Nine Teams, Nine Days – Over the next nine days we’ll take a look at each of the America East’s nine women’s basketball programs in a lead up to the 2023-24 season. The regular season begins on Monday, Nov. 6 with eight teams in action and the full schedule of contests can be found here.
Vermont put forth its best season in over a decade, as head coach Alisa Kresge built the Catamounts to be fierce and rock solid on defense while playing efficient offense with timely shot making to win the program’s first #AEHoops Championship since 2010.
However, the year-end success wasn’t a given considering the team’s inauspicious start to conference play. UVM dropped its first two and nearly began 0-3, but escaped with an overtime victory. That jump started an incredible 17-game win streak which culminated with the title.
“This is the first time we’ve had such a core of experience and then we have some newcomers that are trying to figure it out,” said Kresge. “So we have to be patient with each other because we’re trying to bridge that gap right now. It’s nice because they’re some coaching on the floor that’s not even the coaches, it’s the players with their experience and knowledge of what we do and how we do things.”
That core of experience features five starters from a season ago in Emma Utterback, Anna Olson, Delaney Richason, Bella Vito and Catherine Gilwee. Utterback and Olson were both first-team all-conference selections last season. Utterback averaged 14.0 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game while Olson put up 11.4 points and 6.5 boards per contest to pace the attack.
Gilwee broke out with 10.6 points per game, while making 74 triples, though she will miss the 2023-24 season due to an injury. Richason averaged 9.0 points per contest as Vito put up 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 points per game while starting 31 games.
Vermont also has a strong group of four returners who Kresge expects to grow into their roles this season and contribute. Sarah Lazar played at Saint Louis last year while Malia Lenz, Lexi Kerstein and Zenia Palaska all enter the program as freshmen.
This season Vermont opens up at home against Miami (OH) on Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. before traveling to face Providence and Quinnipiac. The Catamount’s biggest test of non-conference play will come against No. 16 North Carolina. In December UVM concludes the month with three straight home games, including a matchup with Princeton. The Catamounts begin conference play at home on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m.
Vermont – Roster - Schedule
Head Coach: Alisa Kresge
2022-23 Record: 22-11, 14-2 (T-1st)
Scoring Offense: 61.3 points per game (3rd)
Scoring Defense: 54.1 points per game (1st)
Field Goal %: 42.7% (1st)
Returning Starters (5)
Emma Utterback, G - 14.0 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.1 rpg
Anna Olson, F - 11.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Catherine Gilwee, G - 10.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 74 3pt FG
Delaney Richason, F - 9.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg
Bela Vito, G - 3.3 ppg 5.0 rpg
Notable Newcomers (4)
Sarah Lazar, F - transfer from Saint Louis
Malia Lenz, G - freshman
Lexi Kerstein, G - freshman
Zenia Palaska, F - freshman
Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops home game on The AE on ESPN with all games airing on ESPN+ or ESPN3 domestically and AmericaEast.TV internationally.
Follow the @AEHoopsNews X (Formerly Twitter) account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long.
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