IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

[CALUPA69]

Hmm. As a VULCANS WBB fan my greatest fear aside from losing JESS STROM is losing KATIE TETZLAW. She seems to be ready to step in with little lose of continuity should JS ever decide to move on. They've been together since '13-'14 and really seem to have a seamless style with the team. Maybe it's an XX thing.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Is there a reason that the departure of KELLY MAZZANTE to Bucknell wasn't headline news ? I know I'm a bit lax in all things C'HAWK, but that is a substantial change. Isn't it ???

It was ... as much as an assistant leaving can be headline news. It got a little play on here but I think everybody knew it was just a matter of time.

[CALUPA69]

Is there a reason that the departure of KELLY MAZZANTE to Bucknell wasn't headline news ? I know I'm a bit lax in all things C'HAWK, but that is a substantial change. Isn't it ???

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

IUP has officially offered Indiana High School (just turned) sophomore guard Hope Cook.

She had a monster season as a freshman. The question will be if the D1 schools come calling, too. She's the first sophomore I can ever remember IUP offering.


The IHS girls also have a freshman this season (6'4" forward) who just picked up an offer from Ohio State.

Both tore up the summer circuit.

Her father and her uncle both played ball for IHS back in the day. The uncle was actually the MVP of the one Pittsburgh postseason all-star game. I think he went on to play at Colgate at the next level. I guess it is in the DNA. She is also the granddaughter of the late and very beloved Indiana optometrist Dr. James Cook. Goodness is he missed!

But yeah, I don't ever recall any underclassmen like this being offered by IUP. Might not be a bad idea for the two players that you mentioned.

My niece was involved in elementary basketball the past four seasons and I can tell you that there are certainly some very up and coming players in this area moving on up through the ranks. I made it a point to note their names as they will be heard from real soon.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP has officially offered Indiana High School (just turned) sophomore guard Hope Cook.

She had a monster season as a freshman. The question will be if the D1 schools come calling, too. She's the first sophomore I can ever remember IUP offering.


The IHS girls also have a freshman this season (6'4" forward) who just picked up an offer from Ohio State.

Both tore up the summer circuit.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The roster is published.

One new addition is Kiara Wade (formerly of Wheeling Jesuit and from Farrell High School). She's listed as a 6'3" Forward and a sophomore. She did not play last season ... not sure if that was due to an injury, etc.


Guards

Mikayla Lovelace (SO)
Maria Cerro (FR)
Courtney Alexander (JR)
Madison Kerr (JR)
Justina Mascaro (SO)
Natalie Myers (SR)


Guard/Forward

Alana Cardona (SO)
Rajah Fink (SO)
Lexi Griggs (SR)


Forward

Maura D'Anna (JR)
Josie Smith (FR)
Teirra Preston (SO)
Kiara Wade (SO)


A lot of new faces will be in larger roles ... but a wealth of depth and talent. D'Anna's return along with Griggs gives Tom a dominant inside game.

Tom's heralded freshmen class of a year ago will get a chance to shine this season. Lots of size on the roster ... guards and post players.

The starting five is complicated. Madison Kerr is back and finally healthy. She'll be in the mix.

I'd say Griggs, D'Anna and Alexander are locks to start. We'll see who wins the PG job. They have a deep, deep bench.

[Golden89]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The GU loss is more painful because they don't appear to be headed back to that spot again any time soon.

Not at the time as Gannon made the E8 in 2013. Program took a step backward with Brunelli (to say the least) but it will be interesting to see where Cleve takes things.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

D3 Pitt-Bradford is likely the Education Day game, so that's always a tough sell for a team to come get its butt kicked at 11 a.m. right next to Thanksgiving break.

An interesting note SID Ryan Rebholz alluded to on the Twitter a while back about the Nov. 9-10 weekend. If you love IUP sports, that's the weekend to visit! In hoops, the IUP men host the IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic and the IUP women host the PSAC-MEC Classic. There's a home volleyball game, a home women's soccer game up on the hill and a noon Senior Day kickoff against Edinboro.

If you're trying to workout logistics, good luck. The volleyball team plays Friday night at 7 p.m. too. Since this is a basketball board, the IUP men and their under-lock-and-key schedule probably means their tournament is Saturday night and Sunday afternoon like the women's team. How cool/strange/fiscally irresponsible/hectic would it be for an IUP basketball doubleheader Saturday night at the Field House while the other men's and women's tournament games are played in front of an empty KCAC?

