Welcome to the #A10WBBTipoff for the 2020-21 Season. This afternoon, we feature the Fordham Rams. To revisit all of the season previews throughout the week, click here.
Fordham
Website | Roster
Social Central
@FordhamRams | @FordhamWBB | @CoachGaitley
Reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Bre Cavanaugh elected not to return to Fordham for her senior season. But Coach Stephanie Gaitley isn't rattled — a testament to a remarkable pedigree that led her peers at the Bronx university to recognize her this past season with another 2020 Iron Major Award. The-four-time recipient of the internal honor led a team with no seniors to the semifinals of last year's Atlantic 10 Championship behind a 21-win season capped by Cavanaugh becoming the first from the school to win conference Player of the Year honors.
This Fordham team will rely heavily on returners Anna DeWolfe and Kendell Heremaia. An All-Atlantic 10 rookie, DeWolfe finished second to Cavanaugh in scoring and has player-of-the-year potential, Gaitley said. She nearly triple-doubled against Notre Dame in her college debut, never missed a start, averaging a robust 36 minutes a night and producing 23 double-digit point games.
"Both have the potential to be player of the year," Gaitley said, referring to DeWolfe and Heremaia.
Gaitley likes the mindset DeWolfe returned with, which includes more vocal energy and a willingness to take the big shot.
"It's fortunate that in Anna and Kendell, we have two kids ready to take the next step," Gaitley said. "Those kids will take on more of a scoring role, and they're ready to do it."
Leading rebounder and assist leader Heremaia also started every game. "Kendell is one of the purest shooters I've ever coached," Gaitley said. "She can beat you off the dribble, too. She's improved her confidence going inside."
"We'll have to replace Bre's statistics by committee, but I think we do have the pieces," Gaitley said.
That committee also includes 6-1 New Yorker Kaitlyn Downey, Fordham's blocks leader who also averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 boards in a sophomore season that saw her start 31 games. In addition, three freshmen should earn playing time, including 6-3 Maranda Nyborg.
"She rebounds the ball well, she can pass, she can put the ball on the floor," Gaitley said. "She's extremely coachable. She's just a sponge."
Coaching a team in New York City, once a COVID hotspot, challenged Gaitley, who can't compare this offseason to any other. But she commends her staff for keeping the Rams upbeat, an enthusiasm that she's hopeful will carry over to the season.
A look at the Rams:
Coach: Stephanie Gaitley, 654-376 in 34 seasons overall, 190-106 in nine seasons at Fordham
Last year: Last year, 21-11, 11-5 Atlantic 10 (Lost 60-55 to VCU in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Championship)
They'll miss: Cavanaugh (19.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, Fordham's first Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, WBCA All-America honorable mention)
Impact returners: Anna DeWolfe, 5-8 sophomore G (12.6 ppg); Kendell Heremaia, 5-9 senior G (11.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg); Kaitlyn Downey, 6-1 junior F (9.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, team-high 23 blocks); Sarah Karpell, 5-7 sophomore G (started 30 of 32 games)
Newbies of note: Maranda Nyborg, 6-3 freshman F; Riley DeRubbo, 5-8 freshman G and daughter of college coach Jina DeRubbo (in her 17th season at Division III Washington & Jefferson)
Reason for optimism: While Cavanaugh is gone, everyone else is back. So much experience figures to be particularly invaluable this season as, given the fractured offseason due to the pandemic, this is probably the worst year to break in a new coach, system or players.