The season is just a few weeks old, but the story is already being told as to what kind of season New York-New Jersey Division I women’s basketball teams will likely be having. Some are struggling while others are showing they’re the real deal.
Among New York City teams, perpetual underdog Columbia University has been having a pretty decent season. Despite the fact that coach Stephanie Glance left in September to become executive director of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund (Glance coached with Yow at N.C. State), the Lions have opened an impressive 4-1 under interim head coach Sheila Roux. In the Bronx, Manhattan College is 2-3, including a loss to borough rival Fordham University, which suffered two disappointing losses at the Southpoint Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas, leaving the team 2-3.
Long Island University in Brooklyn, under new head coach Stephanie Oliver, lost both its games last weekend at the LIU Turkey Classic and is 1-3 for the season. Also in Brooklyn, St. Francis College, the Cinderella story in last season’s NCAA Tournament, has opened 1-4. Wagner College in Staten Island has yet to notch a win.
In Queens, St. John’s University is off to a solid 4-1 start. The Red Storm did not travel to any Thanksgiving tournaments but finished off the four-day weekend with a home court win Sunday over nationally ranked University of South Florida. Last week, senior guard Danaejah Grant was named to the Big East honor roll of outstanding players.
Across the river in New Jersey, Rutgers University is 5-2, enjoying a superb Thanksgiving weekend at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, USVI, defeating three strong teams: Tulane, Virginia and Green Bay. Princeton University’s undefeated regular season will not be repeated, but it is an impressive 5-1. The Tigers’ only loss came to Seton Hall University, which is proving last year’s success was no fluke. The Pirates are an undefeated 7-0, including wins at last weekend’s Cancun Challenge. The team earned its first national ranking of this season on the USA Today Top 25 D-I Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll, while senior post player and New York City native Tiffany Jones was named Big East Player of the Week.