First Day of Practice: What to Know about Syracuse Women’s Basketball
9/26/2019 7:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
It's fall in Syracuse, which means one thing; basketball season is around the corner. The Syracuse women's basketball team had its first official practice of the 2019-20 season on Thursday. The Orange are coming off a 25-9 season and their seventh-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, but 'Cuse will have a different look this year.
Practice consisted of quick lift in the weight room, position work and a half-court inner squad scrimmage to kick off the new season.
Head Coach Quentin Hillsman, who enters his 14th-season at the helm, has plenty of options with the depth of Syracuse's lineup. The fast-pace Orange offense and zone defense will be similar to year's past but the personnel may look different.
The Orange return seven players, three starters, from last year and add six new faces to the crowd including a trio of graduate transfers in Brooke Alexander, Elemy Colomé and Whisper Fisher. Freshmen guards Teisha Hyman, Alisha Lewis and Taleah Washington also join the squad.
Gabrielle Cooper enters her senior campaign ranked fourth in program history with 224 made three-pointers. She has started in all 97 games during her career and averages 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and is shooting .322 from behind the arc during that time.
Starters Digna Strautmane and Amaya Finklea-Guity have two years of experience under their belt. The junior pair aims to make a splash at the post for Syracuse with the help of new assistant coach and 17-year WNBA veteran DeLisha Milton-Jones' mentorship.
Kiara Lewis, Emily Engstler and Maeva Djladi-Tabdi are figures to earn starting roles this year. The trio combined for 21.4 points per game off the bench for the Orange in 2018-19.
Senior point guard and two-time Nancy Lieberman Award finalist Tiana Mangakahia will miss the entire 2019-20 season as she continues cancer treatment. She announced on July 1 that she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer (Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) in mid-June.
The Orange had the eighth toughest schedule in 2018-19 and the competition will be no different moving forward. Syracuse opens the season at home on Nov. 5, when the Orange host 2019 WNIT Quarterfinalist Ohio at 8 p.m. in the Dome.
The non-conference slate also pits 'Cuse against 2019 NCAA Quarterfinalist and preseason favorite Oregon in late November. 'Cuse will face Michigan on the road in the ACC/B1G Challenge and Michigan State and West Virginia at the Florida Sunshine Classic to wrap up non-conference action. The Victoria Invitational over Thanksgiving week has potential for the Orange to face 2016 national semifinalist Stanford and 2017 & 2018 national finalist Mississippi State.
Things won't slow down for Syracuse in ACC play. The Orange begin the season on the road at Louisville on Dec. 29 and face Florida State, Notre Dame and Miami all before the mid-point of January.
'Cuse hosts five of its eight ACC opponents that made the postseason last year. With the conference expanding its regular season to 18 games, Syracuse plays Boston College, Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh twice; once at home and once on the road.
Syracuse season tickets start at $75 and are available for sale by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or at The Box Office at the Ensley Athletic Center, which will operate extended hours on Mondays, from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm, and will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, for purchasing tickets to all Dome events. Limited Premium Courtside seats are still available and can be purchased by contacting a sales representative at 1-888-DOME-TIX.
To stay updated on the Syracuse Orange women's basketball team, follow @CuseWBB on Twitter and Instagram.
Practice consisted of quick lift in the weight room, position work and a half-court inner squad scrimmage to kick off the new season.
Big energy for the first day of practice 🔋⬆️ pic.twitter.com/8zOz90wjng
— 'Cuse Women's Hoops (@CuseWBB) September 26, 2019
Head Coach Quentin Hillsman, who enters his 14th-season at the helm, has plenty of options with the depth of Syracuse's lineup. The fast-pace Orange offense and zone defense will be similar to year's past but the personnel may look different.
The Orange return seven players, three starters, from last year and add six new faces to the crowd including a trio of graduate transfers in Brooke Alexander, Elemy Colomé and Whisper Fisher. Freshmen guards Teisha Hyman, Alisha Lewis and Taleah Washington also join the squad.
Gabrielle Cooper enters her senior campaign ranked fourth in program history with 224 made three-pointers. She has started in all 97 games during her career and averages 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and is shooting .322 from behind the arc during that time.
Starters Digna Strautmane and Amaya Finklea-Guity have two years of experience under their belt. The junior pair aims to make a splash at the post for Syracuse with the help of new assistant coach and 17-year WNBA veteran DeLisha Milton-Jones' mentorship.
Kiara Lewis, Emily Engstler and Maeva Djladi-Tabdi are figures to earn starting roles this year. The trio combined for 21.4 points per game off the bench for the Orange in 2018-19.
Senior point guard and two-time Nancy Lieberman Award finalist Tiana Mangakahia will miss the entire 2019-20 season as she continues cancer treatment. She announced on July 1 that she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer (Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) in mid-June.
We're back. We're ready. Let's Go. pic.twitter.com/nFY3qeaAXK
— 'Cuse Women's Hoops (@CuseWBB) September 26, 2019
The Orange had the eighth toughest schedule in 2018-19 and the competition will be no different moving forward. Syracuse opens the season at home on Nov. 5, when the Orange host 2019 WNIT Quarterfinalist Ohio at 8 p.m. in the Dome.
The non-conference slate also pits 'Cuse against 2019 NCAA Quarterfinalist and preseason favorite Oregon in late November. 'Cuse will face Michigan on the road in the ACC/B1G Challenge and Michigan State and West Virginia at the Florida Sunshine Classic to wrap up non-conference action. The Victoria Invitational over Thanksgiving week has potential for the Orange to face 2016 national semifinalist Stanford and 2017 & 2018 national finalist Mississippi State.
Things won't slow down for Syracuse in ACC play. The Orange begin the season on the road at Louisville on Dec. 29 and face Florida State, Notre Dame and Miami all before the mid-point of January.
'Cuse hosts five of its eight ACC opponents that made the postseason last year. With the conference expanding its regular season to 18 games, Syracuse plays Boston College, Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh twice; once at home and once on the road.
Practice 1 📸 pic.twitter.com/eBGdpAdEgw
— 'Cuse Women's Hoops (@CuseWBB) September 26, 2019
Syracuse season tickets start at $75 and are available for sale by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or at The Box Office at the Ensley Athletic Center, which will operate extended hours on Mondays, from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm, and will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, for purchasing tickets to all Dome events. Limited Premium Courtside seats are still available and can be purchased by contacting a sales representative at 1-888-DOME-TIX.
To stay updated on the Syracuse Orange women's basketball team, follow @CuseWBB on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballPostgame Press Conference | Syracuse vs Auburn
Thursday, December 04
Highlights | Syracuse vs. Auburn
Thursday, December 04
Syracuse Women's Basketball
Wednesday, December 03
Postgame Press Conference | Syracuse vs. Howard
Sunday, November 30
