ORONO – Every team experiences a few struggles during the course of a long season. Last winter, the University of Maine women’s basketball team endured more than its share.

The Black Bears, under a new coach and a fresh philosophy, experienced attrition, disciplinary action, and injuries. Those struggles have transformed UMaine’s veterans.

“We have this feeling that nothing can defeat us because we’ve been through it all and we’ve been able to overcome it,” said junior Anna James. “It’s made us a lot more mentally tough, persistent, and hardworking.”

That should prove a solid foundation upon which to build this season’s team.

“Sometimes it was very tough and we wanted to give up, but we finished the season as best we could. We did it for each other,” said sophomore captain Heather Ernest of Temple.

Last season’s personnel limitations forced Versyp to abandon some of her preferred tactics, such as full-court, man-to-man defense, frequent trapping, and a faster-paced offensive approach. Now, five promising freshmen are introduced into a veteran mix, which should allow the Bears to become a more versatile team.

“You’re going to see a lot of getting up and down the floor with a lot of quickness and athleticism,” Versyp said. “You’re going to see more full-court scenarios defensively.”

And the changes shouldn’t take too long to implement. The veterans know what Versyp wants and they’re eager to share that knowledge with the newcomers.

To accommodate the more aggressive defensive style, Versyp plans to take advantage of every healthy body she has on the bench.

“I want to press and I want to make it 40 minutes of heck,” Versyp said.

Full speed ahead

While the results of the America East preseason coaches poll had not been released at press time, UMaine was expected to be picked somewhere around third, behind perennial contender Vermont and up-and-comer Hartford.

The Bears’ goals haven’t changed – they always include winning the league championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament – but neither Versyp nor the players are looking too far ahead. With 2001 champion Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, and Towson gone, the revamped America East features a new mix that includes Stony Brook, Albany, and Binghamton.

The Bears face another challenging non-conference schedule, one that includes a season-opening game against Kent State at Augusta, a road game at top-25 power Georgia and back-to-back tournaments at Rice and Stetson.

“We need to have a very good, solid non-conference showing,” Versyp said. “We’re playing different levels in different conferences, which is really going to help us be able to face any situation when it gets to America East.”

One of the most noticeable differences this season will be the quality of play at point guard. Freshmen Missy Traversi and Kim Corbitt are likely to share the duties, taking advantage of their court awareness, poise, and quickness.

Traversi is a heady floor leader who isn’t afraid to initiate the offense herself. She’s an excellent shooter and has 3-point range.

Corbitt, who is a tenacious defender first and foremost, provides another adept ballhandler. She’s likely to get her points off dribble penetration moves.

“Missy and Kim are both very solid point guards,” Versyp said. “They’re very quick and they can ‘D’ you up. They set the tempo.”

Or Versyp can play both ballhandlers together. Their arrival will allow Versyp to utilize junior co-captain Ellen Geraghty either as a backup point or at the shooting guard or small forward spots.

“Ellen brings experience back,” Versyp said. “She’s a great communicator and leads on the floor.”

Moving forward

One focal point of the UMaine offense is forward Ernest. She often put the team on her shoulders last season and played with the effectiveness of a veteran.

The 6-foot-1 forward, an America East All-Rookie and all-league third-team pick, can take advantage of her quickness to beat opponents inside or can step out and hit the 3-pointer. She led UMaine in scoring and rebounding.

“They’re going to double- and triple-team her,” Versyp said. “We’ve worked a lot on her outside game, shooting the 3-[pointer], taking it to the hole, a lot of one-on-one moves.”

Joining Ernest at the power forward spot is junior Anna James. Her forte is on the defensive end, although she can step up her offensive play when needed.

“She’s our best post defender,” Versyp said. “It’s really hard to get the ball inside when Anna’s guarding anybody.”

Everybody in Versyp’s offensive scheme must be flexible. That includes freshman Monica Peterson, who has the skills to play outside but may be even more effective playing closer to the basket.

Peterson is an aggressive rebounder, but she is quick and skilled enough to handle the ball in traffic and provide another offensive presence.

