The New York University women's basketball team opens its 2015-16 season on Sunday, November 15, when the Violets host Stevens Institute of Technology at 1:00 pm.
The Violets, led by fourth-year Head Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory, return four starters to a veteran-laden squad which has been given a #5 preseason ranking from Women's D-III News. NYU is coming off a 22-5 season which included reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating Virginia Wesleyan College.
The Violets will again be led by First Team All-University Athletic Association (UAA), Second Team All-Met and WBCA Honorable Mention All-American senior center Megan Dawe. She led the Violets in field goals (344) and scoring (12.7) in 2014-15, and was third in rebounds (152) and rebounds per game (5.6).
Another returning starter is junior guard Kaitlyn Read, who earned First Team All-UAA, D3hoops.com Honorable Mention All-America, D3hoops.com First Team All-East Region, and ECAC Metro Second Team All-Star honors last year. Read led the Violets in steals (3.3) and finished second in ppg (11.7), rebounds (176) and assists (82).
Also returning are junior guard Amy Harioka and junior forward Lindsey Oldshue. Harioka led NYU in three-point shooting (.411 – third-highest in team history), was second in free-throw pct. (.800) and steals (38), and was third in scoring (8.0). Oldshue has started all 53 NYU games since she joined the program in 2013-14.
Maya Wasowicz, a swing player who saw action in 26 games and finished third on the team in three-point percentage (.294) last season, and sophomore Drew Cabral, who finished third on the team in assists (2.2) and fourth in steals (35), also return.
The Violets will also count on senior guard Riley Wurtz and sophomore forward Mikaela Pyatt in '15-16. Wurtz finished second on the team in blocks (12) and fourth in assists (1.7), three-point percentage (.286) and rebounds per game (3.6) last season, while Pyatt contributed 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 25 appearances as a rookie.
Rounding out the returning crop is junior forward Simone Jacques and a pair of sophomores: forward Chloe Van Bourgondien and guard Cassidy Fontana.
NYU welcomes two new guards in freshman Olivia Linebarger and senior Carolyn Hennecken.
