IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

The crazy thing is we are exactly three months out from Mount Olive Day (March 14) as I am reading this. I think my tooth is starting to hurt again just hearing that name. I once thought it would be a cool tradition to mail out Mount Olive Day cards to all the players and coaches from that IUP team each year. But I need to shed my jerk image. And besides I already have enough people after me. LOL.

BTW----how did that Steelers tailgate work out? They have gone from 11-0 to possibly the worst team in football this side of the J-E-T-S. Darn injuries.

[IUPalum]

Have a jar of pickles on table for Steelers tailgate. Noticed they are named Mt. Olive.

Sure enough they are made in Mt. Olive, NC.


Made me think of IUP CRIMSON HAWKS.

The darkest day in IUP women's hoops history.



Backstory: IUP was the No. 1 seed and regional host ... and got upset by 8 seed Mt. Olive in Round 1.

Infamous game in IUP history.

ICH hates that game!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Have a jar of pickles on table for Steelers tailgate. Noticed they are named Mt. Olive.

Sure enough they are made in Mt. Olive, NC.


Made me think of IUP CRIMSON HAWKS.

The darkest day in IUP women's hoops history.



Backstory: IUP was the No. 1 seed and regional host ... and got upset by 8 seed Mt. Olive in Round 1.

Infamous game in IUP history.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Ladies No. 4 in national poll.


Men and Women both Top 5. Neither playing.

[IUPalum]

IUP got a commitment today from 5-7 PG Anna Kadlubek a rising senior at Slippery Rock High School. She is a jack of all trades type of player, very team oriented, averaged 12.4 ppg last season. As a three year starter, Anna has played a key role in the team making D10 5A championship game in each of her 3 seasons. Her high school coach is former SRU PG Amber (McFeely) Osborn.

Anna is also a standout in track and field. As a freshman placed 3rd in D10 in 100M and 200M dashes and set the school record in the 200M at 25.95 secs. As a Soph in 2019 she broke the 200M record again at 25.79 and made it to the state track meet in the 200M. Spring sports were suspended in 2020 so no times are available. Her father played collegiate basketball at UPJ

She's a solid player. Will be a good role player.

[IUPTrackMan]

IUP got a commitment today from 5-7 PG Anna Kadlubek a rising senior at Slippery Rock High School. She is a jack of all trades type of player, very team oriented, averaged 12.4 ppg last season. As a three year starter, Anna has played a key role in the team making D10 5A championship game in each of her 3 seasons. Her high school coach is former SRU PG Amber (McFeely) Osborn.

Anna is also a standout in track and field. As a freshman placed 3rd in D10 in 100M and 200M dashes and set the school record in the 200M at 25.95 secs. As a Soph in 2019 she broke the 200M record again at 25.79 and made it to the state track meet in the 200M. Spring sports were suspended in 2020 so no times are available. Her father played collegiate basketball at UPJ

[IUPalum]

Tom's top assistant took a new job. Jocelyn Floyd is headed to UNC-Wilmington.

The ladies' roster is also posted. Maria Cerro is listed so I guess the transfer rumors are officially squashed. Two new freshmen. Tom has a ton back.

Cerro is there. Her picture is on their twitter page today working out.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Tom's top assistant took a new job. Jocelyn Floyd is headed to UNC-Wilmington.

The ladies' roster is also posted. Maria Cerro is listed so I guess the transfer rumors are officially squashed. Two new freshmen. Tom has a ton back.

[IUPalum]

No doubt. She seemed lost in the second half last year and, honestly, not real interested. Hopefully we can chalk that up to being young. I was worried last FEB that this may be Mo Burns all over again.

I put some of that on Tom. He kind of threw her to the wolves from Day 1 -- perhaps before she was ready. It also became real apparent -- real fast -- she was only allowed to be a distributing PG.

They'll be the Justina Mascaro and Courtney Alexander Show this season. Those two will draw so much attention it should really open some other things up. Maura D'Anna can be a total monster under the glass so long as she can stay out of foul trouble.

