ITHACA, N.Y. - The 2008-09 season proved to be a rebuilding year for the Big Red women's basketball team, as it lost three starters from the 2007-08 Ivy League championship season. This year, eighth-year head coach Dayna Smith will look to build upon the tremendous experience gained by last year's squad and prepare her team as it seeks to carry on the recent success of the Big Red program.

The Big Red closed the 2008-09 season with a fourth-place finish in the Ivy League after finishing the year with a 10-16 record overall and a mark of 6-8 in the conference. With the fourth-place finish, the Big Red finished in the top half of the conference standings for the third straight season.

“We have a great core of players returning this season, which will be complimented by an extremely talented freshmen class,” said Smith. “We're excited for the first day of practice and to get everyone on the floor together and see what they can do.”

The Backcourt
The backcourt should be the strength of the 2009-10 squad, highlighted by the team's three captains – Lauren Benson, a second-team All-Ivy selection, Allie Fedorowicz and Virginia McMunigal. Joining them will be a pair of upperclassmen that have the ability to play both guard and forward – junior Susie Doyle and sophomore Allison Abt – as well as a trio of talented newcomers – Caitlin Costello, Taylor Flynn and Spencer Lane.

For the past two seasons, Benson has been the floor general for the Big Red, starting the last 69 straight games and playing a full 40 minutes on 13 occasions. Her 36.9 minutes per game last season ranks third all-time in Cornell history. As a sophomore, she set the school record for assists in a single-season and she enters her final season needing just 97 more assists to become Cornell's career leader. A player with great athleticism and scrappiness, Benson is a hard worker who brings a tenacious playing style to the Big Red.

“Lauren is an extremely talented point guard who has the ability to run and see the floor well,” said Smith. “Last season, she showed her toughness by the amount of minutes she played for us and she's going to leave Cornell as one of the best point guards in school history.”

Fedorowicz became a full-time starter as a junior and found herself as one of the Big Red's most productive offensive threats. She ranked first on the team and 11th in the Ivy League with 11.4 points per game, while pulling down a respectable 3.8 rebounds per contest. A solid shooter, she connected on .371 percent from the floor, .303 from 3-point range and .826 from the free-throw line. A smart player with good shooting range, she is a pure shooter who also isn't afraid to put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop.

“Allie works really hard on her game,” said Smith. “She's always willing to put in extra time in the gym shooing, and that is her greatest strength. Her accuracy and scoring ability will be key for us this season.”

McMunigal moved into a starting role as a junior, seeing action in all 26 games and making 20 starts. She averaged nearly 30 minutes per contest and finished the year ranked fourth on the team in both scoring (8.2 ppg) and rebounding (3.9 rpg.). A player with the ability to score in a variety of ways, she should take an even greater role in the Big Red offense during her final season.

“Virginia has seen more and more playing time as her career has gone on,” said Smith. “She has a very accurate shot and excellent range and that really compliments Lauren and Allie, giving us three legitimate scoring threats.”

Abt, an All-Ivy Rookie Team selection a year ago, is an extremely tough player, who persevered through several injuries during her rookie campaign. She came on strong in the second half of the season and showed glimpses of what she can accomplish when healthy. A versatile player with great size, Abt was effective underneath, as well as beyond the arc. She finished the year with 6.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, but saw both those numbers increase significantly during conference action, scoring 8.6 points and pulling down 3.4 rebounds per game against Ancient Eight opponents.

“Allison suffered through some injuries during her freshman year and that really hindered her in terms of playing time,” said Smith. “However, we know she has great talent and has the potential to be a big player for us.”

Doyle, a member of the U16, U17 and U18 Irish national teams, saw action in 24 games during the season, making 17 starts, including nine starts during Ivy League play. She averaged nearly 20 minutes per contest and established herself as a solid rebounder, pulling down 4.5 caroms per contest. As her game and skills continue to develop, she will be looking to become a bigger part of the Big Red offense this season.

“Susie saw a big jump in her playing time last season,” said Smith. “She proved to be instrumental on the boards and hopefully she will build on that experience and be an even bigger contributor for us this season.”

Costello was a four-year varsity starter at Holy Trinity high school, a two-year captain, and a three-time NSCHSAA All-Long Island team selection. She was a McDonald's All-American nominee and a Rise Magazine New York honorable mention selection as a senior. A six-year member of the Long Island Lightning AAU program with fellow incoming freshman Taylor Flynn, she was a key member of the Holy Trinity team that made it to the state championship game in 2007-08.

“Caitlin is a tall guard that does all the little things,” said Smith. “She is a good rebounder and passer and a scrappy defender. Our staff is looking forward to adding Caitlin's tenacity and gritty style of play to the team this season.”

Flynn was one of the top senior guards on Long Island and was named a McDonald's All-American nominee. A four-year letter winner at St. Anthony's high school, she ranked among the top 10 in the Catholic High School Athletic Association in points, rebounds and 3-pointers made as a senior. She was a Rise Magazine New York Metro honorable mention selection and was a first-team all-league selection as a junior and senior following a second-team selection as a sophomore. A two-time team captain, she was named second-team All-Long Island twice and was a Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame nominee. Flynn was also named her school's Athlete of the Year.

“Taylor is a versatile guard with a scoring mentality that has the ability to make other players around her better,” said Smith. “Her skill with the ball, her all-around scoring ability and her great court sense will make for a strong Cornell career and we look forward to big things from her.”

Lane was a four-year varsity letter winner at Detroit Country Day School where she led her team to back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior. She was an all-state selection twice. As a senior, she averaged 6.7 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.

“Spencer is a quick, explosive point guard that has a terrific handle and will complement Lauren Benson in her final season,” said Smith. “She is a tenacious defender and a superb playmaker and her ability to distribute the ball will be a tremendous addition to the Cornell Big Red guard core this season.”

