Young Tartan Squad Looks to Prove Worth in UAA

Nov. 2 – (ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women’s basketball team returns three starters from last year’s team including leading scorer and University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year Jacki Cortese (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy). The previous freshman came off the bench to score 11.9 points per game on 54.3% shooting in 2008-09 and will pair with fifth-year senior Rachelle Roll (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) to lead the post players. Roll finished her third season on the court averaging 7.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest, while leading the team in assists with 48.

Sophomore point guard Alex Hansen (Westlake, Ohio/Lake Ridge) and sophomore guard Ali Aunkst (Mount Holly Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) are the other returning starters for the Tartans who are looking to use a young athletic core to move up in the University Athletic Association standings. The Tartans have been picked to finish at the bottom of the league according to the coaches’ poll which was released Friday, October 30.

Sophomore Jennifer Larsen (Exeter, N.H.) will return to the post as she averaged 14 minutes a game last year after missing six games due to injury early in the season. Junior guard Jessica Buranovsky (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) and sophomore guard Nicole Vaccarella (Colts Neck, N.J.) also return after seeing substantial playing time last season.

The Tartans added additional height to the roster with the freshmen class of 2009. Forward Emily Peel (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central), and guards Tori Baggio (Coopersburg, Pa./Springside) and Brit Phillips (Parma, Ohio/Normandy), who are 5-8 and above, will be looked upon to contribute right away and fight for starting positions.

The season starts in two weeks with the team opening at home with a contest against Bethany College on Monday, November 16. The 3rd Annual Radisson UAA/OAC Challenge is the following weekend where the Tartans are matched against Marietta (2-23 in 2008-09) on Friday and John Carroll (14-12) on Saturday. Other non-UAA opponents include Grove City, Kenyon, Denison, Oberlin and Hiram. The 2008-09 squad defeated Grove City, Oberlin and Hiram as part of their 5-20 year.

University Athletic Association play will begin January 8, as the Tartans travel to Atlanta, Ga., to face Emory University at 6:00 p.m.