Tom's obviously to the point of reloading now and not rebuilding. That highly-coveted class from two years ago are all juniors now -- Fink, Lovelace, Cardona, etc. They also get Junior 6' Forward Teirra Preston back after she missed all of last season with an injury. Actually, she'll be a sophomore eligibility-wise after a medical redshirt.

Fink and Lovelace are stars in the making. But, neither really fits Tom's slow-down style. They are both runners and slashers. He may have to alter some things this year.

I hope he does let them fly around a little and still keep the solid D. Could be fun.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Agreed, I just worried about her demeanor on the bench when she wasn't playing. She has to stay engaged and supportive!

No doubt. She seemed lost in the second half last year and, honestly, not real interested. Hopefully we can chalk that up to being young. I was worried last FEB that this may be Mo Burns all over again.

I put some of that on Tom. He kind of threw her to the wolves from Day 1 -- perhaps before she was ready. It also became real apparent -- real fast -- she was only allowed to be a distributing PG.

They'll be the Justina Mascaro and Courtney Alexander Show this season. Those two will draw so much attention it should really open some other things up. Maura D'Anna can be a total monster under the glass so long as she can stay out of foul trouble.

Tom's obviously to the point of reloading now and not rebuilding. That highly-coveted class from two years ago are all juniors now -- Fink, Lovelace, Cardona, etc. They also get Junior 6' Forward Teirra Preston back after she missed all of last season with an injury. Actually, she'll be a sophomore eligibility-wise after a medical redshirt.

Fink and Lovelace are stars in the making. But, neither really fits Tom's slow-down style. They are both runners and slashers. He may have to alter some things this year.

[IUPalum]

Maria Cerro did not transfer. That's good news. She has a ton of upside. I think expectations were a little too high last year -- starting at PG in her first game as a true freshman for a national power program. She took some bumps last year but should take a big step this season. She has potential to be very good as a junior and senior.

Agreed, I just worried about her demeanor on the bench when she wasn't playing. She has to stay engaged and supportive!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Maria Cerro did not transfer. That's good news. She has a ton of upside. I think expectations were a little too high last year -- starting at PG in her first game as a true freshman for a national power program. She took some bumps last year but should take a big step this season. She has potential to be very good as a junior and senior.

[CALUPA69]

Could be waiting for Tom to retire, too. Just sayin'

Could be, but why go to BUCKNELL if she believes his retirement is on the horizon. He's 56 and seems to be enjoying himself which may be why KZ decided not to wait.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Awesome player and outstanding coach but apparently just not driven to take on everything involved in being a head coach. Truly I can't figure out why she took the Asst job at Bucknell. As you say with her resume there is absolutely no reason why she shouldn't at the very least be HC at a top notch D2 program. Except she doesn't seem to want it.
The opposite personality type is Kaitlyn Fratz who at just 5 years from the '15 NC team is #2 Asst for the Maryland Terps and will probably be HC somewhere before she reaches 30. Totally driven since she graduated. An awful lot of being a coach is mental.

Could be waiting for Tom to retire, too. Just sayin'

[CALUPA69]

Maybe Kelly Mazzante will be a candidate for the opening? Last I heard she was an assistant at Bucknell after her successful stint at IUP.

If I were her agent I would tell her that she is sitting on a vertiable gold mine with her name and storied past. Time to get into the head coaching ranks and climb that ladder. It would not take long with her pedigree.

-

Awesome player and outstanding coach but apparently just not driven to take on everything involved in being a head coach. Truly I can't figure out why she took the Asst job at Bucknell. As you say with her resume there is absolutely no reason why she shouldn't at the very least be HC at a top notch D2 program. Except she doesn't seem to want it.
The opposite personality type is Kaitlyn Fratz who at just 5 years from the '15 NC team is #2 Asst for the Maryland Terps and will probably be HC somewhere before she reaches 30. Totally driven since she graduated. An awful lot of being a coach is mental.