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2009-10 Outlook
Righting the Ship
Stability and consistency are two very important ingredients in developing a winning program in any sport. The women’s basketball program has been in a state of uncertainty for two years and as the new campaign begins, the Golden Tornadoes have turned to a familiar face to try and right the ship. Following the official retirement of legendary coach Ron Galbreath this past summer, Geneva College named former star and assistant coach Renee Drake the interim head coach for the upcoming season. Drake spent four years in the program and quietly put together one of the finest careers in school history. Following her playing days, she sat next to Galbreath for three years as his number one assistant.
Drake takes over a program that will look to improve upon a difficult 9-15 season a year ago. The Golden Tornadoes suffered through an injury riddled season that ended in the team dropping nine of its last ten games. Drake’s main objective is to regain a sense of confidence throughout the program from top to bottom. “We have some very talented student-athletes in this program” says Drake. “Our job as coaches is to put them in situations where they can succeed.”
When Drake looks at the roster she has been dealt, she finds four starters returning to the fold for the upcoming year. The one significant loss from a year ago is Michawn Rich who led the Golden Tornadoes in scoring and rebounding last year.
However, the Golden Tornadoes are also expecting the return of Renee Rawding to the line-up after she was forced to miss the majority of the season with a foot injury. Rawding, who was Geneva’s second leading scorer in 2006 and 2007, would give the Golden Tornadoes a huge lift on the offensive side of the floor. “Renee has missed a lot of time,” says Drake. “But we hope she can step in and contribute with her scoring ability and experience.”
Other key returning players include Rachel Barry (10.3 pts/gm), Christine Carugati (9.0 pts/gm), Beth DeLuca (8.4 pts/gm) and Val Hamilton (7.7 pts/gm). “I am excited that we do have so many players with college experience,” says Drake. “You can’t coach experience and as a new head coach it is a good feeling to have players that are comfortable with our style of play.” In addition to Rawding, the only other senior on the roster is Liz DePietro who played a key role for the Golden Tornadoes a year ago.
The Golden Tornadoes will also welcome five newcomers to the fold in 2009. Freshmen Chelsea D’Urso, Faith Lambert, Ishea Jennings, Jasman Papa and Leah Prisuta will all be getting their first taste of collegiate basketball.
“We have many of the key ingredients for success,” says Drake. “It will all depend how we mix it up and how long it will take for this team to grow together.” If the success that Drake enjoyed is any indication, it won't take long to right that ship.