1 HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
NEED TO KNOW GAME DAY NOTES
BY THE #’S
500
Senior guard Jada Lucas scored her 500th career point on Jan. 10 against UMass Lowell. After scoring 67 total points over her first two seasons, she hit the milestone after averaging 12.1 points over her last 39 games.
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Junior Charlette Leurs has registered 12 blocks in 2020-21, which are tied for third-most in the league. In eight games, she has already surpassed her previous career high (11), set last season.
12.8
After grabbing 14 boards against UMass Lowell on Jan. 10, forward Sierra Smith is averaging 12.8 rebounds per game in her last three appearances. She ranks second in the conference, averaging 8.5 boards per game this season.
NOTES TO KNOW SETTING THE SCENE
After dropping both contests at NJIT in its last time out, the Hartford women’s basketball team is back in action with a two-game set against Stony Brook inside Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion. Both Saturday and Sunday’s games are scheduled for 1 p.m. tipoffs.
PAULA THE BALLA
Making her presence felt in West Hartford early in her career, freshman forward Paula Maurina is averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Starting in nine of 10 games for the Hawks, she has led the team in scoring twice this season. Recently netting a team-high 11 points against Umass Lowell, Maurina scored 12 in her collegiate debut against Maine (Dec. 22) to become the first rookie since Sierra DaCosta (201617) to drop double figures in her first appearance.
THE BELLERAND OF THE BALL A mainstay in the Hartford lineup, senior transfer Breyenne Bellerand has made immediate contributions for the Hawks. Her 8.1 points per game rank second on the team, while her team-best 1.6 steals per game are tied for sixth in the America East. Bellerand nabbed a career-high four steals on Jan. 10 against UMass Lowell.
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SCHEDULE & RESULTS
HARTFORD HAWKS 3-7 OVERALL [3-7 AMERICA EAST] DEC. 22
MAINE
ESPN+
L, 57-85
DEC. 23
MAINE
ESPN+
L, 49-52
DEC. 28
NEW HAMPSHIRE
ESPN+
W, 53-50
DEC. 29
NEW HAMPSHIRE
ESPN+
W, 64-57
Jan. 2
at Binghamton
ESPN+
W, 64-54
Jan. 3
at Binghamton
ESPN+
L, 44-52
JAN. 9
UMASS LOWELL
ESPN+
L, 45-81
JAN. 10
UMASS LOWELL
ESPN+
L, 52-74
JAN. 16
UMBC
ESPN3 POSTPONED
JAN. 17
UMBC
ESPN3 POSTPONED
Jan. 17
at NJIT
ESPN3
L, 51-65
Jan. 18
at NJIT
ESPN+
L, 42-62
JAN. 30
STONY BROOK
ESPN+
1 p.m.
JAN. 31
STONY BROOK
ESPN3
1 p.m.
FEB. 13
TBD
ESPN3/+ TBD
FEB. 14
TBD
ESPN3/+ TBD
Feb. 27
TBD
ESPN3/+ TBD
Feb. 28
TBD
ESPN3/+ TBD
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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MEET THE HAWKS
#1
#3
#5
JORDAN
JADA
NINA
JR » G » 5-8
SR » G » 5-5
SR » G » 5-9
PALISADES PARK, NEW JERSEY
NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT
KITCHENER, ONTARIO
McLEMORE
LUCAS
FARKIC
#12
#11
#14
PAULA
MACKENZIE
SOPHIE
FR » F » 6-0
FR » G » 5-6
FR » F » 6-1
RIGA, LATVIA
MOREHEAD CITY, NORTH CAROLINA
SASSENAGE, FRANCE
MAURINA
REED
#15
BENHAROUGA
#21
#24
IRENE
CHARLETTE
MARISA
SO » G » 5-4
JR » F » 6-2
FR » F » 6-1
TRES CANTOS, SPAIN
BRONX, NEW YORK
MARLBOROUGH, CONNECTICUT
PRIMO
LEURS
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LEE
MEET THE HAWKS
#25
#30
#31
BREYENNE
KAELA
ABBY
SR » F » 5-10
SO » G » 5-8
SR » G » 5-11
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
LEXINGTON PARK, NEW JERSEY
NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE
DOTHARD
BELLERAND
JABRIA
#32
INGRAM
STREETER
#40 SIERRA
SMITH
JR » G » 5-8
JR » F » 6-0
UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA
MADISON, VIRGINIA
COACHING STAFF
MORGAN
MELISSA
COURTNEY HAILEE
DAVIDSON
BARRON
MADDIE
Head Coach 2nd Season
Assistant Coach 2nd Season
Assistant Coach 2nd Season
Assistant Coach 2nd Season
Director of Operations 2nd Season
VALLEY
HODGDON
SEARLE
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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THIS WEEKEND'S MATCHUP THE MATCHUP
HARTFORD HAWKS (3-7, 3-7 AE)
vs
STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES (8-4, 6-2 AE)
SERIES BREAKDOWN
SERIES HISTORY The Hawks and Seawolves have met 44 times prior to this weekend’s series. Hartford has won seven of the last nine contests and holds a 32-12 advantage in the all-time series, which includes a 20-4 record inside Reich Family Pavilion.
