Early tournament exits spur on UM’s Veilleux Junior forward determined to help Black Bears

ORONO – Julie Veilleux was disgusted last March when the University of Maine women’s basketball team was knocked out of the America East tournament in the quarterfinals for the second straight season.

The junior swing player from Augusta doesn’t want that to happen again.

Veilleux demonstrated Sunday that she’s primed for the 2002-03 season, scoring a team-high 15 points in the annual Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage at Alfond Arena.

Veilleux hit six of 10 shots from the field and grabbed four rebounds. She appeared the most comfortable of any player on the court.

“She really is our preseason MVP,” said UMaine coach Sharon Versyp. “I was really pleased with her performance today.”

Veilleux walked off the court in March determined to make a difference.

“There’s so much you put into it and to come up short the same way two years in a row I just knew that I have to do more for my team,” she said. “I dedicated the summer to working on my game individually so that hopefully I can step it up for the team and complete my role for the team.”

Veilleux started 24 of 28 games last season, averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. However, she shot only 35 percent from the floor.

“She took time off this summer getting into shape, working on her shot,” Versyp said. “She’s playing exactly how I need her to play and she’s got to stay consistent now.”

The scrimmage provided fans with a peek at a UMaine squad that has grown in numbers and size. The Bears suited up 13 players, with only junior guard Pam Cruz (knee surgery) unable to participate.

UMaine has beefed up in the post as solid 6-foot-3 forwards Abby Schrader and Andrea Gay complemented junior Heather Ernest of Temple and sophomore center Nicole Jay.

The 6-6 Jay appears to have elevated her game and her confidence. She scored six points, showing off some polished moves in the paint, grabbed four rebounds and blocked three shots.

“Skill-wise, she has improved the best,” Versyp said. “She does have a presence in there.”

Schrader, a newcomer from New Jersey, provided some muscle inside. She scored six points, pulled down eight boards and blocked a shot.

Her performance was particularly impressive, considering she missed almost six weeks of preseason training because of mononucleosis.

“It’s only been a week of getting in shape. I’m a little sluggish,” said Schrader, who as a junior was rated the 37th best post player in the country.

“In high school, no problem, in this shape I could have done stuff, but right now I can’t move,” she chuckled.

Schrader should help give the Bears a strong presence in the paint.

“Abby’s very physical, a great rebounder, and she’s a scorer,” said Versyp, who wasn’t overly impressed with the team’s execution Sunday.

“You can tell we’ve only practiced one week,” Versyp said with a laugh. “Our running game was great. We really pushed and got up and down the floor, but we didn’t execute well.”