Men’s Basketball
T
he 2013-14 men’s basketball squad will not lack for talent as
Coach Glenn Braica welcomes back four starters and has added
several talented newcomers to the mix. “I really like the composition of this team and I think the guys are hungry,” Braica stated.
“Our returning players have all worked very hard over the summer
to become better players, and I think the new guys are talented and
are excited about being here. I also think that our exhibition trip to
Canada this past summer was very helpful in our preparation for the
upcoming season.”
Junior forward Jalen Cannon ’15 is widely regarded as one of the top
returning players on the circuit after earning Second Team All Northeast
Conference honors last season. The bruising power forward paced the
Terriers in scoring (14.7 ppg.), rebounding (8.8 rpg.), and field goal
percentage (0.556) after earning All-Rookie Team honors as a freshman
in 2011-2012.
The front portion of the schedule is always tough on the Terriers with
eight of their first nine contests away from Remsen Street. This year, the
opening-night tilt was at Miami on Nov. 8. The team then took part in the
EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Bracket (at Coastal Carolina) with
road games against Syracuse, Dayton, Stony Brook, and Army. The
Terriers first home game is Nov. 27 against Mount St. Vincent.
It’s a very challenging schedule,” Braica admitted. “We have numerous games on the road to start the season against very good teams.
However, if we are tough and can learn from it then we will. We will see
different styles of play in difficult environments that can really prepare us
for the conference season.” ●
Letter to the Editor
P.J. Santavenere ’15, Sheldon Hagigal ’17, Ben Mockford ’14, Edon Molic ’16, Brent Jones
’15, Yunus Hopkinson ’17. B A C K R O W ( L - R ) : Assistant Coach Danny Nigro, Assistant Coach Clive Bentick,
Lowell Ulmer ’15, Amdy Fall ’16, Jalen Cannon ’15, Matt Milk ’14, Wayne Martin ’17, Kevin Douglas ’15,
Alex Isailovic ’14, Head Coach Glenn Braica, Assistant Coach Ron Ganulin.
FRONT ROW (L-R):
Robert Minion ’54 writes, “I enjoyed reading
the article lauding the accomplishments of
the 1964 SFC basketball team… However,
I should like to point out a team and a season,
which, in my view, wholly surpassed the
concededly fine performance of the 1964
team… I refer to the 1953-54 Terriers…
a nearly unbeatable team that won everything
in sight.”
Minion points out that this team went 23-4
and upset the perennial powerhouse Louisville
in the NIT before losing in the quarterfinals to
eventual champions, Holy Cross.
Let the debate continue…
Women’s Basketball
T
he Terriers will look to build upon their success from a season ago,
both on and off the court. In the classroom, the Terriers finished
with the second-highest Division I team grade-point average out of
3 45 schools in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. On the
hardwood, the Terriers far surpassed expectations by qualifying for their
first Northeast Conference Tournament appearance in almost five years.
First-year head coach John Thurston credits juniors Sarah Benedetti
’15, Jaymee Veney ’15 and sophomore Leah Fechko ’16 for much of the
turnaround. Benedetti is widely regarded as a top three-point shooter
after earning Third Team All Northeast Conference honors last season.
The sharp-shooting guard paced the team in scoring (11.6 ppg.) and
three-point field goal percentage (0.393). Veney (7.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
has become a versatile option for St. Francis Brooklyn while Fechko
(6.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg.) became just the 10 th Terrier in program history
to be selected to the Northeast Conference All-Rookie squad. The
Twinsburg, Ohio native was the Choice Hotels Northeast Conference
Rookie of the Week on three occasions. During conference play, she
netted 8.7 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds per contest, which
led all newcomers last season.
The team played their home-opener on Nov. 11 against Army, and
faces a major early season challenge when they take on the University
of Miami on Nov. 29. ●
Rachel Iozzia ’17, Eilidh Simpson ’15, Taylor Watson ’17, Jasmin Robinson ’14, Katie Fox ’15, Alexandra Ionescu ’16, Leah Fechko ’16, Ozana
Marginean ’14. B A C K R O W ( L - R ) : Assistant Coach Dionne Dodson, Head Coach John Thurston, Assistant Coach Kaitlyn Vican, Kelly Myers ’15, Sarah Benedetti
’15, Jaymee Veney ’15, Casey Cummings ’16, Kiley Grabbe ’14, Colette Hounshell ’15, Jessica Kaufman ’15, Olivia Levey ’17, Trainer Justine Stevenson,
Team Manager Adam Maldonado, Assistant Coach Nettie Respondek.
FRONT ROW (L-R):
S T. FR A NC I S COL L EGE T ERR IER | W IN T ER 2013-2014 | 15