Newburgh, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Women's Basketball team will take the court for a game for the first time since February 27, 2020, a span of 622 days, on Tuesday when it travels to local foe New Paltz for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off with the Hawks. A challenging first week for the Knights continues on Thursday when #24 George Fox makes a visit to the Kaplan Center. Live Stats and Video will be available for both games on tap this week.
 
Spectator Policies: Please click here for important spectator information for events held at New Paltz and here for contests hosted by Mount Saint Mary.
 
At A Glance: In its last season prior to Covid-19 cancelling the 2020-21 campaign, Mount Saint Mary posted a 20-6 overall record and an 18-2 mark against Skyline Conference rivals. The Knights entered the Skyline Conference Championship as the top-seed but were tripped up in the conference semifinal round by St. Joseph's-Brooklyn.
 
Mount Saint Mary returns 10 players from the 2019-20 season, including four of its top six scorers. Morina Bojka (Prospect, Conn.) and Annie Keenan (Nesconset, N.Y.) headline the returning group after being named First Team and Second Team All-Skyline Conference, respectively.
 
Head Coach: Colleen Ames is back for her second season (third year overall) on the sidelines for the Knights and looks to build on the 20-6 record she mentored in 2019-20. Ames put together a challenging schedule in 2021-22 that features non-conference games and New Paltz, George Fox, Oneonta, Sage and New York University.
 
Backcourt: A crowded position group returns seven players from the 2019-20 roster as well as a talented group of 10 newcomers.
 
Katie Smith (Goshen, N.Y.) is back after missing two years, suffering an injury in 2019-20 and the cancellation of the 2020-21 season due to Covid-19. Smith was a Second Team All-Skyline Conference pick in 2018-19 after averaging 10.3 points per game and leading the team in assists with 89.
 
Lauren Desrats (Warwick, N.Y.) made a team-high 53 three-point field goals in 2019-20, averaging 10.5 points and 3.4 rebounds while handing out 60 assists and swiping 33 steals. She is joined in the backcourt by Toriana Tabasco (Hillsdale, N.J.) who led the Knights with 69 offensive rebounds in 2019-20 and produced 7.4 points and 5.9 boards per game to go along with 59 assists and 56 steals.
 
The guard group also welcomes back Julia Lavin (Ledyard, Conn.), Kylie Sisto (Ballston Lake, N.Y.), Katelyn McCann (Blooming Grove, N.Y.) and Cameron Villanueva (Columbia, Conn.). Lavin appeared in 17 games in 2019-20 with Villanueva seeing time in 26 contests and averaging 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds to go along with 28 assists. McCann appeared in eight games in her rookie season with Sisto seeing time in 10 contests.
 
Ames and the Knights welcome in a talent group of newcomers that will look to step into the fold off the jump in 2021-22. Academic sophomores appearing in their first collegiate action this season include: Erin Smith (Goshen, N.Y.), Alyssa Caswell (Fishkill, N.Y.), Kate Hughes (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) and Charlotte Twohig (Syosset, N.Y.).
 
Asia Rivera (Saddle River, N.J.) and Madison Burke (Kingston, N.Y.) will suit up for the first time for the Knights in 2021-22 with Rivera entering her senior season after playing the 2019-20 campaign at Division II Felician.
 
The Mount is also excited to welcome freshmen Brooke Leahy (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.), Shannon Phelan (Tappan, N.Y.), Casey Love (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Cailean Nolan (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) to the mix in 2021-22.
 
Front Court: Bojka and Keenan headline the front court for the Knights as the duo returns after leading the Mount in scoring in 2019-20.
 
Bojka was named First Team All-Skyline Conference after averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Bojka shot 46-percent from the floor overall and knocked in 37 three-point field goals to go along with 47 assists and 45 steals.
 
Keenan returns after a Second Team All-League season that saw her pour in 11.3 points per game and haul down just over nine rebounds per outing. Keenan was second on the team in offensive rebounds with 67 and closed a strong all-around season with 53 assists, 51 steals and a team-high 28 blocked shots.
 
Gabriella Rafaniello (Brooklyn, N.Y.) returns after appearing in 24 games in 2019-20 and averaging 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Rafaniello closed out the season with 24 assists, 23 steals and seven blocked shots.
 
Mount Saint Mary adds depth to the front line this season with the addition of Ciarra Quinn (Bayside, N.Y.) for the upcoming campaign.
 
The Schedule: The Knights travel to New Paltz on Tuesday before welcoming back former head coach Michael Coppolino and his George Fox Bruins to the Kaplan Center on Thursday evening.
 
The Knights open Skyline Conference play with road games at Purchase and St. Joseph's-Brooklyn before heading into Thanksgiving with a home game against league rival the College of Mount Saint Vincent on November 23.
 
Mount Saint Mary concludes the 2021 portion of the schedule with four of the final five games on the road, hosting St. Joseph's-L.I. on December 9 to finish off the stretch.
 
Mount Saint Mary opens the New Year at NYU before playing exclusively within the Skyline Conference following the tussle with the Violets. The second semester is highlighted by a pair of three-game home stands.
 
Schedule Note: The 2021-22 schedule is subject to sudden change based on any new guidance released by New York State, the Skyline Conference and/or the NCAA.