With last year’s top seven scorers returning, including all five starters, the only thing that has changed since last year is the team’s and coaches’ mindset.
“Last year we took a look at ourselves and said, ‘Oh wow, we are good.’ This year we know we are good and have everything we want in our hands if we just go out and work for it,” Carleton said. “We know exactly what it’s going to take to be successful this year, and each and every one of our girls understands how to do it. We have a clear-cut path that we have to follow to get there, and in our minds, the sky is the limit.”
With the sky as the limit, Carleton and the Lightning are setting a CACC championship as their goal for the 2010-11 season – a tall order, considering they have to contend with the likes of the preseason No. 5 nationally-ranked Holy Family Tigers.
“The goal this season is to win the championship. We know that is a tough thing to accomplish but we are setting our sights as high as we can see to make ourselves that much better. We will only be as good as we believe we can be and the mindset of this team is to win,” Carleton said.
According to Carleton, the key to success this season will be how the team handles adversity, something last year’s Lightning squad was able to do extremely well. After starting the 2009-10 season 1-7, GBC bounced back to win 15 of its final 19 regular season games.
“We have to remain positive throughout the season,” Carleton said. “We have to stay as healthy as we can, continue to get better with every game and practice our team function. We will continue to learn from each other and remain a team. We are going to need all 13 players throughout the year, so staying together is the biggest factor in achieving our goal.”
Last season, Goldey-Beacom nearly doubled its 2008-09 season win total with 17 wins and earned its first berth in the CACC playoffs since 2006-07. Last year's team earned the program’s first two wins over Philadelphia University after beating the Rams at the Gallagher Center twice within a week, including in the CACC quarterfinals. The Lightning also earned their first season-sweep of crosstown rival Wilmington University since the 2006-07 season with two thrilling victories, both by the identical score of 70-67.
Carleton said after the Lightning’s 71-55 CACC semifinal loss to Nyack: “We can't wait to get back to the court next year and work on the things we need to do to get better. This is only the beginning for us, and we are very excited to keep growing as a team."
With the season fast approaching, Carleton and her team’s excitement has only escalated, as Carleton believes the team had a very productive offseason.
”The success we had last year has really set the tone for our girls this year,” Carleton said. “Every single one of the returning players came back with a better understanding of what this team needed from them individually so that we can be the best we can be. They all did their part in the offseason to get themselves ready, and now we are in the process of putting all of their individual progress together to make this team better than last year.”
The offseason also included the additions of three talented new recruits in Melanie Johnson (St. Peters/Staten Island, N.Y.), Briana Richmond-Peters (Brimm Medical Arts HS/Camden, N.J.) and Taylor Leonard (John A. Coleman Catholic/Hurley, N.Y.).
Johnson is a “pure shooter,” who, according to Carleton, will make an immediate impact on her team and on the conference.
“Her pure shot will force teams to play her deep, which will open up many opportunities for other aspects of our game,” Carleton said.
Richmond-Peters will contribute to the team a great defensive mindset as well as explosiveness.
“She has a great ability to find the ball and really works for everything she gets,” Carleton said.
Leonard, also a good shooter, should see playing time at the No. 2 position, according to Carleton.
“She has a good understanding of the game and what to look for,” Carleton said. “She will be looked upon to knock down shots and occasionally get us into an offense.”
Among the returnees from last year’s team are redshirt-junior guard Jacinda Jones (All-CACC 2nd Team), sophomore forward Devonne Richardson (All-CACC Honorable Mention), senior guard Janae Weldon (All-CACC Tournament Team), senior forward Arielle Alford, and sophomore forwards Akilah Sewell and Irene Hudson.
Jones was the team’s leading scorer last year at 15.7 points per-game. She enters the season ranked No. 6 on the school’s all-time career points list with 787, 10th in rebounds with 302, and fifth in three-point field goals with 84.
“Jacinda has an excellent shot and a great stride to the basket,” Carleton said. “She is very tough to defend.”
Richardson averaged nearly a double-double in 2009-10 at 10.9 ppg and 9.8 rpg. She set a school single-season record for rebounds as a freshman with 285 boards in 2009-10.
“Devonne is a natural play-maker,” Carleton said. “She can attack the rim and rebound the ball at any given time.”
Weldon enters the 2010-11 campaign at fourth on the school’s all-time career points list with 874, already No. 1 in career three-point field goals with 120, and No. 5 in assists with 206.
“Janae is a scoring point-guard who can knock down shots as well as get us into an offense,” Carleton said.
Alford, who missed a good portion of the beginning of the season last year, is back for her senior year already No. 4 on the career rebounding list (576) and No. 10 on the career assists list (102).
“Ariel is a natural shot blocker and rebounder,” Carleton said. “She has good court vision, so she always hits the open player.”
Sewell, who came on strong in the latter half of her rookie season last year, is back for her second year. At 6-1, she offers the Lightning a great defensive presence.
“Akilah can block shots and rebound the ball,” Carleton said. “She’s extremely strong in the post.”
Hudson, who last year provided a huge spark off the bench for the Lightning, is back for her sophomore season as well.
“Irene is a quick, physical post player with a great first step,” Carleton said. “She has extremely good footwork and rebounding ability.”
According to Carleton, the major strengths of this year’s team are going to be its depth and experience.
“Every time we put in a new rotation, it’s going to be like a brand new starting five,” Carleton explained. “And now that we have 10 players that know exactly what this league’s strengths are, it’s easy for them to show the freshman what they need to do. I am very happy and proud of what our returners have already taught our freshmen.”
That said, Carleton insists that every player on the roster is a key player because of the team’s depth.
“At any given time, anyone on this team can start and give us a significant spark in any given game,” she said.
The team’s role players this year include junior guard Lindsay Duck, redshirt-sophomore guard Ashley Rosario, senior guard Amber Gullickson and senior center Megan Knowles.
“Lindsay is a great running point-guard who can get our tempo going,” Carleton said of Duck. “She can knock down shots and get into the lane.”
Rosario, who’s stellar defensive play went relatively unnoticed by the league last year, played a vital role in several of the team’s wins last season.
“Ashley is an extremely athletic, quick guard who can get out in transition. Her defensive tenacity is what sets her aside from others,” Carleton said.
Gullickson, a member of the 2010-11 team’s senior class, last year came off the bench and provided a spark with her hustle-style of play.
“Amber is a good shooter off the catch, and she is one of the hardest workers on the team,” Carleton said.
Megan Knowles, the tallest player on the team at 6-5, should see playing time at the post position in this, her senior season.
“Megan has a good basketball IQ, so she understands what we are looking for and when,” Carleton said.
As she embarks on her fourth season at Goldey-Beacom, this year’s senior class will be the first group of four-year players under Carleton’s reign as head coach. She said she of course cannot help but feel nostalgic.
“This group of seniors came in with me my first year, and we have all grown together,” she said. “I will never ever forget my first year as a coach and how amazing it was from start to finish, and these seniors played a major role in that.
“These girls have helped me set the groundwork for the way I want every team I coach to act, handle themselves, and play the game. They are exceptional leaders who excel both on and off the court.
“I am so proud of everything they have accomplished and this team is looking to send them off with a championship!
“Every day I look at them, and I am amazed at how much they have grown into mature, responsible women. Having the opportunity to coach them for the last four years has been the definition of why I started coaching in the first place. I will forever be grateful for their dedication, determination and passion in creating this amazing environment we now have within our team.”
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