Nothing would surprise me.

I go where Joe's team goes. I like football ... but Joe beats Tort everytime (to me).

[hawks16]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The women's schedule is posted.

Non-conference:

Nov. 9 - Davis & Elkins
Nov. 10 - West Virginia Wesleyan

Nov. 12 - Virginia State

Nov. 20 - Pitt-Bradford

Nov. 27 - at Salem

Dec. 3 - at University of D.C.

D3 Pitt-Bradford is likely the Education Day game, so that's always a tough sell for a team to come get its butt kicked at 11 a.m. right next to Thanksgiving break.

An interesting note SID Ryan Rebholz alluded to on the Twitter a while back about the Nov. 9-10 weekend. If you love IUP sports, that's the weekend to visit! In hoops, the IUP men host the IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic and the IUP women host the PSAC-MEC Classic. There's a home volleyball game, a home women's soccer game up on the hill and a noon Senior Day kickoff against Edinboro.

If you're trying to workout logistics, good luck. The volleyball team plays Friday night at 7 p.m. too. Since this is a basketball board, the IUP men and their under-lock-and-key schedule probably means their tournament is Saturday night and Sunday afternoon like the women's team. How cool/strange/fiscally irresponsible/hectic would it be for an IUP basketball doubleheader Saturday night at the Field House while the other men's and women's tournament games are played in front of an empty KCAC?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The GU loss is more painful because they don't appear to be headed back to that spot again any time soon.

I suspect this will be another IUP/Cal battle for women's supremacy this year.

I wasn't impressed with Edinboro's new coach last year. They had far better talent than they showed. They were largely non-competitive against IUP. But, that was her first year. We'll see what happens. They lost some studs, though.

IUP and Cal are both pretty loaded.

Tom's built to the point now where one class of stars leave and the next is ready to go. His freshmen class last year was superb. He is set up for years to come.

[CALUPA69]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

Not to mention Shaw winning it all in 2012. And Gannon made the final four in 2010 as an undefeated team and blew an 18-point second half lead to Emporia State (another loss that haunts a program).

The GU loss is more painful because they don't appear to be headed back to that spot again any time soon.

[Golden89]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The women's side has had more national success with Cal's titles, Virginia Union, ... and IUP reaching the past two Final Fours.

That said, the women's Atlantic is much thinner. There aren't many good teams. The men's Atlantic is very deep.

Not to mention Shaw winning it all in 2012. And Gannon made the final four in 2010 as an undefeated team and blew an 18-point second half lead to Emporia State (another loss that haunts a program).

[IUP24]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

Hard to say.

I will say this ... that fourth quarter of Tom's Final Four loss will forever haunt that program. They had the lead after 3 frames and all the momentum in the world. Still painful, ...

Funny you should say that...

I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole the other day. I somehow came across the entire 15 minute presser from Tom and Co. after the game on the internet the other day. I never watched the whole thing. It was tough to watch. You could tell there was a lot of pain there from all parties.

It's tough. I said it when it happened, you simply don't have any idea when those moments ever come again. And it might not ever come again. IUP might never get that close again.

For what it's worth, that SW Oklahoma State team lost the next night, but it took two overtimes and two tying shots, one of them a desperation heave at the buzzer, from that team who won it to even get it to that 2nd OT. Point is.. That was Tom's net to cut down. But that's not the way it ended.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

The women's side has had more national success with Cal's titles, Virginia Union, ... and IUP reaching the past two Final Fours.

That said, the women's Atlantic is much thinner. There aren't many good teams. The men's Atlantic is very deep.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP Women's Basketball | 2019-20

Here's a question... In terms of quality of basketball, and depth/number of quality teams, on both sides, where do you rank the Atlantic Region in terms of level of difficulty against the others? I know the region that Bellarmine is in is really tough. I don't know the name of it. I think the Atlantic has to be in the top 2 or 3.

It's a lot different than football. This region has sent teams to the Elite Eight and have performed very well in both the men's and women's division. There's been national champions and nation championship appearances. Runs to the final four. Even Mercyhurst, in a losing effort, played NWMST tougher than anybody else did all season.

Edit... These discussions in the offseason are great and also why the basketball side of this board will forever be better.

Hard to say.

I will say this ... that fourth quarter of Tom's Final Four loss will forever haunt that program. They had the lead after 3 frames and all the momentum in the world. Still painful, ...