BRUNSWICK — The Bowdoin College women’s basketball team enjoyed one of the most successful campaigns in its history last season.
The Polar Bears enjoyed an exciting run in the Division III NCAA Tournament, advancing to the national final, losing to New England Small College Athletic Conference rival Amherst, 65-45.
Bowdoin finished the season with an outstanding 29-3 mark, led by seniors Kate Kerrigan, who earned National Player of the Year accolades, vocal leader and Brunswick native Lydia Caputi and 3-point shooter Lauren Petit.
While the trio graduated, the national runners-up returns a talented squad that is poised for another deep run in March.
This year’s edition returns a solid core of players, including four seniors — Abby Kelly, Taylor Choate, Cordelia Stewart and Hannah Graham.
“Our seniors are four key returners and will be enormous contributors and leaders this year,” coach Adrienne Shibles said, entering her 11th season at the helm and compiling a 213-63 record along the way, winning one NESCAC title with nine NCAA Tournament berths.
Kelly returns to the backcourt after leading the team in scoring a year ago. The guard averaged 11.7 points per game, earning Second-Team All-NESCAC honors.
Choate will once again run the offense from the point-guard position, bringing a lot of playing experience to the court and figuring to be a key defensive player for the Polar Bears.
Bangor native Stewart is also returning to the starting lineup. The 6-foot, 2-inch center will provide a presence in the paint, while Graham, who coach Shibles says is a “talented guard/forward,” will contribute with “lots, of offensive poise and intelligence.”
Bowdoin enters the 2018/19 campaign as the No. 2-ranked team in Division III, according to the preseason poll released by D3hoops.com. The Polar Bears received a pair of first-place votes in the poll. Defending national champion Amherst returns as the top-ranked team, while another NESCAC rival, Tufts, enters the season as the sixth-ranked team in the nation.
All of that is preseason hype that will be determined on the floor over the next several months, and Shibles and company are ready for the challenge.
“We have high expectations for this team,” the coach said. “They have the work ethic and attitude to go far.”
The Polar Bears will open the year this weekend, hosting the Coastal Classic Tip-Off Tournament in Morrell Gymnasium. They will play Regis on Friday (5 p.m.) and will face Colby-Sawyer on Saturday (4 p.m.).
Following the weekend tournament, the team closes out the month by traveling to the University of New England (Nov. 20) and hosting MIT (Nov. 25).
Other key match-ups this season include a trip to Waterville to take on Colby (Dec. 1), home against Bates (Dec. 8), at Tufts (Jan. 5), home vs. Colby (Jan. 19) and a national championship rematch with Amherst (Jan. 26), with the regular season finale at home against Wesleyan on Feb. 9.
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