United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - 2008-09 Season Preview

The Coast Guard Academy women’s basketball team rode the one-two punch of senior Natalie Moyer and sophomore Melissa Martinelli all the way to the ECAC Division III New England Championship last season as the Bears won a school-record 25 games and finished 25-5 overall and 11-2 in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).

This season, the Bears return Martinelli, but must replace the four other starters including Moyer an honorable mention All-America by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Moyer finished her brilliant career with a school-record 1,640 points. She is also the Coast Guard all-time leader in 3-pointers (259), steals (234) and games played (107). She set the single-season record with 95 steals last season while averaging 16.9 points and leading the conference with 84 three-pointers.

Martinelli, a first team All-region selection by D3hoops.com last season and the the Most Outstanding Player in the ECAC Tournament was the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman. Last year, she led the team in scoring (17.1), rebounding (8.3) and field goal percentage (55.9 percent). She was named NEWMAC Player of the Week three times and was named to the D3hoops.com National team of the week on a separate occasion. Martinelli became the first Coast Guard player to be named to the All-region first team.

Sophomore guard Jennifer Tamminen is the Bears only other returner that played more than 10 minutes per game last season. She made four starts and averaged 8.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

“What we do is going to be based upon Melissa and Jen and everyone else is going to get an opportunity to show what they can do,” said head coach Alex Simonka in his 16th season. “Most of our returning players were not in a position to be marquee players last season, but we lost a great group of seniors that worked hard for four years and hopefully these players learned from the work ethic that those players put forth and several of them step up and make the most of this opportunity.”

Junior Sabrina Taylor takes over as the starting point guard while sophomore Jessica Anderson will also see plenty of time at the point. Taylor and Anderson combined to play 52 minutes last season.

Freshman Maddie Buchert can play both of the guard spots and could work her way into mix as the season progresses.

Juniors Leslie Hunt and Carin Sweeney will see time at the three spot. That duo had a total of 23 minutes played a year ago.

Senior captain Chanel Lee will start at the four spot while sophomore Allison Majcher will see time at both the three and four spots. Lee played in 22 games last season while Majcher saw action in 21 games.

“Unlike year’s past, our outside shooting is unknown, in the past it was a known fact that we would drill 3-pointers,” said Simonka. “There are going to be bumps and bruises in the early part of the season. We need to see what combinations work and we will work to get better as the conference season approaches.”