Sophomore Julie Veilleux of Augusta likely will play some at power forward and some at small forward, where she can take advantage of her shooting skills.

“She can post up small guards. That’s why we like to use her at the three,” Versyp said.

The shooting gallery

With two true point guards in the fold, senior co-captain Tracy Guerrette of St. Agatha has made the move to shooting guard. Her 30 3-pointers led the team last season and she now can draw on the experience of having played the point.

“I’m more comfortable and I’m more confident [playing the two guard],” Guerrette said. “I’m more calm and poised. It’s easy to recognize things.”

She is joined by defensive standout Melissa Heon, who provides tireless defensive intensity and hustle and who has improved her perimeter shooting.

“She’s improved all her areas offensively and, defensively, she’s still going to be a stopper,” Versyp said.

Freshman lefthanded shooter Kelly Manning, whom Versyp calls a pure shooter, provides yet another weapon on the perimeter. Geraghty also will be in the mix.

Sophomore Pam Cruz, who missed all of last season after knee surgery, is working her way back from a second procedure. She should provide more quickness and versatility at guard.

Front and center

UMaine hopes to improve the consistency and quality of its play at center. Senior Eva Moldre returns and gives the Bears a strong defensive and rebounding presence in the middle. She has improved her offensive skills.

“She’s blocking shots right and left because she’s more agile,” Versyp said.

She’ll be pushed by 6-6 freshman Nicole Jay, who is more of a finesse player. Jay should be able to disrupt opponents in the paint, grab some rebounds, and score points in transition because of her agility.

“She is a very good shot-blocker and she’s going to get better,” Versyp said. “She needs to be more physical and she knows that.”

Ernest and James can fill in at center, but Jay and Moldre have superior size and height.

Chemistry 101

One of the most important elements for this UMaine team is chemistry. How well the talented newcomers blend in with the veterans will be critical in determining how far the Bears will go.

“We instantly felt comfortable and I owe that all to the upperclassmen,” Traversi said. “They had a way of bringing us in and making us feel relaxed.”

And while some of the upperclassmen might even lose playing time to the youngsters, they seem to have the proper outlook.

“Our five freshmen have done a great job of meshing with the team,” Geraghty said. “We want to win ballgames. Whoever’s going to be on the floor to get that done, I think each one of us is willing to step aside and sacrifice for a ‘W.'”

Women’s basketball schedule

November

2 ? Galatasaray SK 62, Maine 55 (exhib.)

8 ? National Women?s Basketball League All-Stars (exhib.), 7:30 p.m.

16 ? Kent State, at Augusta Civic Center, 7:30 p.m.

18 ? at Georgia, 2:30 p.m.

23 ? Bradley, 7 p.m.*

24 ? vs. Xavier/Wisconsin-Green Bay, 4:30 p.m./7 p.m.*

30 ? vs. George Washington, 6 p.m.**

December

1 ? vs. Rice/UNC-Greensboro, 5 p.m./7 p.m.**

7 ? vs. Stetson, 7 p.m.***

8 ? vs. Georgia Southern***

11 ? Dartmouth, 7:30 p.m.

15 ? at Fordham, 2 p.m.

22 ? Rhode Island, 1 p.m.

January

3 ? Binghamton, 7:30 p.m.

6 ? at Stony Brook, 1 p.m.

10 ? Vermont, 7:30 p.m.

12 ? Albany, noon

17 ? at Hartford, 7 p.m.

19 ? at Binghamton, 1 p.m.

27 ? New Hampshire, 1 p.m.

February

3 ? Binghamton, 7:30 p.m.

5 ? at Boston University, 7 p.m.

9 ? Stony Brook, 1 p.m.

11 ? Northeastern, 7:30 p.m.

14 ? at Albany, 7 p.m.

16 ? at Vermont, 1 p.m.

19 ? at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

24 ? Boston University, 1 p.m.

March

2 ? Hartford, 1 p.m.

6-9 ? America East Tournament (at Hartford, Conn.)

*-Dead River Co. Classic, at Orono

**-Rice Tournament, at Houston

***-Stetson Tournament, at Deland, Fla.