Women’s Basketball Opens Season Saturday

Cayuga Community College Women's Basketball opens their 2023-24 season this weekend determined to take a step forward in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and Region III.

The Spartans feature a balanced and versatile roster this season that's already gained valuable experience in a pair of early-season scrimmages. Their regular season starts at home Saturday, Nov. 4, against Herkimer College. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Coach Jim Alberici said the team has worked hard to prepare for the season and played well in scrimmages against Monroe Community College and the Ithaca College club team in October.

"This is a great group that has come together as a team from the first day of practice," he said. "They work hard, we've got great team chemistry, and they're committed to each other and the team's success. We're getting better each day and we're looking ahead to the start of the season."

The Spartans' balanced roster saw five players score in double figures between the scrimmages against Monroe and Ithaca. Their versatility should allow them to lean on different scorers throughout the season and use diverse sets on defense, said Alberici.

Cayuga has three sophomores, including captains Avrey Colton and Maddy Weed, and five freshmen on the roster. With Haley Mosch (5'11") and Madison Auxier (5'10"), the Spartans also have more height and length than in past seasons, noted Alberici.

"It's not just our height, but also our length. A lot of our roster has good length, which should challenge other teams on the defensive end," he said. "I think that's going to be a strength for us this season."

A challenging schedule awaits the Spartans in Region III, including contests against Onondaga Community College and Fulton-Montgomery Community College, both of whom reached the NJCAA Division III Championship Tournament last year. The Mid-State Athletic Conference Tournament, which takes the top four teams in the conference, has also been reinstituted for this season.

Alberici said the team has set several goals, including reaching both the MSAC Tournament and the Region III tournament, scheduled to be held this year at Jefferson Community College.

"We've talked this year about each game being important. Right now we're focused on getting better each day and winning each day in practice," he said. "If we keep doing that, which I believe we will, we should be fine."

The Spartans follow the home opener Nov. 4 against Herkimer with a pair of conference games. They travel to Finger Lakes Community College on Nov. 9 and host Tompkins Cortland Community College on Nov. 11.