Oct 27, 2009

Women's Basketball Picked Third in Northeast-10 Preseason Poll

Three starters, including preseason national player of the year Johannah Leedham, returns for the Ravens in 2009-10

RINDGE, N.H. (October 27, 2009) – The Franklin Pierce University women’s basketball team was picked to finish third (201 points, 3 first-place votes) in the 2009-10 Northeast-10 Preseason Poll, which was announced on Tuesday by the conference. The voting was done by the league’s 16 head coaches.

The Ravens return three starters and nine letterwinners from the 2008-09 season, which saw the team win the Northeast-10 regular season and tournament titles, an NCAA Regional championship, and advance all the way to the national title game. Earlier this month, the team was ranked No. 2 in the Women’s Division II Bulletin National Preseason Top-25 Poll.

Heading the list of returnees for this season is senior guard/forward Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England), who has garnered numerous honors throughout her brilliant career. Leedham, who was named the WDIIB Preseason National Player of the Year earlier this month, is the reigning two-time NE-10 Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring last season at 23.5 points per game and enters this season needing just 55 points to move into sole possession of first place in conference history for career scoring in women’s basketball.

The other two returning starters for Franklin Pierce this season are junior center Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I.) and sophomore guard Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland). Ahrens started 32 games last season and averaged 7.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Giroud made 30 starts, averaged 5.0 points and tied with Leedham for the team lead at 6.1 rebounds per outing.

Franklin Pierce will be under the guidance of head coach Steve Hancock, who returns to the position after previously serving in the role from 1988-96. He led the Ravens to a 135-92 (.590) record over eight seasons during his first stint at the head of the program, which included three NCAA Tournament berths and two New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championships. The program's all-time leader in wins, Hancock was twice named NECC Coach of the Year, earning the honors in 1991-92 and '93-'94. Hancock spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach on the Ravens bench, helping guide the team to back-to-back NCAA regional championships.

Stonehill was picked to win the league as it garnered 219 points and 11 first-place votes, while Bentley was tabbed second at 206 points (2 first-place votes).

Franklin Pierce opens its new season on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Nyack (7 p.m.). The team returns to the Fieldhouse for its home opener on Saturday, Nov. 21 when it plays host to Molloy at 3 p.m. For more information on Franklin Pierce women’s basketball, please visit the team’s page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.)

Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Stonehill (11) – 210 points
2. Bentley (2) – 206 points
3. Franklin Pierce (3) – 201 points
4. Pace – 172 points
5. Assumption – 163 points
6. Southern New Hampshire – 152 points
7. American International – 144 points
8. Le Moyne – 113 points
9. New Haven – 112 points
10. Saint Rose – 100 points
11. Saint Michael’s – 91 points
12. UMass-Lowell – 68 points
13. Merrimack – 57 points
14. Southern Connecticut State – 52 points
15. Adelphi – 41 points
16. Saint Anselm – 29 point

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Oct 27, 2009 Women's Basketball Picked Third in Northeast-10 Preseason Poll Three starters, including preseason national player of the year Johannah Leedham, returns for the Ravens in 2009-10 RINDGE, N.H. (October 27, 2009) – The Franklin Pierce University women’s basketball team was picked to finish third (201 points, 3 first-place votes) in the 2009-10 Northeast-10 Preseason Poll, which was announced on Tuesday by the conference. The voting was done by the league’s 16 head coaches. The Ravens return three starters and nine letterwinners from the 2008-09 season, which saw the team win the Northeast-10 regular season and tournament titles, an NCAA Regional championship, and advance all the way to the national title game. Earlier this month, the team was ranked No. 2 in the Women’s Division II Bulletin National Preseason Top-25 Poll. Heading the list of returnees for this season is senior guard/forward Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England), who has garnered numerous honors throughout her brilliant career. Leedham, who was named the WDIIB Preseason National Player of the Year earlier this month, is the reigning two-time NE-10 Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring last season at 23.5 points per game and enters this season needing just 55 points to move into sole possession of first place in conference history for career scoring in women’s basketball. The other two returning starters for Franklin Pierce this season are junior center Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I.) and sophomore guard Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland). Ahrens started 32 games last season and averaged 7.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Giroud made 30 starts, averaged 5.0 points and tied with Leedham for the team lead at 6.1 rebounds per outing. Franklin Pierce will be under the guidance of head coach Steve Hancock, who returns to the position after previously serving in the role from 1988-96. He led the Ravens to a 135-92 (.590) record over eight seasons during his first stint at the head of the program, which included three NCAA Tournament berths and two New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championships. The program's all-time leader in wins, Hancock was twice named NECC Coach of the Year, earning the honors in 1991-92 and '93-'94. Hancock spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach on the Ravens bench, helping guide the team to back-to-back NCAA regional championships. Stonehill was picked to win the league as it garnered 219 points and 11 first-place votes, while Bentley was tabbed second at 206 points (2 first-place votes). Franklin Pierce opens its new season on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Nyack (7 p.m.). The team returns to the Fieldhouse for its home opener on Saturday, Nov. 21 when it plays host to Molloy at 3 p.m. For more information on Franklin Pierce women’s basketball, please visit the team’s page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses) 1. Stonehill (11) – 210 points 2. Bentley (2) – 206 points 3. Franklin Pierce (3) – 201 points 4. Pace – 172 points 5. Assumption – 163 points 6. Southern New Hampshire – 152 points 7. American International – 144 points 8. Le Moyne – 113 points 9. New Haven – 112 points 10. Saint Rose – 100 points 11. Saint Michael’s – 91 points 12. UMass-Lowell – 68 points 13. Merrimack – 57 points 14. Southern Connecticut State – 52 points 15. Adelphi – 41 points 16. Saint Anselm – 29 point		Athletics Home Women's Basketball Home Head Coach Steve Hancock Assistant Coach Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire Roster 2009-10 Schedule 2009-10 Preseason Information Statistics Team Photo News Archive 11/17/09 Women's Basketball 86 Franklin Pierce 51 Nyack Final Boxscore Recap November 21, 2009 Women's Basketball Audio vs. Molloy 3:00 PM November 24, 2009 Women's Basketball at Saint Michael's 5:30 PM Baseball Basketball Golf Ice Hockey Lacrosse Rowing Soccer Tennis Basketball Cross Country Field Hockey Lacrosse Rowing Soccer Softball Tennis Volleyball Online Store RSS Feeds Staff Directory Compliance Athletic Training Facilities Campus Recreation 2009-10 Pierce Pride Schedule Webcasting Camps & Clinics SID Downloads Student-Athlete Forms General News Archive University Pet Policy Please wait while the video player loads...