By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
PRESQUE ISLE — What a difference a year has made for UM-Presque Isle women’s basketball coach Marc Heidorf.
Contributed photo/UMPI Athletic Department
UMPI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL — Members of the 2012-13 University of Maine at Presque Isle women’s basketball team are, in front from left, manager Mariah Brewer, Darby Toth, Emily Pelletier, Olivia McNally and Randi Kaplan. Back row, student assistant coach Renee Moore, Brigitte Pratt, Janel Sewell, Kylee Alton, student assistant coach Bryan Jennings, Doni Yendriga, Amanda Hotham and manager Taylor Dulmage. The team’s head coach is Marc Heidorf.
He was hired during the summer of 2011 and didn’t have much time to prepare for his first season at the helm of the Owl women’s team. Having a year under his belt and becoming acclimated to the area has him ready for the 2012-13 campaign.
“Having a full offseason in the program has been hugely beneficial to us as we build this program. We are more organized and we were able to put a schedule together with more home games [13 this year compared to eight last season],” said Heidorf. “It has also allowed us to do new things like starting a women’s basketball Star City Classic (which will be held Jan. 12 and 13, 2013), team up with area businesses for fun promotions and obviously getting a few players back with a year under their belts together gives us another chance to build continuity.”
UMPI returns only three players from last year’s squad.
Emily Pelletier of Fort Kent is the lone senior. Heidorf calls the 5-5 guard a strong leader and a “plus” outside shooter who “has worked hard to add driving the lane to her repertoire.”
“She also has the ability to set the tone for our defense,” the coach remarked.
Much is expected this season of 5-5 junior guard Olivia McNally, of Sherman.
“She has all the tools to take a big step up in her development,” Heidorf said. “She works hard and is beginning to trust her game. She is a smart player who will have an impact.”
The third returnee is 5-9 forward Brigitte Pratt, a sophomore from Southwest Harbor who is back for her second season.
“Brigitte is a very smart player that picks up on keys and concepts quickly,” Heidorf said. A great role player last season, she will see an increased role in the offense as also will mentor incoming post players.”
There are six newcomers on the UMPI roster and several will be expected to make key contributions immediately.
Doni Yendriga, a 6-foot forward-center from Conneaut, Ohio, starts in the frontcourt. The freshman brings size to a team that did not have anyone taller than 5-8 a season ago.
“Doni will be looked upon to help with the rebounding numbers as well as give the team a presence in the offensive low post,” Heidorf said. “She has a good basketball mind and as she continues to progress with her conditioning will have a chance to make an immediate impact.”
Darby Toth, a 5-4 freshman from North Port, Fla., will have the first crack at replacing all-conference player Emily Moore as the starting point guard.
“Darby has a unique ability to sneak into the paint and get off shots before post players can offer help on her drives,” Heidorf said. “Starting at point guard as a freshman is a tall task and she will have her hands full. However, she is a gym rat who loves stats, game film and is always looking to learn more.”
Janel Sewell, a 6-2 freshman from Mobile, Ala., will help fortify a frontcourt that has no starters back from last year. She battled injuries during the preseason, but was healthy for the team’s Nov. 17 opener and is expected to bolster the squad’s interior defense.
Kylee Alton, a freshman from Burnham, has been a big surprise during the preseason. The 5-5 guard, who played at Maine Central Institute, has displayed strong fundamentals at both ends of the court, according to Heidorf.
Sophomore Randi Kaplan, a 5-7 sophomore from Embden, returns after a year away from the team. She will look to bring some much needed physicality and defensive intensity to the Owls this season.
Amanda Hotham, a 5-7 freshman guard-forward from Fort Fairfield, is a perfect example of someone has a “nose for the ball,” according to Heidorn.
“When it comes to rebounding, size does not matter for Amanda. She’s going to get the ball, and does not let the size or contact from the opponent stop her,” said the coach. “Having played a lot of post at Fort Fairfield, she has worked hard to increase her shooting range and seems primed to eventually become a defender’s nightmare since she can post you up just as easily as she can knock down a three right in front of you.”
The Owls have started 0-3, with losses coming to New Hampshire Technical Institute, Eastern Maine Community College and Southern Maine Community College, but Heidorf is confident he’ll see improvement from the Owls as the season moves along.
“With returning only two starters, the biggest keys will be how quickly our freshmen can assimilate themselves to the college game. They will be asked to learn on the go, which is not an easy task. But you can already see the desire and dedication they have and I am excited to see them progress together,” Heidorf said. “As we build confidence, I believe we can be very solid as we get into January and February. We have an unbelievable stretch of home games in January against some very tough opponents. That is going to be a great opportunity to see where we are as a team.”
