Nov. 9, 2006
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova was hit hard by graduation following last year's 21-11 record. The Wildcats lost four starters and five letterwinners from last season's squad due to graduation. Head coach Harry Perretta must find a way to replace 66.6 percent of the scoring from a year ago (1,340 of 2,009 points scored by graduation seniors) and 73.6 percent of the made three-point field goals (187 of 254 made three-pointers by graduating seniors).
"It is going to be an interesting year. I don't remember having a team as young as this group is," said Perretta. "Of our first nine players, seven will be freshmen and sophomores. One thing they have going for them is that they are a very hard-working group. Hopefully, we can learn and mature as the year moves along."
FORWARDS:
The leader of the 2006-07 Villanova team is expected to be senior forward Jackie Adamshick (6-0, Allentown, Pa.) who will be starting for the third consecutive season. Adamshick has the ability to score in the lane, in addition to shooting range that extends to the three-point line. Last season, Adamshick finished second on the team in scoring with a 10.7 points per game average and she led the team in rebounding with a 6.3 rebounds per contest average. As a sophomore in 2004-05, she averaged a team-best 13.2 points per game and a team-high 5.8 rebounds per contest en route to earning second team All-Conference accolades.
Joining Adamshick at forward will be junior Stacie Witman (6-0, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.). After seeing time as a reserve the last two years, Witman looks poised to be a consistent contributor this season. Witman is a good athlete who can score by posting up and shooting the three-ball. In 32 contests a year ago, Witman averaged 4.0 points per game and 2.3 rebounds per contest.
Two other Wildcats who look to be in the mix at the forwards spots are sophomore Briana Weiss (6-0, Piedmont, Calif.) and freshman Amanda Swiezynski (6-0, Exeter, N.H.). Weiss is a fundamentally sound player who has a good feel for the game. She should use the experience she gained last year to earn valuable minutes this season. Swiezynski, who possesses a good mid-range jump shot, is a versatile performer who can play a number of positions.
"The forward position is the one spot where we have some experience," said Perretta. "Jackie is a three-year starter who has played a lot of valuable minutes during her career. We will be relying heavily on her for leadership. Stacie looks like she is ready to become a mainstay in the line-up."
CENTER:
Sophomore Lisa Karcic (6-1, New Hyde Park, N.Y.) will occupy the center position. The multi-talented Karcic will be a key to the Wildcats success this season. Karcic is a player who can cause mismatch problems for opponents due to her versatility. An outstanding passer, Karcic can score inside and outside. In 12.7 minutes per game last year, she averaged 4.3 points per contest and 2.9 rebounds per game. For the Wildcats to be successful this year, Karcic will need to develop into a primetime performer. Karcic will also see time at the forward position.
"Lisa is an important player for us. Her versatility allows us to use her in a number of ways," said Perretta. "After gaining experience last year as a freshman, I am hoping Lisa is ready to raise her game to another level this season."
Two other players expected to be in the mix at center are freshmen Heather Scanlon (6-3, Drexel Hill, Pa.) and Shannon Elliott (6-2, Wilmington, Del.). Scanlon is an incoming freshman with a wealth of potential. She will provide Villanova with much-needed size in the middle. Elliott is a hard worker with a bright future.
GUARDS:
There will be a youth movement in the Villanova backcourt in 2006-07. The four players expected to see playing time at guard include sophomore Siobhan O'Connor (5-6, West Chester, Pa.) and redshirt freshmen Kyle Dougherty (5-10, Sayre, Pa.), Maria Getty (5-9, Centerville, Ohio) and Tia Grant (5-11, Lido Beach, N.Y.). O'Connor is hard-nosed competitor who plays the game with great passion. A tough-minded defender, O'Connor will see all of her playing time at point guard.
Dougherty, Getty and Grant will all be seeing their first college game experience this year after redshirting last season. Dougherty is a skilled offensive player with good ball handling skills. She will see minutes at both guard spots. Getty is a fundamentally sound player with a winning attitude. A highly-touted high school performer, Getty was a two-time All-State honoree in Ohio and as a senior in 2005 she was named Miss Ohio Basketball by the Associated Press. Getty will play both guard positions. Grant is an athletic performer with outstanding shooting range. A good defender, Grant will play the two-guard spot for the Wildcats. Grant may also see playing time at the small forward position.
"We have a very young group of guards," said Perretta. "They are a very unselfish group who all have a willingness to learn. The thing they need more than anything is game experience. My goal for them is to improve their play from game to game."
SCHEDULE:
Villanova will play a 29-game slate that includes 16 Big East Conference games, four Philadelphia Big Five contests and nine non conference clashes. The season gets underway at Delaware on Nov. 12. Two days later, the Wildcats host LaSalle in the home opener. The rest of November includes away contests at Fairfield (Nov. 17), the Florida International Tournament (Nov. 24-25) and George Washington (Nov. 29) and a home games versus Marist (Nov. 19). Joining Villanova and Florida International in the Thanksgiving Tournament are Tulane and North Florida.
December begins with the first Philadelphia Big Five battle of the year when the Wildcats travel to the Palestra to face Penn on Dec. 3. Following Penn, Villanova begins Big East play when South Florida comes to town on Dec. 7. The `Cats play at Binghamton on Dec. 10 and host Temple on Dec. 22. The 2006 portion of the schedule ends with home dates against Loyola (Md) on Dec. 28 and Manhattan on Dec. 30.
After playing at Saint Joseph's on Jan. 3 in the final non conference game of the year, Villanova will play 15 consecutive Big East games. In conference action, the Wildcats will host South Florida, DePaul, St. John's, Louisville, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Providence and the team will play at Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Cincinnati and Connecticut. Villanova will play a home and home with West Virginia.
