Season Preview: Talented Harvard Squad Seeks 12th Ivy League Title in 2009-10
The 2009-10 Harvard women's basketball team photo courtesy of David Silverman Photography.
The Harvard women’s basketball team returns six players
from last season, where the Crimson won an impressive 19 games and
made its seventh postseason appearance in the last 14 seasons.
Harvard finished second in the Ivy League standings last year after
winning back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008.
Four returning players have appeared in the starting line-up, while
five Crimson athletes averaged 17 or more minutes per game last
season. The Crimson returns two of its top three scorers in Emma
Markley and Brogan Berry. Markley, a second-team All-Ivy League
recipient, led the Crimson with 14.0 points per game and 7.0
rebounds per game. She led the league in blocks, was fifth in
scoring and sixth in rebounding. Berry was the Ivy League Rookie of
the Year and earned conference honorable mention and all-rookie
distinction. She was third on the Crimson and ninth in the
conference in scoring with 11.7 ppg. She led the conference in
three-point shooting at 41 percent.
Four Harvard players have started for the Crimson, while all seven
returning players (Lindsay Louie returns after taking 2008-09 off)
have seen time on the hardwood. Junior co-captain Christine Matera,
who played in all 29 games, led the Crimson and was 10th in the
league in three-point shooting. She was tied for sixth on the team
in scoring with 5.4 points per game. Matera scored in double
figures six times including a career-high 17 against Penn.
Classmate and co-captain Claire Wheeler made seven starts and
played in all 29 contests. She was tied for sixth on the team in
scoring with 5.4 points per game and was second in rebounding with
5.3 rpg. Junior Jackie Alemany made nine starts and played in 27
games for the Crimson. She was third on the team in steals with 27
and averaged 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 points per game. Her best career
performance came against Yale when she scored 23 points and grabbed
six steals.
Sophomores Lindsay Louie and Caitlin Rowland each have one year of
playing time for the Crimson. Both players have provided depth off
the bench along with a quickness that has frustrated the
opponents’ defense. Harvard’s five newcomers will make
an immediate impact on the program. The freshmen include Jasmine
Evans (Menlo Park, Calif.), Emma Golen (Novi, Mich.), Elle Hagedorn
(Ambler, Pa.), Victoria Lippert (Del Mar, Calif.) and Miriam Rutzen
(Blandinsville, Ill.).
Harvard will play 28 games in 2009-10 and host 13 games at Lavietes
Pavilion, including six non-conference opponents. Four of Harvard's
opponents reached the postseason last winter. The Crimson will play
Navy, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and New Orleans for
the first time in program history and could face Georgia Southern
for the first time at the 23rd Annual Coors Classic.
The 2009-10 slate begins Nov. 14 with Harvard’s home and
season opener against local rival Boston College. Tip-off is
scheduled for 6 p.m.