NEC women’s basketball notebook

FDU head coach Stephanie Gaitley returns to NEC this season. (Photo by Ray Floriani/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

NEWARK, N.J. — The Northeast Conference media day, held last week at the Prudential Center, featured the men’s and women’s teams of the NEC. Chosen first unanimously on the women’s side was Sacred Heart, with a wealth of talent returning from its championship team of last season. 

The following is the poll, and a few thoughts on the conference:

1) Sacred Heart 

2) Merrimack 

3) Wagner

4) FDU

5) Stonehill

6) LIU

7) Saint Francis

8) Le Moyne

9) CCSU

She’s back: FDU head coach Stephanie Gaitley returns for a third time in the NEC. Gaitley coached at LIU from 2002 through 2008, then Monmouth 2008 from through 2011. She then moved on to Fordham, where she coached through 2022.

“After Fordham I took a year off,” Gaitley said at NEC media day. “My mom passed away and there were other issues. I decided to coach my old high school team (Ocean City, NJ) with my sister, Coco. We won a championship.”

When Ang Szumilo, her former Fordham assistant, took the Iona job and FDU opened, it sounded intriguing. 

“I’ve known (AD) Brad Hurlbut for some time and Coco played here,” Gaitley recalled. “I thought it was a good fit.”

Gaitley led Monmouth to the 2011 NEC title game but came up short.

“I’ve been in the league a few years and never won the championship,” she said. “That’s something I want at FDU.”

Unanimous choice: For Sacred Heart, there was no talk of the Pioneers or Merrimack leaving the NEC for the MAAC next season. That’s fine, as coach Jessica Mannetti is focused on this season’s challenge of defending the NEC title.

“We are honored to be picked number one,” Mannetti said. “In this league, though, predictions mean nothing. You have to bring your A game every night.”

Led by sophomore guard Ny’Ceara Pryor, the NEC Player of the Year as a freshman, the Pioneers return all five starters.

“We are fortunate to have a great group back,” Mannetti said. “A lot of programs speak of family, but we are truly a family at Sacred Heart.”

Trials and prognostications: Merrimack’s Kelly Morrone spoke of the challenges the NEC presents. 

“You have dynamic players,” she noted. “You have undersized post players with different and multiple skill sets. Some teams lose players and reload, then you have the normal issues of travel and staying healthy.”

The Warriors finished 14-16 last year and were eliminated by Sacred Heart in the conference semifinals. Merrimack is picked number two in the poll. Morrone is not a bit concerned nor flattered about where her group is picked in the conference race.

“Preseason polls are just that,” she said.

New kids on the block: Le Moyne is the newcomer in the NEC,  making the move from Division II. Coach Mary Grimes hopes to have her group battle tested and ready after facing the likes of Colorado State, Colorado, Stony Brook, USC, Rhode Island and Princeton, to name a few. Grimes mentioned the Dolphins’ exhibition last year as something to build on.

“We led Syracuse late at the Carrier Dome,” the coach said. “It was a great environment and we handled it facing a great team. It was an unbelievable experience. We just take it day to day.”

Optimistic outlook: Central Connecticut is coming off a 7-22 season. The Blue Devils are picked at the bottom of the NEC, but new coach Way Veney is optimistic.

“This is a first for me being picked ninth, but it’s a challenge,” Veney said.

Senior guard Belle Lanpher said Veney has been tough in practice, “but in a good way. As a group we are definitely more passionate and disciplined.”

Prior to CCSU, Veney spent 15 years as a Temple assistant. She looks forward to the NEC, calling it a league with fantastic coaches.

“You have to prepare to face good defenses and offensive players,” she said. “In the end though we will focus on what we do and getting better every day.”