The Manhattan Lady Jaspers look to be the new face of their conference
RIVERDALE, N.Y. (BVM) — Despite the uncertainty still surrounding the Division I winter sports season, the Manhattan College women’s basketball team has a lot to look forward to.
For the first time in their program’s history, they are the preseason pick to win the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). This projection is based on the improvement they made last season, and the maturation of their talented roster.
In the 2019-20 season, the Lady Jaspers went 15-14 overall, and an impressive 12-8 in their conference. They wanted to prove that their regular season success wasn’t a fluke by showing out during the MAAC Tournament, but it was cancelled before they could even play a game due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fueled by the disappointment from this cancellation, the stars of the Lady Jaspers look for redemption. However, they won’t be able to sneak up on anyone due to the high expectations placed on them for this season. Their two leading scorers from last year, Courtney Warley and Emily LaPointe, were named to the preseason All-MAAC First Team. Senior guard Gabby Cajou also got recognition with preseason All-MAAC Third Team honors.
Coming off a career season where she won numerous awards, Warley is expected to cap off her Manhattan tenure with a memorable senior year. On top of averaging 12 points and nine rebounds a game as a junior, Warley became the first Lady Jasper to make the All-MAAC Team since 2011. She also made the All-Met Second Team and excelled academically, earning her the 2020 Manhattan College Female Student Athlete of the Year. The Jaspers’ prized center will be an integral piece in their hopes for conference supremacy.
Largely looked at as the future of the Lady Jaspers, Emily LaPointe will attempt to carry the mantle as leader of the team going forward. LaPointe had a historic freshman year, leading the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game while also making nearly two threes per contest. Her stellar play on the court earned her the first unanimous MAAC Rookie of the Year Award in program history. The guard is incredibly skilled and mobile for her 5-foot-10 frame, and after a lengthened offseason to improve her game, she’s expected to make a noticeable leap this winter.
Adding even more depth to this roster will be junior D’yona Davis. She redshirted last season, but was the Lady Jaspers’ leading scorer her freshman year before suffering a season-ending injury. Head coach Heather Vulin also added transfer Jenna Jordan to the team. The sophomore forward from St. Francis Brooklyn is expected to add some rebounding prowess which will take a lot of the pressure off Warley.
Of course, preseason awards don’t mean anything if the hype isn’t justified, but this Lady Jaspers team understands this and they are hungry to prove their worth.
Manhattan’s journey to a MAAC Championship won’t be easy, as teams like the Quinnipiac Bobcats will provide a major obstacle for them.
The Bobcats sported a phenomenal 18-0 conference record back in 2019, and were in the top tier of the conference with the Jaspers in 2020. They were tied for second in this year’s preseason coaches’ poll alongside the Fairfield Stags.
All three of these teams sported an identical 12-8 record in the MAAC last year, indicating that every conference matchup will matter this season.
