SEATTLE – After winning the 2018 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship and making the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Seattle University women’s basketball will look to make history and repeat with a new cast in many roles.
Coach Suzy Barcomb begins her third season at SU having guided the Redhawks to their first-ever WAC Championship. Last season, seniors Alexis Montgomery, Jacinta Beckley, and Ashlyn Lewey each played key roles. Barcomb will have to replace the trio’s production with an inexperienced group of returners.
“We just don’t have that much experience right now,” said Barcomb. “We’re trying instill the intensity that is necessary to win games. Our defense is going to have to be in shutdown mode early in the season.”
Headlining the veterans is junior Kamira Sanders. She won the 2018 WAC Tournament MVP after averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over three games in Las Vegas. Sanders scored a game-high 20 points in the Redhawks’ 57-54 win over CSU Bakersfield in the title game. The Redding, Calif., native, like many of her teammates, will have an expanded role this season.
“Kamira is the go-to this year,” said Barcomb. “If she can continue to hit threes, that will help her exponentially. People are going to put their best defenders on her now.”
Madeline Dopplick is the lone senior on this year’s roster. The native of Long Beach, Calif., paced SU with 53 made three-pointers last season. Dopplick will be asked to create more opportunities offensively in her final collegiate campaign.
“Maddie is in really condition,” said Barcomb. “She’s a fabulous leader and she’s worked hard to get better. What she’s done in the offseason will help prepare her for an expanded role.”
Joana Alves will step into the vacated post spot in 2018-19. The junior from Lisbon, Portugal, played in 21 games last season, scoring a career-high 12 points against Kansas City on Feb. 8. Alves is expected to produce in more minutes this year.
“Jo got herself into really good condition this offseason,” said Barcomb. “She has to stay out of foul trouble and finish inside.”
Juniors Genessa Bedoya and Carla Bieg, along with sophomores Delaney McCann and Leilia Orji, will each see more court time in the new season. Redshirt freshmen Leilani Peat and Makenna Schoenhofer will bring depth as well.
Barcomb has brought on three newcomers for 2018-19, as transfer Olivia Crawford and freshmen Courtney Murphy and Sarah Rahon will all play roles for the Redhawks. Crawford, a junior who played at the University of Hawai’i, is expected to eventually move into the starting lineup and provide energy on both ends of the floor.
Murphy will miss the start of the season with a foot injury. She will look to contribute with a versatile offensive skillset upon her return. Rahon is a skilled shooter who should develop with more experience.
Transfers Chinwe Ezeonu and Hailey Vice-Neat, along with freshman Georgia Kehoe, will sit out the 2018-19 campaign. The trio has already brought increased intensity to SU’s practices and will be key contributors starting in 2019-20.
“I think the future is really bright for us with that group,” said Barcomb.
Seattle U will face a tough schedule that features three Pac-12 opponents. After opening with a pair of homes games at the Redhawk Center, SU hits the road for three weeks, including a trip to Hawai’i for two games and a visit to Utah. On Nov. 30, the Redhawks welcome Washington.
“We play some tough opponents in non-conference,” said Barcomb. “We want to get to the WAC healthy and ready to go.”
SU opens WAC play with a rematch of the 2018 WAC final, as CSUB comes to the Redhawk Center on Jan. 3. On Feb. 16, four-time defending WAC regular-season champion New Mexico State comes to Seattle for a showdown at the Redhawk Center.