Husson rebuilding with nine newcomers

BANGOR – In her 15 years coaching basketball at Husson College, Kissy Walker has never seen anything like it.

After posting a 15-11 record last season, her Eagles were poised to return with a veteran nucleus to help the Husson women challenge for the North Atlantic Conference title.

By the time school opened in September, Walker was down to three veteran players and nine newcomers.

“I’ve had years when I had five new ones come in and people say it’s a building year and I really always think that’s an excuse,” said Walker, who has begun the third season of her second stint at Husson.

“But this year with nine [first-year players], I guess I am ready to admit it’s a building year,” she said with a smile.

Among the notable players who did not return are guards Holly Gracie (academically ineligible), Crystal Martin (pending transfer after family relocation to Arkansas) and Michelle Murray (academic commitments in nursing program), along with Tiffany Hartshorn and Megan Melcher, both of whom are dedicating themselves to their physical therapy studies.

That group accounted for nearly half of Husson’s scoring, rebounding and assists last season.

Junior center Annie McIntosh, whose boyfriend soon will be deployed to Iraq with the Army, is gradually working her way back and should return to the squad full time in January.

“With only four returners from last year and nine freshmen, it’s going to be a little different,” said junior forward Jodie Merchant of Ellsworth, who averaged six points and four rebounds in 2004-05. “It’s kind of like starting all over, but I have faith.”

The Eagles’ veterans include junior guard/forward Carmen Ballard of Skowhegan (8.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3 apg last season) and junior forward Stephanie Noyes of Fairfield (5.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg), who decided to play despite a rigorous nursing curriculum.

The Eagles opened their season last weekend in the Colby Tipoff Tournament, beating Newbury 65-64 in overtime then dropping a 51-48 decision to the White Mules.

Freshman guard Jenny Rollins, a former Central High standout, stepped right into the starting lineup and averaged 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.

“She’s a good shooter and obviously we need scoring,” Walker said. “She does a lot of things well, like passing into the post.”

Joining Merchant, Ballard, Noyes and Rollins in the lineup is freshman point guard Laura Archer of Ellsworth. Other freshmen expected to figure prominently are center Chelsea Dow of Trenton, guard Michelle Barden of St. Albans, guard Monique Boutaugh of Ellsworth, and center Malarie Hall of Hermon.

The squad also includes sophomore forward Jessica Monck of Boothbay Harbor and frosh guards Nikita Colgan of Vermont and Shavon Drakeford from Maryland.

Walker said there has been a lot of teaching to do with such a young ballclub, but she has been able to establish an early playing rotation without much difficulty.

“I think it will be a team that will improve a lot throughout the year because they’re so young and coachable,” she said. “A lot of it is the physicalness of getting used to the college game.”

The return of McIntosh (11.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg), a 6-1 forward from Windham, should significantly boost Husson’s post attack.

“Everyone has potential,” Merchant said. “We just need to work hard.”