Hoisting the 2010 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metropolitan Tournament trophy helped the New York University women's basketball team give its seniors a rousing send-off while providing its promising returnees a building block for next winter.
Capturing a record seventh ECAC Metro crown required three impressive victories, as well as contributions from Violets of varying experience levels.
Senior forward Grace Carmen (10.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg) enjoyed her finest season, parlaying her performance into a Second Team All-University Athletic Association (UAA) selection. Senior Jen Hum-Traverso (8.1 ppg), a three-year starter at point guard, and junior guard Emily Foshag (7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg), a two-year starter who graduated in three years, also earned Honorable Mention All-UAA accolades for NYU (16-12, 5-9 UAA). Hum-Traverso capped her career by hitting the game-winning three-pointer in the Violets' 54-51 victory over Stevens Institute of Technology in the ECAC Metro title contest.
“Jen's three at the end was almost like a movie,” said NYU head coach Stefano Trompeo. “It couldn't have ended any better.”
Early in the season, the Violets captured the NYU Tip-Off Tournament by defeating the College of Mount St. Vincent and Purchase College as Carmen was named tournament MVP. Then, to begin 2010, the Violets beat both of their opponents at the NYU New Year's Classic.
During the season, NYU swept two of its UAA opponents (Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon University), and posted a win over Emory University.
Individually, junior center Chrissy Kilmurray (8.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg) emerged as a promising low-post force in her first season as a starter, recording six double-doubles to go along with performances like her 14-point, 18-rebound, six-block effort against Emory University. She also collected Honorable Mention All-UAA accolades.
Another major contributor for the Violets was junior guard Chelsea Blake. A first-year starter, she flashed a solid all-around floor game, contributing 5.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, and 2.0 spg.
From the sophomore class, guard/forward Bianca Storts (5.2 ppg) bounced back nicely from injury by averaging 11.0 ppg in her final four games, including a season-best 16 points vs. Drew University in the ECAC semifinals. Forward Erica Franke (3.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg) played her best basketball late in the year, including an 11-point showing against NCAA Final Four participant University of Rochester. Meanwhile, guards Tana Bertino (2.6 ppg) and Cara Bonito (1.7 ppg), as well as forward Shelby Coon (2.5 rpg), contributed off the bench.
Representing a promising freshman class were center Makenzie Hirz (4.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and guard Maggie Ely (2.9 ppg). Hirz posted career highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds versus New Jersey City University, while Ely tallied a personal-best 16 points in the Violets' first-round ECAC victory over Hunter College.
Off the court, two players (Bonito, Foshag) earned UAA Winter Sport All-Academic honors, while Foshag also garnered NYU's Student Athlete Academic Achievement Award.
