Utica, NY (11/12/13) – The wait is finally over for the Utica College women's basketball team as it opens the 2013-14 campaign against SUNY Potsdam Saturday afternoon at the Clark Athletic Center.  Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

LAST SEASON: UC finished last season with a record of 12-13 and a 7-7 mark in the Empire 8 Conference… The Pioneers were a little better at home as they finished 7-6 at the Clark Athletic Center compared to 5-7 on the road… The longest winning streak for UC was two games… The Pioneers will have to replace the production of All-Conference forward Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping), who led the team in points last season. 

MICELI THE TOP RETURNER: Guard Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) scored more points than any other returning Pioneer… With a season under her belt, she will be expected to lead the team this season… She averaged 10.8 points per game and was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Week twice last season.

FORCE INSIDE: Forward Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) will be leaned on heavily for UC … She led the Pioneers with 8.8 rebounds per game last season and even pulled down a season-high 22 in a loss to Oneonta on Nov. 26… She also averaged 7.0 points per game.

OTHER KEY RETURNERS: Junior Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) returns as the team's top free-throw shooter after shooting 76% from the line a season ago… Guard Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) is back after leading the Pioneers in three-point percentage last season (42%)… Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) averaged 14.5 minutes per game last season for UC… Expect that number to rise with 2013 graduate Alyssa Filkins (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) no longer in the picture.

MEET THE FRESHMEN: Utica welcomes three freshmen to the squad this season… Monica Makuch (Brownville, NY/General Brown) is a forward from Brownville, NY… Calypso Carty (Pipersville, PA/Central Bucks West) is a guard from Pipersville, PA… Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) is a forward from Schenectady, NY.

COACH DAVIS: Michele Davis is returning to Utica for her 14th season as head coach of the women's basketball team… Coach Davis is the program's all-time leader with 195 career victories... She has made eight conference tournament appearances while averaging 15 wins per season over her 13 year career… Throughout her tenure at UC; she has led Utica to two NCAA Tournament appearances, two conference championships, and four ECAC Tournament appearances.

SCOUTING POTSDAM: The Potsdam Bears women's basketball team went 1-24 last season … The Bears' lone win came against SUNY Morrisville… Potsdam averaged 48.6 points per game while allowing 66.4… Jessica Kouzan is Potsdam's top returner… Kouzan played 29.1 minutes per game last season while averaging 9.2 points per game.

AGAINST POTSDAM: The Utica College women's basketball team has opened its last four seasons against SUNY Potsdam… The Pioneers have won each time… UC won 58-35 last year in a low-scoring affair… The Pioneers scored 25 points off of 24 turnovers in the victory… Miceli had 12 points and seven rebounds in her first career game, while Greenwald added seven points and five rebounds in the victory.


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