Women's basketball welcomes six
Bryant women's hoops welcomes six-member Class of 2016
SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Bryant University head coach Mary Burke is pleased to introduce six new Bulldog student-athletes, set to suit up for the women's basketball team this fall and complete the program's Class of 2016.
This incoming rookie class is the first group that will play with full Division I eligibility throughout their four-year careers, as Bryant completes its transition to the NCAA's highest level in the summer of 2012. The freshman ranks represent an even split on the floor, consisting of three guards and three forwards, and hail from six different states.
The Class of 2016 will be looked on to immediately contribute on the court as the Bulldogs strive to qualify for their first Northeast Conference Tournament in their first season eligible for a postseason berth. Bryant finished the 2011-12 campaign tied for ninth on the league circuit with a 14-15 overall record and 7-11 NEC mark.
The Bryant University women's basketball Class of 2016:
Dani Anderson l Guard l 5-10 l Wellington, Kansas/Wellington
Four-year varsity starter at shooting guard for the Crusaders under head coach Kevin Hackerott ... As a senior, led her team to a 21-3 overall record and the school's first-ever trip to the Kansas state playoffs ... Four-time all-league selection, including First Team All-ACVTL nods as a sophomore, junior and senior ... Named the 2011-12 Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League (AVCTL) Most Valuable Player ... Named a first team 4A all-state and second team all-class all-state pick as a senior ... Also picked to participate in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game in 2011-12 ... Named an honorable mention all-state as a sophomore and junior ... Wildcat Classic All-Tournament Team member all four years, also named the tournament MVP as a junior and senior ... Set the school record for 3-pointers in a season with 61 as a sophomore in 2009-10 ... Also a four-year member of the Crusaders' tennis team and a two-year member of the Wellington High School track team ... Three-time state qualifier in tennis, where she qualified for states in singles play as a sophomore and in doubles play as a junior and senior ... As a junior, led her team to the 4A state title on the tennis courts, marking the first state championship for any girls sport in school history ... Named female athlete of the year as a senior ... Member of the student council ... Four-year honor roll student ... National Honor Society member.
Christina Cretella l Forward/Center l 6-1 l Seymour, Conn./Seymour
Four-year varsity letter winner in both basketball and volleyball at Seymour High School ... Four-year Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) all-conference selection ... 1,000-point scorer ... Named to the CHSCA All-State First Team as a senior ... 2011-12 New Haven Register All-State Second Team ... Led the NVL in scoring as a senior ... New Haven Tap-Off Club All-Area Team selection as a junior and senior ... Named the 2011-12 BAGS Scholarship Foundation Girls High School Suburban Basketball Player of the Year ... 2012 New Haven Tap-Off Club Scholar-Athlete ... Scored 1,387 points for the Wildcats throughout her four-year career ... Two-time All-NVL selection and all-state pick in volleyball, including a second team all-state nod in 2009 and a first team all-state pick in 2010 ... Participated in Valley United Way Youth Leadership program and Valley United Way High School Volunteer Council ... Diploma of Distinction ... National Honor Society member.
Maureen Leahy l Center l 6-2 l Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara
Four-year varsity letter winner and two-year starting center for the Lions under head coach Linus McGinty ... Led team to state playoffs as a junior and senior, advancing to the quarterfinals as a senior ... Named to the Labor Classic All-Star Game ... Also lettered in volleyball as a freshman, where Cardinal O'Hara won the state championship ... Participated in the Community Service Corps ... Four-year honor roll student.
Breanna Rucker l Guard l 5-11 l Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton High School
Three-year varsity letter winner and two-year starting guard ... Spent two seasons at Mount Notre Dame before transferring to Princeton High School as a junior and senior, where she led the Vikings to a 27-1 league mark and 44-5 overall record in her two seasons ... Three-time league champ, one with Mount Notre Dame as a freshman where her team won the state championship, and two more league titles at Princeton High School ... Second team all-conference selection ... Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award winner ... Honor roll student.
Emma Sobieraski l Forward l 6-2 l Lockport, N.Y./Lockport
Four-year varsity letter winner in both basketball and volleyball ... Three-year starter for head coach Bill Shaw at center and forward ... Led team to back-to-back league and sectional championships in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and a third sectional title as a senior in 2011-12 ... All-state selection as a junior ... Three-time all-Niagara Frontier League selection, earning first team honors as a senior, second team as a junior and third team as a sophomore ... All-Western New York First Team pick as a senior ... MVP of senior all-star game ... Named among the top 50 players in New York state ... Honor Society ... National Math Honor Society.
Tiersa Winder l Guard l 5-8 l Baltimore, Md./McDonogh School
Four-year varsity letter winner for the Eagles, where she was a two-year starting guard ... Led team to Division II Championship Game in 2010 and the IAAM-A Conference title in 2012 ... Named the Beast of the East Tournament MVP ... First Team All-Metro selection ... IAAM All-Conference pick ... 695hoops.com All-Metro Team selection ... Baltimore Sun Athlete of the Week ... Fox 45 Prep Player of the Week ... IAAM Sports Athlete of the Week ... 695hoops.com Athlete of the Week ... Also was a three-year varsity letter winner in both volleyball and track at McDonogh School ... Honor roll student.