Season Preview with Head Coach Stephanie Del Preore
BROOKLYN, N.Y.-- The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team opens up the 2018-19 season on Tuesday, November 6, taking on Manhattan at Draddy Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN3.
QUICK HITS
- The Blackbirds return seven letterwinners from last year's team that went 13-18 overall and reached the Northeast Conference semifinal for the first time since 2010.
- Sophomore Jeydah Johnson is the leading returning scorer for LIU after averaging 12.0 points per game and a team-high .364% from downtown last season. Sophomore guard Tia Montagne and junior Seneca Richards are the other two top returnees in minutes played last season. Montagne was LIU's main distributor over the final eight games of the season with 2.2 assists per game while Richards shot .331 from downtown last season. Senior Destoni Willock, junior Autumn Ashe and sophomores Daisha Davis and Ella Vaatanen return to the LIU rotation.
- Fourth-year head coach Stephanie Del Preore welcomes six freshmen to the fold with five guards (Camille Gray, Tiya Misir, Shyla Sanford, Brandy Thomas and Ryan Weise) adding depth and versatility to the LIU backcourt. Forward Kiara Bell will look to make an immediate impact in the Blackbirds front-court. LIU features one of the youngest rosters in the NEC this season with 11 underclassmen.
- Manhattan was pegged to finish sixth in the MAAC preseason coaches' poll. The Jaspers reached the MAAC quarterfinals a season ago, finished with a 13-18 record overall and 9-9 mark in league play. They are under the direction of third-year head coach Heather Vulin. Sophomore Gabby Cajou is Manhattan's top returning player. She garnered the MAAC Sixth Player of the Year award last year and was selected as Preseason All-MAAC Second Team Honoree to start this season.
- It is the seventh meeting all-time between the Jaspers and the Blackbirds. Manhattan earned the 72-38 win last season at the Steinberg Center. LIU owns the all-time series with a 4-2 record overall.
UP NEXT
LIU concludes the opening week with its home opener at the Steinberg Wellness Center. The Blackbirds will host Army West Point for a 5:00 p.m. tip-off as part of a doubleheader with the men's team.