Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart attempts to rebound from a first round NEC Tournament loss that will serve as motivation for all five of its returning starters. Ed Swanson, the reigning NEC Coach of the Year, has assembled a talented and experienced group that can make him the all-time NEC wins leader by notching five more conference victories. The Pioneers are looking to reach the 18-win mark for the eighth consecutive season, a span that already includes three campaigns of 20-plus victories and an NEC title in 2006. Preseason all-NEC selections Kaitlin Sowinski (17.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Stephanie Ryan (11.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg) will have a lot to say about whether or not Sacred Heart can dethrone Robert Morris and return to the league supremacy it last owned in 2006. The only program with multiple selections on the league's five-member preseason team, SHU brings back 10 letter winners from squad that ranked amongst the conference's top-three in a number of major statistical categories - third in scoring offense (62.8 ppg), second in scoring defense (57.5 ppg), third in shooting (.420), second in field-goal percentage defense (.388), second in assists (14.30 apg), and second in blocked shots (4.60 bpg).
Sowinski was a major contributor to the team's shot blocking and shooting prowess. The NEC's top shot swatter (3.37 bpg) ranked second in field-goal percentage (.540). Ryan ranked sixth in shooting (.485) on her way to matching Sowinski's nine double-doubles. Playing a team-high 35.3 minutes per game (seventh in NEC), Ryan contributed on both ends of the floor, inside and out. Her 50 steals and 248 boards were both team highs. With the two playmaking forwards drawing much attention from opposing defenses it is easy to overlook reigning NEC Rookie of the Year Alisa Apo (12.3 ppg, .433 3FG%). Sophomore Maggie Cosgrove will likely improve on the 48 three-pointers she sunk as a rookie when she was the league's sixth-most accurate shooter (.387) from downtown.
Sacred Heart by the Numbers
Quick Facts
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
Letterwinners R/L: 10/1
2007-08 Record: 19-11
NEC Record/Place: 14-4/3rd
NEC Tournament: Lost in QF to No. 6 Monmouth
Overall Record (Past Four Years)
Last Year: 19-11
Last Two Years: 41-21
Last Three Years: 67-26
Last Four Years: 85-37
NEC Record (Past Four Years)
Last Year: 14-4
Last Two Years: 29-7
Last Three Years: 45-9
Last Four Years: 59-13
RPI Nat'l Rank/Conf. Standing
2007-08: 171/4th
2006-07: 119/2nd
Leading Returning Scorers
Kaitlin Sowinski: 17.2 ppg
Alisa Apo: 12.3 ppg
Stephanie Ryan: 11.9 ppg
Leading Returning Rebounders
Stephanie Ryan: 8.3 rpg
Kaitlin Sowinski: 7.4 rpg
Alisa Apo: 3.2 rpg