Feb. 1, 2005
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The Game
The UMES Lady Hawks, tied for third place in the MEAC, play their final non-conference match-up of the season against American University Wednesday in Washington, DC. The Lady Hawks, in the midst of a stretch of seven games in 15 days, come in at 7-11 (6-4 MEAC) after consecutive conference wins over N.C A&T Saturday and South Carolina State Monday.
The Eagles, led by first-year head coach Melissa McFerrin, have lost nine of their last 12 games following a 5-2 start to the season. The team, which lost in the Patriot League championship game last season, fell to the Lady Hawks 80-73 at the Hytche Center Feb. 4th. This is UMES' third Patriot League opponent this season (0-2).
News and Notes
PG Erica Bennett has missed seven of the Lady Hawks' last ten games (12/20-illness, 1/10-suspension, 1/17,19,26,29,31-ankle), and is questionable for Wednesday's game. Without her, the Lady Hawks are averaging 25.7 turnovers/game (with her 22.2 TO's/gm)...Freshman Kristi Veltkamp has scored in double-figures in seven of her past ten games (11.4 ppg) after failing to score more than nine points in any of her first eight games (4.3 ppg)...Walk-on Toni Kennedy is leading the Lady Hawks in scoring (10.8 ppg). In her past five games she has struggled though, shooting 8-12 FG's at N.C. A&T 1/29, but a combined 7-40 FG's (18%) the other 4 games...Octavia Thompson, the Lady Hawks leading returning scorer from `03-'04, left the team due to personal reasons after the December 6th game. The senior was averaging 8.3 ppg in four games played this season...UMES has taken an early lead in 8 of its 11 losses (13-3 vs. Laf., 11-4 vs. Tow., 16-8 vs. LIU, 17-7 vs. Mia., 18-7 vs. Win., 13-8 vs. Tem, 12-7 at Hamp., 6-0 vs. Copp.). UMES then trailed at halftime of 6 of those 8 games.
Hey Bulldog
The Lady Hawks overcame poor shooting and 29 turnovers Monday to defeat the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs 63-53, and move into a tie for third place in the MEAC. UMES forced 31 turnovers and held the SCSU to 37% shooting from the field.
After trailing by five early, the Lady Hawks (7-11, 6-4 MEAC) took the lead thanks to a 15-4 run midway through the first half at 23-17. SCSU (7-11, 2-7 MEAC) was able to keep it close however, and trailed only 30-27 after a sloppy first half that featured a combined 33 turnovers.
The Lady Bulldogs scored the first five points of the second half to reclaim the lead, but UMES responded with a 12-1 spurt that gave them the lead for good, 42-33 with 12:25 left. S.C. State was able to cut the deficit to three at 49-46 with under three minutes remaining, but thanks to 10-12 free throw shooting in the final two minutes, the Lady Hawks finished on a 14-7 run to win by 10.
Ashley Chase paced three players in double figures for the Lady Hawks with a game high 16 points, while Jamila Griffith finished with her second straight double-double, tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds. Diana Morency and Evena Morency led SCSU, scoring 14 and 12, respectively.
