Welcome to the #A10WBBTipoff for the 2020-21 Season. This afternoon, we feature the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. To revisit all of the season previews throughout the week, click here.

St. Bonaventure 

Website | Roster

Social Central

@GoBonnies | @BonniesWBB | @SBUCoachJesse

Scout the roster and you will notice that St. Bonaventure size and length are substantial with the addition of three transfers.

“I don’t care how big they are,” said Coach Jesse Fleming. “I care how big they play.”

In his fifth season at his alma mater, Fleming recruited with defense in mind, seeking players who can change a shot’s direction and consistently contest for rebounds. The Bonnies ranked last in the league on the boards last season. Three bigs will look to change that stat. They’ll join four returning starters, seniors Emily Calabrese and Jurnee President and junior guards Asianae Johnson and Deja Francis. 

At 6-foot, Calabrese often drew the toughest defensive assignment last season. Expect newcomers Star Fitzgerald-Greer and I’yanna Lops, both 6-3, to ease that load. Greer, a graduate student from Howard, can gobble any board within 5 feet, Fleming said, though it will take some time for her to transition those to putbacks.

“She’d rather pick and pop then bang,” Fleming said.

Lops won’t be eligible until the second semester after coming in from Cal-State Bakersfield. Look for another 6-3 forward, Carrie Jornlin, to shore up the defense. Fleming considers the sophomore guard the most improved player on the squad after a redshirt year to recover from a stress fracture and shin splints.

Another transfer, Tori Harris from James Madison, should contribute right away, too. “She should be one of our leading scorers. She was last year in practice,” Fleming said. “She’s a great shooter.” (Fun fact: She’s the sister of Philadelphia 76ers wing Tobias Harris.)

Unlike many programs across the nation, St. Bonaventure is actually ahead of schedule, as players returned to campus at the end of July. Located in southwestern New York in Olean with an undergraduate population of fewer than 2,000, St. Bonaventure has largely been able to avoid many of the problems larger universities face due to COVID -19.

“We’re actually a little bit ahead of schedule,” Fleming said. “We’re in a little bubble up here. Our kids have been great about it.”

A look at the Bonnies:

Coach: Jesse Fleming, 32-87 in four seasons at St. Bonaventure

Last season: 7-23, 4-12 Atlantic 10. (Lost 72-54 at UMass in first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship.)

They’ll miss: Dajah Logan, 5-11 guard (8.6 ppg, started 26 of 28 games, tied for team high with 42 threes)

Impact returners: Asianae Johnson, 5-8 junior G (team-high 12.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Deja Francis 5-7 junior G (9.4 ppg, team-high 74 assists); Emily Calabrese 6-0 senior F (7.6 ppg, team-high 6.1 rpg); Jurnee President, 5-10 senior G (7.1 ppg); Olivia Brown, 5-8 sophomore G (7.1 ppg, 9 starts as a freshman)

Newbies of note: Star Fitzgerald-Greer, 6-3 graduate student F (transfer from Howard); Tori Harris, 6-0 redshirt junior G (transfer from JMU); I’yanna Lops, 6-3 sophomore F (transfer from Cal-State Bakersfield; played just one semester)

Reason for optimism: Size and athleticism have been missing components at SBU in recent years. If the transfers can deliver, the Bonnies can finally match up better physically with the top-tier Atlantic 10 teams.