Huskies Women’s Basketball 2022-23 Season Preview
In what is expected to be one of the most competitive AUS Women's Basketball seasons in recent memory, the Saint Mary's Huskies hope their recent success and continued development can make them one of the top contenders in the conference.
"I'm optimistic about our group. We've got a lot of returning players and a few key additions that we're excited about." says Huskies head coach Scott Munro. "You never pick up exactly where you left off, but I think the team is coming together nicely. We've had some good moments in pre-season and our trajectory is pretty good as we approach this weekend's season opener."
After beginning the 2021-22 season with a solid 6-3 record, the Huskies really ramped up after the extended winter break, winning six of their final seven games to finish the regular season with a record of 12-4, and head into the AUS Championship as the #3 seed. After defeating the UNB REDS in the quarterfinal, the Huskies were eliminated in the semi-finals in an 86-82 thriller to the eventual champion Acadia Axewomen.
"We're not necessarily setting a tangible goal for this season right now, but I liked where we finished last season. It was great to win a playoff game and add that big game experience to this group," says Coach Munro. "The old adage is 'sometimes you have to lose before you win'. We've had a slow build with this core group and the hope is that we're now far enough along that we can take that next step and compete for the AUS Championship."
In four pre-season games against U SPORTS competition, the Huskies went 2-2 with a pair of wins against talented OUA sides Laurentian and defending national champions TMU Bold. The Huskies defence allowed just 59 points per game in the pre-season, and Munro expects his squad to once again be one of the top defensive teams in the conference this season.
"We should be a team that shoots the ball pretty well most nights, but we'll also have to defend and make things tough on the other team, which I think we have the personnel to do very well," says Munro. "On the offensive end, we want to try to play up-tempo and get good looks early in the shot clock. Give our players the freedom to play to their strengths in transition and make plays without necessarily getting into our half-court offence on every possession."
While the Huskies return 12 players from last year's roster, it has been an incoming transfer that has led the team in scoring this preseason; sharpshooting guard Sophia Widmeyer (Dartmouth, NS) is averaging better than 12 points and 6 rebounds per game as a transfer out of the University of New Hampshire in NCAA D1.
"Sophia is a really exciting addition for us. She brings a level of experience, having played four years in Division One," says Coach Munro. "She shoots the ball well, attacks the basket with confidence and is already fitting in extremely well and teaching our team some things. She's an extremely hard worker with great, winning habits and as she continues to get more acclimated with our group and the league, I think she's going to be a big impact player."
The returning Huskies are led by a pair of all-star guards who led the team in all statistical categories last season, in fourth year guard Alaina McMillan (Brantford, ON) and third year guard Clara Gascoigne (Dartmouth, NS).
McMillan averaged a career high 15.2 points per game and was named a first team AUS All-Star after being named a second team All-Star in 2019-20. The Huskies record has improved each of McMillan's previous three seasons - from 3-17 in 2018-19 to 12-4 in 2021-22 - and Munro hopes that his fourth-year captain can help the Huskies continue that positive momentum.
"Alaina's role has changed a bit as her career has gone on. We've added more scoring around her over the last few seasons, and now we rely on her to be our leader and set the table for her teammates. She's still one of the best shooters in the conference and can really fill it up when she has it going, but she's grown as an all-around player and is a real vocal leader in practice and in games."
Last season's emergence of third year guard Clara Gascoigne was one of the keys to the Huskies late season success. The guard averaged over 18 points on 59% shooting from the field over the final nine games of 2022 (including playoffs), and led the team in rebounds, blocks and steals. She was named an AUS Championship All-Star, Second Team All-Conference and Huskies Women's Basketball MVP.
"We think Clara is going to have another great season and be really important for us," says Munro. "Everyone saw what she did last year, came out in the second half of the season and shot the ball really well, attacked the basket relentlessly, and she's one of the best defenders in the league, usually guarding the opponent's top player every night."
The Huskies backcourt also returns a lot of talented depth, including fourth year guards Courtney Donaldson (Kelowna, BC), Sarah Forgie (New Westminster, BC) and Aiyanna Empringham (Middle Sackville, NS), third year Aki Kobayashi (Osaka, Japan) and second years Isabella MacKay (New Glasgow, NS) and Georgia Williams (Calgary, AB)
The Huskies forward unit is led by a trio of third year forwards who, along with Gascoigne, were part of an impact 2019 recruiting class; former All-Rookie selection Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB), Katelyn Power (Bayside, NS) and Marlo Steenbakkers (Ottawa, ON).
Beaumont averaged a career high 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds last season, and performed well in the playoffs, scoring 38 points over the Huskies two playoff games.
"Lucy has shown the ability to be one of the better players in the league," says Munro. "She carries a lot of the offensive load and has been working hard to be more consistent so that she can make an impact on the game even when her shot isn't falling."
Power and Steenbakkers continue to develop and offer a versatile skill set as non-traditional post players, a key in Munro's system that allows any position to bring the ball up court and initiate offence.
"Marlo is a great interior defender and rebounder but probably also one of our most efficient three-point shooters (40% in 2021-22), and has a knack for making shots in game," says Munro. "Katelyn at 6'2" isn't your traditional post player; she does a little bit of everything. She's one of the fastest players in the league from end-line to end-line and has really grown as a playmaker and ball handler which adds another level of versatility to our team."
Third year forward Sarah Burnell (Airdrie, AB) and incoming recruit Kristin Holt (Halifax, NS) will provide depth to the Huskies frontcourt.
Putting it all together, Munro thinks that his team has a great chance to build off last season's success and contend for an AUS title.
"I think it's going to be an extremely competitive league this year, any team can win on any given night, so there's a lot that needs to fall in place and you always want to be playing your best basketball heading into March."
The Huskies will begin their 2022-23 regular season on the road, visiting the Memorial Sea-Hawks on Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30, before returning to Halifax for their home-opener on Thursday, Nov. 3 as they host crosstown rival Dalhousie Tigers. GET TICKETS
By Allan April / SMU Huskies Athletics