Seton Hall women’s basketball head coach Anthony Bozzella emphasized the impact of the team's new recruits during the team’s media day on Saturday, highlighting both the potential and versatility of this year’s roster.
With five incoming freshmen and three transfers, the team welcomes a plethora of new talent this season as SHU prepares for a rigorous schedule.
During the event, the team broke out into two smaller teams, “Blue” and “White,” for a scrimmage in Walsh Gymnasium.
“Today was important to me to see the competitiveness, see how hard we work together, see how well we play together,” Bozzella said. “I think when you meld the team together, you'll see we have a lot of different options to play.”
Last season, the team lost three key contributors, Faith Masonius, Yaya Lops, and Kaydan Lawson, to graduation. Bozzella acknowledged their absence left big shoes to fill.
"It's always hard to replace Faith and Yaya and even Kaydan,” Bozzella said. “But these three kids that we brought in, you know, as veterans, should really help us.”
Transfers Jordana Codio, Cam Rust, and Mariana Valenzuela all bring something unique to the team’s arsenal. Bozzella said that he is striving for the team to get the ball down the court faster, hoping that Codio can possibly contribute to this goal.
“She runs the floor really well,” Bozzella said.
Bozzella praised Rust, a Penn State transfer, who he said does a lot for the team. He said that was not reflected in the box score of Saturday’s scrimmage.
“She set great screens and made great passes, had a lot of tips, but she might not have gotten rebounds,” Bozzella said.
Valenzuela, being the team’s most recent addition from Florida State, has only been practicing with the team for a little over two weeks. She said the BIG EAST’s fast tempo presents a new challenge.
“I think [the gameplay] is faster,” Valenzuela said. “I feel that in my past conference, it was more physical, but I feel like I will be able to use more thinking skills—like where to be, where to set a good screen, or pass the ball and shoot the ball.”
After wrapping up a short stint playing with the Mexico National Team, Valenzuela said that she will carry over the skills she sharpened to her upcoming season at SHU.
“I’m just ready to help whatever [the team] needs: rebounds, points, some three pointers, some good passes,” Valenzuela said. “I'm ready to continue to be comfortable and to be able to impact the game.”
Not only did the team welcome three transfers this season, the team has also gained five freshmen: Ari Woodard, Natalia Hall-Rosa, Zahara Bishop, Trishay Collins, and Jada Snow.
Bozzella said he wanted to bring in freshmen that he could not only rely on, but also actively utilize throughout the season.
“Zahara Bishop is a freshman, but she doesn’t play like a freshman. [She] plays very confidently,” Bozzella said. “[She] is one of the best scoring freshmen we've ever recruited.”
After praising Bishop, Bozzella highlighted Snow’s versatility on the court.
“We can use her as a three, four, or even a short five if we have to,” Bozzella said. “She gets better every day, she's a great listener and has a really great feel for the game.”
According to Bozzella, Woodard can potentially be the backup point guard if she wins the spot.
“If she wins that, that's going to be her role to defend and make an open shot,” Bozzella said.
Collins has been out with an injury since joining the team, and while Hall-Rose just recovered from an injury herself, Bozzella said she is strong, physically fit, and can make a real difference by the time the exhibition game rolls around.
Despite so many new additions to the roster, they have been integrating into the team dynamic well, according to Valenzuela.
“We are getting good chemistry and being able to pass the ball to each other really good,” Valenzuela said. “We just need to clear some stuff in defense and rebounding, and then I think we'll be great.”
Shailyn Pinkney, with the nickname “Baby Shay” is the longest tenured player on the team. She said she is excited about the new recruits.
“We're very athletic,” Pinkney said. “[The freshmen] are very talented and we compete every day, and I just feel like we have a great group of girls.”
Savannah Catalon, a returning player for the team, echoed Pinkney’s sentiment, saying she is most excited about the versatility of the recruits.
“I feel like I can't really compare any two players that we have, because they all do something and they do that one thing so well,” Catalon said. “I'm just excited to see how [the team] clicks when the season gets going.”
Lakyn Austin is the assistant editor for The Setonian’s Features section. She can be reached at lakyn.austin@student.shu.edu.