UMES Lady Hawks (7-11, 6-4 MEAC)
2004-'05 Schedule:
Previous Games
Date Game Result
11/10 Wilm. Coll. (Ex) W 90-44
11/19 vs. Lafayette# L 44-60
11/20 at Eastern Michigan# L 52-80
11/23 Towson L 68-73
11/26 at LIU^ L 49-56
11/27 vs. Miami^ L 64-88
11/30 at Winthrop W 62-55
12/4 Delaware State* W 58-56
12/6 Howard* L 70-86
12/20 at Bucknell L 48-60
12/30 at Temple L 53-77
1/8 at Florida A&M* W 71-68 (OT)
1/10 at Beth-Cook.* W 67-55
1/17 at Hampton* L 46-51
1/19 at Norfolk St.* L 46-63
1/24 Morgan State* W 65-51
1/26 Coppin State* L 51-77
1/29 at N.C. A&T* W 85-75 (OT)
1/31 vs. S. Car. St.* W 63-53
Upcoming Games:
Date Game Time
2/2 at American 7:00 pm
2/5 at Delaware St.* 2:00 pm
2/7 at Howard* 6:00 pm
2/12 Florida A&M* 2:00 pm
2/14 Beth-Cookman* 5:30 pm
2/19 Norfolk State* 2:00 pm
2/21 Hampton* 5:30 pm
2/26 at Coppin State* 5:30 pm
2/28 at Morgan State* 5:30 pm
3/7-12 MEAC Tourn. TBA
#=Eastern Michigan Eagle Classic
^=LIU Turkey Classic
*denotes MEAC conference game
Fred Batchelor- Head Coach
Fred Batchelor is in his first year as head coach of the Lady Hawks (7-11 record). He comes to Princess Anne after two seasons as head women's basketball coach at Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina), where he took his team as high as third place in the CIAA. Batchelor has a career head coaching record of 62-45 over four seasons.
Before moving to the CIAA, Batchelor spent two seasons as head women's basketball coach at Buffalo State College. There, he guided the Bengals to a regular season championship of the SUNY Athletic Conference in his final season (2001-`02.) That season he led his team to a Division III NCAA Tournament appearance and was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year. In 2000-'01, Batchelor led Buffalo State to a fourth place conference finish.
Batchelor has also served as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's basketball teams at Buffalo State, a men's assistant coach at the University of Buffalo, men's head coach and Athletic Director at Villa Maria Junior College and men's head coach at his alma mater Valley Forge Christian College.
Batchelor graduated from Valley Forge Christian College in 1988.
Assistant Coaches
Revonda Whitley- Assistant Coach
Revonda Whitley, a first-year assistant at UMES, serves as the recruiting coordinator in charge of player development, budgeting, and scheduling for the Lady Hawks. Whitley comes to UMES from Elizabeth City State University, where she served in the same capacity under then-head coach Fred Batchelor.
Prior to her post at Elizabeth City, Whitley coached high school girls and AAU boys basketball in Columbia, SC. She has a Bachelors degree from Winthrop University and a Masters in Human Performance and Sport Studies from the University of Tennessee.
Chris Massey- Assistant Coach
Chris Massey, another first-year assistant at UMES, comes to Princess Anne from New York state where he made several coaching stops in the high school and collegiate ranks. Massey was most recently head women's coach at Mt. Mercy Academy, where he complied a 49-6 overall record in two seasons.
Massey worked in the college ranks at Buffalo State College under then-head coach, Fred Batchelor in 2001-`02. That season the Bengals won the SUNYAC Championship with a 25-4 record.
Destiney Avent- Assistant Coach
Destiney Avent is in her second season as an assistant coach at UMES. She returned to her alma mater (`02) after spending one season as the head women's basketball coach at Montgomery Community College.
Avent played for two seasons at UMES, earning team MVP honors in 2002. Before her time in Princess Anne, Avent played two seasons at Tallahassee Community College. Avent holds a B.S. degree from UMES in Hotel and Restaurant Management.
MEAC 2004-`05 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Rk School Points
1. Delaware St. (13) 432
2. Hampton (6) 422
3. Coppin State (2) 352
4. Florida A&M 340
5. Howard (1) 248
6. Bethune-Cook. 234
7. MD East. Shore 190
8. Norfolk State 148
9. South Carolina State 138
10. North Carolina A&T 104
11. Morgan State 54
Preseason MEAC First Team
G Mandy Clark, Delaware St.
G Terrell Waller, Delaware St.
G Katie Clark, Bethune-Cook.
G Sharema Dean, Hampton
C Leisel Harry, Coppin St.
Second Team
F Sherrie Tucker, Coppin St.
G Kiesha Beard, Hampton
F Evena Morency, S. Car. St.
F Yomika Corbitt, Norfolk St.
C Elana Greene, FAMU
Player of the Year:
Mandy Clark, Delaware St.
-Selected in a vote by MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
