl unit that has won 28 games the last two seasons and been ranked in the final USCAA top 25 poll in each of those seasons.
Two starters return with captains Katie Patenaude of Presque Isle and Sydney Churchill of Fort Fairfield providing leadership and experience to a group that looks to replace 85 percent of the scoring and rebounding from the previous year.
Sophomore Briana Losee of Pittsfield, a GSAC all-freshman selectee in 2014-15, will move to the lead guard spot. Junior Amanda Hotham, a gifted forward from Fort Fairfield, returns after a year away from the program. Hotham averaged 13.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in 2013-14.
Senior guard Amanda Allen of Limestone and forward Sarah MacKenzie of Pugwash, Nova Scotia also return to a very different Owl team that last season finished No. 2 in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game (11.2).
“We just have too many inexperienced players to expect the same precision with our offensive attack,” said third-year head coach Doug Carter. “We are probably better defensively and after we gather ourselves, I think this unit can scare some of the teams we’ll play in late January and February.”
The early season is littered with contests against outstanding NCAA programs that will test the youthful Owls. Freshmen Holli Boyce of Stonington, Megan Jellison of Fort Fairfield and Morgan Wilcox of Presque Isle are talented young ladies hoping to booster the Owls chances of success.
Boyce is a combo guard with a bright future and Wilcox is a smart and athletic player, who will swing between the post and perimeter positions for the vertically challenged Owls, a team with only have one player taller than 5-8. The tallest of the Owls is Jellison, a true post who was named to the 2015 Maine McDonald’s Senior Game following her senior year with the Tigers.
“The freshmen are really talented, but it’s a huge step to compete in the collegiate game,” said Carter. “Each has a very bright future, but they will have to deal with the typical learning curve of a first-year player in games, not practice, because we need these young ladies to step up and play now.”
Also new to the squad, but not new to UMPI sports fans are guards Jessica Dickison of Houlton and Janae Libby of Fort Fairfield, standouts from coach Trevor Parent’s Owl soccer team.
“I could not be happier with the dynamic duo from the soccer program,” noted Carter. “Janae brings toughness and a competitive spirit we needed within our program and Jessy just hustles and refuses to give up … they are winners and they make us better.”
The third year mentor has also been impressed with junior guard Kylee Alton of Burnham, who returns to competitive basketball after several seasons.
“Kylee is still getting back into the swing of things after taking a couple of years off … she is just so smart and competitive, she battles and will be a factor with her shooting from the outside.”
Carter is looking forward to seeing how things develop with his squad.
“This is a great group of young ladies to work with,” said Carter. “We are just so inexperienced within the realm of collegiate basketball, but our work ethic has been outstanding and I really feel we will continue to work extremely hard and get better as a team. We will be so much better in late January and February.”
UMPI opened its season last weekend at the Pepsi Mariner Classic Tournament hosted by Maine Maritime Academy and held in Castine. UMPI fell to the host Mariners Saturday, 75-28, and then were beaten by Endicott College the following afternoon, 94-50.
In the opener, scoring drought of nearly 10 minutes in the first half turned a one-point deficit late in the first quarter to 17 by midway through the second. Hotham had 11 points and six rebounds for UMPI, which committed 30 turnovers and allowed 21 offensive rebounds
Thirty five more turnovers Sunday doomed the Owls against Endicott. Alton, who was named to the all-tourney team, led UMPI with 13 points, while Hotham tallied nine points to go along with nine rebounds.
The Owls make the trip to Selinsgrove, Pa. this weekend for the Pepsi Tip-Off Tournament. The team faces Susquehanna University, the tourney host, in the first game Saturday at 8 p.m.
