As the start to a new season for the Dartmouth women's basketball team approaches, expectations are high as ever for the Big Green. This year, the team is the preseason media pick to win the Ivy League.
Last year, the Big Green dominated Ivy play, winning the title outright with a 13-1 conference record. The team went 18-11 overall and won a trip to the NCAA tournament, where it lost its first-round game against the top-seeded University of Maryland.
Forward Brittney Smith '11 led the way for the Big Green last season, averaging 15.1 points and 8.4 rebounds a game and was named Ivy League Player of the Year. Senior co-captains Koren Schram '09 and Darcy Rose '09 were also vital to the team, and were named to the All-Ivy first and second teams, respectively.
A title this year would be the third in a row for the Big Green. This year, however, the Big Green has its focus set even further than another Ivy League championship, senior captain Betsy Williams '10 said.
"Our goal, as always, is to win the Ivy League title," she said. "We want to make it back to the NCAA tournament and win a game. We're also working hard on setting each other up and creating consistent ball pressure on defense."
During head coach Chris Wielgus' 25-year tenure as women's basketball head coach, Dartmouth has won 12 Ivy League titles and has been to the NCAA tournament seven times.
While the Big Green, as a perennial league favorite, is often a team to beat for Ivy opponents, Williams said that being the preseason favorite will not put added pressure on the team.
"Because this program is so strong, there is always a target on our backs," she said. "We don't see it as pressure, but instead as motivation to work harder than all the other teams."
Dartmouth's main rivals this year will be Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. Last year, Harvard was the preseason pick to win the Ivy League and finished second, posting an 11-2 league record. This year, the Crimson is picked to finish second, with the Tigers and the Lions expected to finish third and fourth, respectively.
With the departure of Schram and Rose, the team will have to rely more on its bench. Last year, the team was praised for its balanced offense, and this season, the Big Green hopes to achieve similar success with key role players and freshmen, Williams said.
"Last year, we had a deep roster, and I think we do again this year," she said. "Our bench is integral to our success. Also, the freshmen have been all playing well in practice and I think they will definitely help this team a lot."
Dartmouth will look for leadership from Williams and guard Michelle Meyer '10, who missed all of last season due to an injury. Williams and forward Cassie Cooper '11, who played backup roles to Schram and Rose last year, will now also be expected to play bigger parts.
"[Schram and Rose] were big parts of the team last year." Williams said. "[Schram] was a great shooter with a lot of heart, and [Rose] was a great leader. They were important, and will obviously be missed, but every year is different and hopefully we will have more players stepping up as offensive threats this season."
Guard Megan McPhee '11, who started in the backcourt with Schram last year, and senior co-captain Margaret Smith '10 will also start for the Big Green. The team's success may rest on the play of Smith, who last season posted big numbers and provided leadership on the court.
"[Smith] is a tremendous athlete and basketball player," Williams said. "She is such a threat underneath and always draws a crowd, which in turn opens things up for other players on offense. She is also a terrific defender."
With a starting lineup made up entirely of upperclassmen, and a bench deep with experience, the Big Green looks primed to fulfill its preseason expectations.
"Practices have been going well," Williams said. "We are catching a rhythm and getting into better shape. It's just a matter of putting all the pieces together and using what we learned in the drills in the context of a game setting."
The Big Green kicks off its season in two weeks with a home game against Bryant University.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Leede Arena.