The Frontcourt
The frontcourt has the biggest holes to fill with the loss of All-Ivy performer Shannan Scarselletta, but the coaching staff will look to sophomores Allie Munson and Christine Vlasic, as well as talented newcomers Kristina Danielak, Clare Fitzpatrick and Whitney Hagan to control the post.

A player with great size and strength, Munson provided great depth to the forward core during her freshman season. She finished the year as the only rookie to see action in all 26 games and averaged nearly 14 minutes per contest. She averaged 3.2 points per game and 3.6 rebounds per game and saw her numbers improve against Ivy League opponents with 4.3 points and rebounds per game vs. the Ancient Eight.

“Allie got thrown into the fire last season,” said Smith. “She saw a lot of playing time and learned a great deal very quickly. That along with the fact that she attended Pete Newell's Tall Women's Basketball Camp this summer should help her this season take on an even bigger role.”

Standing at 6-4, Vlasic brings much needed height to the Big Red. She saw action in 24 games, making four starts and averaging nearly 12 minutes of playing time per contest. Vlasic finished her rookie season averaging 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She also ranked third on the team with 10 blocked shots on the year. A feisty competitor that saw solid time as a freshman, she has a nice shooting touch and an ability to face the basket and score from the perimeter.

“Christine also attended Pete Newell's Tall Women's Basketball Camp this summer,” said Smith. “That experience, combined with her size, ability to run the floor and nice shooting touch will make her a great compliment to our other forwards.”

Danielak was a three-year letter winner at Liberty Hill high school and was a first-team all-district selection her junior season. As a senior captain she led her team to a district championship. Danielak also earned academic all-district honors three times.

“Kristina's ability to run the floor and rebound will mesh nicely with the core of returning forwards in 2009-10,” said Smith. “Her overall athleticism and versatility has our staff very excited about what she'll bring to the team during her freshman season.”

Fitzpatrick lettered four times at the Canterbury School. She holds the school scoring record with 1,521 points and eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau as a junior in just her 55th game. Fitzpatrick also set the individual game scoring record at Canterbury with a 43-point performance during the 2007-08 season. A three-time captain, she was named her team's MVP all four seasons. Fitzpatrick led her team to the Class C New England Prep School Championship in 2009 and was named MVP of the championship game. She also earned NEPSAC All-Star team honors in her final three seasons.

“Clare is hard working forward who plays all over the floor,” said Smith. “She has an intense, physical playing style and has the ability to score in a variety of ways. Clare was a consistent force in the paint for the Canterbury School and she will add depth to the Big Red forward core. Her knack for finishing and her strong rebounding skills will be a welcome addition to the frontcourt in 2009-10.”

A four-year letter winner at the Marist School, Hagan helped the War Eagles to an overall record of 109-16 and two AAAA state runner-up finishes. As a senior captain, she led the team to a region championship and an appearance in the state's Elite Eight while averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. She was named to the 2008-09 AAAA All-State second-team, as well as the Atlanta Tip-Off Club's all-metro team. She was also a finalist for the Georgia Scholar Athlete Award. As a junior, Hagan was named all-state honorable mention, earned a spot on the 4SHOT HOOPS Underclassmen Team and was named to the Atlanta Journal all-area team. Hagan helped her AAU team, the Georgia Pistols, to a Division I state championship, as well as a national final four appearance.

“Whitney is a strong forward that can score with her back to the basket,” said Smith. “She has a terrific feel on the block and is an excellent passer. She should have an immediate impact on our forward core.”

The Schedule
This season, the Big Red will play a well balanced and competitive schedule during the 2009-10 season. Along with the ever-challenging Ivy League schedule, the Big Red will participate in two tournaments and play host to ACC foe Miami (Fla.) at Newman Arena.

“We're very excited about the upcoming schedule,” said Smith. “We're in two quality tournaments with the potential to play DePaul and Virginia, both of whom went to the NCAA tournament last season. That, along with a home game against Miami, should challenge our team and will hopefully benefit us when Ivy League play begins.”

For the first time in Smith's eight-year tenure, Cornell opens the season at home as it plays host to Duquesne on Nov. 13. The Big Red remains home as it welcomes cross-town rival Ithaca to Newman Arena on Nov. 15.

After taking part in the DePaul Classic from Nov. 20-21, the Big Red returns to Ithaca to play host to IUPUI on Nov. 24. The team will then hit the road, but stay in the state, as it travels to Albany to face the Great Danes on Nov. 29.

After a one-year hiatus, Cornell will renew its rivalry with Colgate, as the Raiders visit Newman Arena on Dec. 3, serving as the final game before the Big Red enters a 15-day exam period.

The Big Red travels to Manhattan College on Dec. 19, before returning home for the highly-anticipated match-up with the Hurricanes on Dec. 21.

Following a short holiday break, Cornell partakes in its final tournament of the season, at Virginia on Dec. 28-29.

Cornell will open the 2010 portion of its schedule in Binghamton, taking on the Bearcats on Jan. 4, before concluding its non-conference schedule against Bucknell at home on Jan. 6.

The Ivy League portion of the schedule begins with the home-and-home series vs. Columbia. Cornell plays host to the Lions on Jan. 16, before traveling to New York City on Jan. 23.

The first full slate of Ivy League games takes place on the following weekend as Cornell heads to Dartmouth and Harvard on Jan. 29-30, before traveling to Yale and Brown on Feb. 5-6.

The Big Red returns to Ithaca for a four-game home stand with contests vs. Penn and Princeton on Feb. 12-13, followed by games with Harvard and Dartmouth on Feb. 19-20.

Cornell closes out February at Princeton and Penn on Feb. 26-27, before concluding the regular season with home games vs. Brown and Yale on March 5-6.