Philadelphia, Pa. – (11/11/2016) – "A strength of ours is having everyone back from a season ago," remarked Head Coach Mike West. "They got a taste of the post season but are definitely hungry for more." The Chestnut Hill College women's basketball team, who received a first-place vote and were predicted to finish fourth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) South Division by the league's 14 head coaches, features a blend of returning veterans, key transfers, and important recruits who can improve on the historical 2015-16 season, compete in a deep CACC South, and challenge for the league title.
 
A season ago, Coach West's high-paced game plan produced program records for league wins (10-9 CACC), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II victories (12-15), field goals attempted (1,739), free throws made (362), free throws attempted (559), defensive rebounds (890), total rebounds (1,269), assists (403), blocks (120), and points (1,852) while earning their first appearance in the CACC Championship Tournament. Returning 12 players from that campaign, the Griffins are sure to push the envelope in 2016-2017 with their aggressive approach.
 
Headlining the holdovers is reigning CACC Rookie of the Year and All-CACC Third Team honoree, sophomore forward Jaeda Wildgoose (Somerset, N.J.). Wildgoose proved she belonged early, winning seven CACC Rookie of the Week accolades en route to ranking second on the team in scoring (361, 13.4 points/game), and rebounds (210, 7.8 rebounds/game), and leading the team in field goal percentage (.485, 141-of-291). Joining her in the fight is senior guard Caity Kuhnen (Binghamton, N.Y.), who scored the most points in a season for the Griffins a season ago (375, 13.9 points/game). She scored a majority of those point from long range, sporting a .369 (76-of-206) shooting percentage from behind the three-point line.
 
Fellow returning starters, sophomore guard Mary Trossi (Somerset, N.J.) and senior Brittany McDonough (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will make an impact as well. Last year, Trossi attempted a program-record 131 free throws while running Coach West's high-octane offense with the program's highest assist total (106) at the NCAA DII level. Meanwhile, McDonough provided 3.9 rebounds-per-game (RPG), 97 assists, 12 blocks, and 31 steals, in addition to improving her season scoring average to a career-best 10.7 points-per-game (PPG).
 
Additional returnees include; senior guards, captain Erica McIntosh (Waldorf, Md.), Ayanna Holloway (Philadelphia, Pa.), captain Michaiah Young (Philadelphia, Pa.), and Tomiaya Graham (Miami, Fla.), junior forward Nicole Parriski (Burlington, N.J.), and sophomore guards Ayanna Dickey (Baltimore, Md.) and Dayna Sclafani (East Brunswick, N.J.). 
 
Deeping the roster at his disposal, Coach West also added some key newcomers who are expected to make an immediate impact. Junior guard Vicky Tumasz (North Wales, Pa.) has two seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring from Shippensburg University. The 5-7 guard was a long range threat for the Raiders, shooting .335 (62-of-185) from three-point range. She also grabbed 59 rebounds, dished out 28 assists, and swiped 26 steals in her two seasons as a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) student-athlete. A second transfer, junior guard Caroline Gehring (New Suffolk, N.Y.) will enjoy her second stint with the Griffins as she made eight appearances for the Scarlet and Gold during her freshman (2014-2015) season. Freshman forward Shannon Glenn (Philadelphia, Pa.), an All-Philadelphia Catholic League selection as a senior at Archbishop Ryan, is a two-way player whose versatility allows her to defend any opponent and makes her dangerous anywhere on the floor. Freshman guard Cailey Gibson (Marlton, N.J.), a Cherokee High School graduate, is another multi-positional player who will provide match-up problems for her defender. Quick enough to play in the back-court and long enough to play the forward position in the paint, she will be used in a variety ways to help the team succeed.
 
"The coaching staff is very excited about the season. We came together nicely the second half of last season and our strong finish has everyone excited about what the future holds," Coach West said. "With our new additions our team has become very deep. The newcomers have assimilated to the group better than the coaching staff could have imagined. We have put in a lot of time and energy into this season, on and off the court, and we are ready to start contending for a CACC Championship."
 
Coach West and the Chestnut Hill College women's basketball team opens the 2016-2017 season on Sunday, November 13, when they play host to non-conference foe, the University of New Haven. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.