When women’s basketball head coach Joe McKeown came to GW in September of 1989, some of this year’s players were not yet a year old. Eighteen years later, McKeown still holds the reins to a squad that could be one of the most successful in school history.
With the loss of only one senior, forward Jessica Simmonds, the Colonials have the potential to equal or surpass last year’s second-round showing in the NCAA tournament.
After nearly a month of practice, coach Joe McKeown said he thinks the team’s hit a few early bumps.
“We’re a little behind where I’d like to be this time of year. Now, I feel like I’m against the clock with trying to get my offense in, my defense, evaluating what players are stepping up, what players need a little bit more work. I feel a little bit rushed right now.”
Similar to last year, the Colonials lineup features one senior, guard/forward Kenan Cole, a starter last year until a knee injury forced her to sit the team’s last two regular season games and miss extended time in the Atlantic 10 and NCAA Tournaments.
Joining Cole as a starter is junior Kim Beck, a point guard who rarely sees the bench. A member of the A-10 Preseason First Team and Defensive Team, Beck led the Colonials last year in minutes per game (37.7), three-point shooting percentage (.344), free-throw shooting percentage (.826) and assists (177), while also leading the A-10 in assists per game (5.5). She was second in points per game (11.4) to classmate Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who is also a member of the A-10 Preseason First Team and Defensive Team. The reigning A-10 Sixth Man of the Year averaged 11.6 points per game while starting only nine.
“Sarah-Jo’s still trying to make an adjustment from being a player that made a lot of contributions to being a big-time player,” McKeown said. “There’s a difference. It comes back to being consistent everyday. She works as hard as anyone I’ve ever coached.”
Junior Whitney Allen is the only other returning player who saw minutes in all 32 games last season. The forward was second on the team with 170 rebounds, 23 blocks and 65 steals.
The team must fill the spot that Simmonds occupied under the net. Sophomores Jazmine and Jessica Adair, whom McKeown has nicknamed the “twin towers” (the District natives are 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4, respectively), will compete for time at the post along with sophomores Chantelle John and Jamila Bates. Jessica Adair said that finding Simmonds’ replacement is in the works.
“Our sophomores have to learn the game as well as (Simmonds) did,” Jessica Adair said. “There comes a time when you just have to step up and that time is now.”
Also returning is red-shirt sophomore Lisa Steele, who has been perpetually plagued with ankle problems since first stepping onto campus two years ago. McKeown said that she has been practicing almost regularly, a “positive so far this season.”
Filling out the returning roster are sophomore Faith Peters and junior Lora Mitchell. The pair saw minutes in 13 and 12 games, respectively, last season.
And then there’s the new talent. In addition to Abiona, the freshman class includes point guard Stefani Munro and forward Robin Murphy.
“I think (Munro) is probably a little further along than the other two, and we need her to be further along because she’ll have opportunities to play more, just because of need in position,” McKeown said. “The other two are really gifted and picking up our system. It’s just a matter of time and experience and trying to get used to college basketball.”
Like in years past, the Colonials will face some of the country’s best squads, including an early match-up against Maryland, the reigning NCAA champions. GW will also play Tennessee, Georgia and Auburn, three teams from the reputable Southeastern Conference.
“It seems like everyone in our non-conference schedule is an NCAA team,” Cole said.
The women will participate in two tournaments: the BTI Classic in mid-November at the Comcast Center in College Park, Md., and the San Diego Surf ‘N’ Slam Hook Classic in San Diego in late December. The BTI Classic will include match-ups against Arizona, Texas Christian University and Maryland while the Surf ‘N Slam features Georgia and either San Diego State or Brown.
Other out-of-conference opponents include James Madison University, Villanova and Liberty.
McKeown, who is the most-winning coach in GW basketball history with a 386-143 record, said a key to the season is improving shooting.
“Our Achilles last year was outside shooting and free throw shooting. Those are two areas we’ve addressed a little bit, and I think we’ll be better. Defensively, we’re really solid and that’s going to be our staple. The teams we’ve gotten into the final 16, the final eight, the top 10, had the ability to score in bunches, and that was our biggest problem last year.”
The Colonials are predicted to finish first in the A-10 in a preseason poll of media members and coaches, and on Nov. 10, they will begin their season with that goal in mind.
“We get to play some of the best teams in the nation, including the best team in the nation,” McKeown said. “I’m just looking forward to it.”
