CMS Women's Basketball Opens 2018-19 Season This Weekend at George Fox Tournament
CLAREMONT, Calif. - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball won its fifth-consecutive regular season Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship a season ago. The 2017-18 season also marked the fifth straight year in which the Athenas broke the 20-win barrier – the standard for wins in college basketball.
But even more so, last year's 23 wins is the second-most in program history and the 85.2 percent winning percentage is the third highest. The 2017-18 team won 14 home games, the most in any one season for CMS. While accumulating those 14 home wins, the Athenas set a school record amassing 19-straight wins at home over the past two seasons. The team had win streaks of nine and 11-straight games during last season's campaign.
The Athenas enter the 2018-19 season the winningest team among all conference schools since women's basketball began in the SCIAC in 1977.
CMS Women's Basketball had the departure of two seniors from the 2017-18 squad that accomplished so much during the SCIAC regular season championship run. Kailee Severt accumulated some of the highest numbers in three-point shooting statistics in CMS history. Michelle Lanterman was the team's first 4-year letter winner from Harvey Mudd College in eight years.
Experienced leader Corinne Bogle returns for her third year as a contributing member of the Athenas Basketball team. She earned her first starting position after being the team's first person off the bench for the previous two years and returns as a fifth-year senior to lead the Athenas into the new season. Bogle was a huge piece of the Athenas 23-4 overall record. As the third leading scorer behind Kailee Severt and returning guard Maya Love, Bogle averaged 9.5 points per game and finished second on the team with 48 assists to earn SCIAC Second Team honors.
Bogle started in all 26 games she appeared last season in and spoke about the state of Athenas basketball. "Last year we didn't leave off where we wanted to. Obviously, we have a standard to make it to the NCAA Tournament, but I think we are learning from it and carrying it into this season so far. We are looking forward to getting our experience back on the court and continue to build on what we were able to accomplish last season and win SCIAC and get to the Tournament."
The Second-team All SCIAC selection described her and Love's mindset. "Both Maya and I are just trying to come into the season with a new mindset of how we can be better for the team. We are trying to expand beyond scoring and teach our fellow teammates the drive to get where we want to be."
Bogle continued. "The biggest key to continuing our program's success will be remembering that we have players with a lot of experience that knows the drive and what it takes to get to the NCAA Tournament."
Maya Love is the second returning starter that secured SCIAC All-Conference honors a season ago. Love received a First Team nod after making her mark as one of those most athletic players in the SCIAC.
With that in mind, we preview the roster for the 2018-19 Athenas Basketball team, as they open the season on Friday, November 16 against Willamette at George Fox University.
Joining Bogle to give the Athenas three members of the Senior class are:
Teeana Cotangco (CMC, Guard), who rotated between starting and being the first person off of the bench at the point guard position. She is expected to both defend against the opponent's ball handler and she showed off her 3-point prowess with several key baskets during last season.
Ellery Koelker-Wolfe (CMC, Forward) started about half of the 2017-18 season and was the sixth woman when she was not starting. She was effective scoring on the drive or pulling up for the 3-pointer.
Head Coach Kristen Dowling enters her seventh year as head women's basketball coach and spoke about the returning roster. "We have 12 returners back that are led by three seniors. Corinne (Bogle) is a fifth-year so she knows the program very well. They are three great players who have worked hard to lead the group into the spring. All three of them carry the mindset and the work ethic we want to lead this team."
Coach Dowling explained the team mindset and team focus. "We're focused on defense and rebounding. Our best offense is our defense. CMS has great young women that work hard and they play hard, we are very grateful for each and every one of them."
The largest class on the 2018-19 squad is the Junior class with five returners making up a litany of experienced shooters.
Gloria Bates (CMC, Guard) appeared in 26 games in 2017-18 and shot 45.6 percent from the field. Bates made 41 field goals including one three-pointer. She shot 71.8 (28-for-39) from the free throw line and averaged 4.3 points per game, while grabbing 65 rebounds (2.5 per game). The 5'10 Guard is an Anaheim, CA native.
