BLAZER INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES

Dates: Friday, November 16 - Saturday, November 17
Site: Maguire Center (Chicopee, MA)
Click here for directions to Elms College

Tournament Bracket 

Friday, November 16
Game 1: MCLA vs. Elms College     6:00 p.m.
Game 2: Connecticut College vs. St. Joseph's College  8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 17
Consolation Game: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2  1:00 p.m.
Championship Game: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 3:00 p.m.

* - An award ceremony will follow immediately following the conclusion of the
championship game.

Participating Teams

Elms College Blazers
Location: Chicopee, Massachusetts
Conference Affiliation: North Atlantic Conference (NAC)
2006-07 Record: 7-18 overall, 5-13 NAC

Scouting The Blazers: Elms College return 10 players, including four starters from a year ago. The Blazers have no shortage of experience, athleticism and poise in the backcourt with the return of five guards - including three-year senior starting point guard Michelle Fernandes (Danbury, CT). Fernandes has been a staple at the point for the Blazers, as she has started 67 of the Blazers' 75 games over the past three seasons. Last year, Fernandes started in all 25 games and averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 assists in 28.7 minutes per game. The Blazers also return a pair of potent offensive threats in junior guard Jenn Payton (Stratford, CT) and sophomore forward Amanda Brogna (Oxford, MA). Payton, who appeared in 18 games, but was hampered by injury the second half of last season, averaged a team-leading 11.3 points in 15 starts. Brogna, who also suffered from injury and missed most of the Blazers' final 12 games, averaged 8.0 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds in 12 starts, including a career-high 20-point effort against Lesley.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Trailblazers
Location: North Adams, Massachusetts
Conference Affiliation: Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
2006-07 Record: 10-16 overall, 3-9 MASCAC

Scouting The Trailblazers: MCLA returns five players from a year ago, including 5-8 sophomore center Laura Silverman (Clifton Park, NY), who started all 26 games for the Trailblazers and averaged 10.9 points and 9.3 rebounds. Sophomore guard Ali Leveille (Southampton, MA) averaged 9.1 points in 22 starts for the Trailblazers, who face Elms College in the opening round of the Blazer Invitational for the third straight season. MCLA fell to the Blazers 63-54 in 2005-06, but lost just 74-72 to Elms College a year ago.

Connecticut College Camels
Location: New London, Connecticut
Conference Affiliation: New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
2006-07 Record: 10-14 overall, 1-8 NESCAC

Scouting The Camels: Connecticut College possesses a talented trio of senior captains in Katy Serafin (Carmel, NY), Maegan Hoover (West Newton, MA) and Lindsay Michel (West Haven, CT). Entering her third year as captain, Serafin has proved to be one of the most prolific post players in program-history. The 5-10 senior has piled up 23 double doubles in her career and has amassed 913 points and 604 rebounds for the Camels, who lost eight of their final 10 games a year ago.   

St. Joseph's College Monks
Location: Standish, Maine
Conference Affiliation: Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) *
2006-07 Record: 11-15 overall
* - 2007-08 marks first season in the GNAC

Scouting The Monks: St. Joseph's, which begins its first season as a member of the GNAC, capped off its final season as an independent with a 63-46 win over Maine-Presque Isle in the D3 Independent Tournament last February. The Monks return two solid guards in junior Alysn Ludwig (Waldoboro, ME) and sophomore Carolyn Freeman (Scarborough, ME). Ludwig led the team in rebounding, assists and steals and started every game a year ago. A three-sport athlete, Ludwig was honored as the SJC Female Athlete of the Year and earned the team MVP Award. Freeman, meanwhile, led the Monks in both scoring and minutes played. She was twice honored by the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association as Rookie of the Week and captured the SJC Newcomer of the Year Award.