Lindsey Cleary (CMC, Forward/Center) is the only Athena to appear in all 27 games last season, making 18 starts. Cleary shot 38.0 percent from the field and averaged 4.5 points per game during her second season at CMS.
Lia Gagliuso (CMC, Center) backed up at the post position and showed her strength inside both offensively and defensively. Gagliuso appeared in 22 games, making one start. She shot 39.5 percent from the field, 5-for-9 from the free-throw line and grabbed 37 rebounds.
Lauren Longo (SCR, Guard) played mostly off of the bench last season, appearing in 20 games and shooting 21.4 percent from the field. Longo averaged 8.8 minutes per game. The Issaquah, WA native is majoring in Biology at Scripps College.
Love (CMC, Guard) moved to a starting position at the forward spot in her second year with the team last season. Love led the team in rebounding at 11 per game, the most by an Athena since Julia Hodgkins (Scripps '88) in 1988. The 5'10 Denver, CO native started in all 25 games she appeared in and shot 41.4 percent from the field. She led CMS in assists with 63 and was the only player in the SCIAC to average a double-double, with 14 double-doubles during the season. Scored a season-high 26 points and grabbed a season-high 26 rebounds at Occidental on Jan. 8.
Coach Dowling spoke about the most dangerous aspect of Maya Love's game. "Maya is all about rebounding, that's just what she does. She brings an intense effort and people have a hard time keeping her off of the boards. We expect great contributions from her and she also opens up opportunities for other people because teams tend to double-team her."
The depth of the Sophomore class boasts four second-year student athletes contributing to the Athenas in 2018-19.
Kelly Keene (CMC, Guard) is a three-point shooter and a quick defender that came off of the bench a season ago. Keene appeared in 10 games for CMS, made two field goals, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out two assists in her first season with the Athenas.
Maezelle Millan (CMC, Guard) earned her way into the starting line-up half way through the year in 2017-18 and provided stability to the CMS defense and running the offense during conference play. Millan appeared in 26 games, making 16 starts, and shooting 31.3 percent from the field. She averaged 3.1 points per game and dished out 52 assists.
Katelynn Nguyen (SCR, Guard) is one of four point guards who joined the Athenas last season. She has the ability to drive the basketball or shoot the three. Appeared in 23 games, making four starts and shooting 24.4 percent from the field.
Kate Parrish (CMC, Forward) rounds out the sophomore class after appearing in 24 games as a Freshman for CMS last season. Parrish shot a SCIAC best 56.9 percent from the field, and she shot 71.3 percent from the free-throw line. The Seattle, WA native led CMS with 41 blocks, eight steals, and posted four double-doubles. Parrish scored a career-high 20 points at La Verne (Jan. 3) and against Whittier (Feb. 14) and recorded a career-high 14 rebounds at La Verne (Jan. 3).
The Athenas welcome five Freshman to the 2018-19 roster including Flora Durgerian (F, CMC) from Brighton, England, Jane Baldwin (F, CMC) from New York, NY, Elizabeth Howell-Egan (G, SCR) from Braintree, MA, Kellie Okamura (G, SCR) out of Honolulu, HI, and Jocelyn Song (G, CMC) from Monterey Park, CA.
Coach Dowling on what she expects from the Freshman class this season. "We have five first-year students, this is a growth year for them, in terms of getting comfortable and I have seen them grow tremendously in just a short period of time."
The 2018-19 CMS Women's Basketball team opens its season on Friday, Nov. 16 vs. Willamette at George Fox University and then faces George Fox on Saturday, Nov. 17 before heading to Pacific (Ore.) on Sunday, November 18.
The Athenas return home on Friday, Nov. 23 to face Dallas at the Rains Center on the campus of Pomona-Pitzer in the opening game of the Wells Classic. They then host the College of New Jersey on Saturday, Nov. 24 at Roberts Pavilion.
CMS Women's basketball opens SCIAC play at Roberts Pavilion on Saturday, Dec. 1 against Chapman, which will be followed by a trip to Pomona-Pitzer to face the Sixth Street Rival Sagehens on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
The full 2018-19 schedule for Athenas Basketball can be found here.