LAST MEETINGS The two sides split the season series in 2019-20. Falling to the Seawolves, 66-55, on Long Island, the Hawks took the series finale by a 70-67 decision. Jada Lucas averaged 16.0 points and 2.5 assists per game against Stony Brook last season, including 20 points in the win.
Division I Series.................. Hartford leads, 32-12 At Hartford........................... Hartford leads, 20-4 At Stony Brook......................... Hartford leads, 12-7 At Neutral Venue............ Stony Brook leads, 1-0 Current Streak...................... Hartford, one game Last Meeting.............Hartford, 70-67 (2/26/20)
STAT BREAKDOWN
STREAK
W3
52.1
POINTS PER GAME
59.2
63.2
POINTS ALLOWED
50.6
+1.1
REBOUND MARGIN
+6.4
.343
FG%
.390
.384
FG% DEFENSE
.345
.236
3-PT FG%
.253
.269
3-PT FG% DEF
.302
.657
FT%
.664
8.3
ASSISTS/GAME
11.7
19.9
TO/GAME
15.9
6.3
STEALS/GAME
8.0
3.4
BLOCKS/GAME
2.8
L5
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STONY BROOK'S ROSTER STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES
8-4 OVERALL [6-2 AE] # Name
0 Gigi Gonzalez 1 Courtney Furr 2 Earlette Scott 3 Asiah Dingle 4 Anastasia Warren 5 Jonae Cox 11 Victoria Johnson 13 Nairimar Vargas-Reyes 14 Leah Burden 15 Randi Baldwin 21 Kelis Corley 22 McKenzie Bushee 23 Aminata Zie 24 Hailey Zeise 32 Leighah-Amori Wool 33 India Pagan
Yr. Pos. Ht.
So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr.
G G G G G G/F G F G F F F F G/F F F
5-7 6-0 5-10 5-4 5-8 5-11 5-7 6-0 5-7 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-1
Hometown
Miramar, Fla. Elkridge, Md. Brooklyn, N.Y. Boston, Mass. Atlanta, Ga. Portsmouth, Va. Camden, Miss. Camuy, Puerto Rico Westbury, N.Y. Hyattsville, Md. Capitol Heights, Md. Pittsburgh, Pa. Paris, France Pittsburgh, Pa. Evanston, Ill. New London, Conn.
Head Coach: Caroline McCombs, Seventh Season (Youngstown State ’98) Associate Head Coach: Jeff Williams Assistant Coaches: Bri Hutchen, Gabe Lazo
SCOUTING REPORT Through 12 games this season, Stony Brook is 8-4 overall with a 6-2 record in America East play. The Seawolves swept both games in their last series against NJIT, defeating the Highlanders, 63-51, this past Saturday (Jan. 23), before turning around to secure a 73-41 decision the following day.
#3 ASIAH DINGLE A Boston native, Dingle is averaging a team-high 10.5 points, while adding 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game so far this season.
WHO TO WATCH
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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LAST TIME OUT HARTFORD at NJIT
Hartford is coming off a two-game road sweep at the hands of NJIT earlier this month. The Highlanders downed the Hawks, 65-41, in game one, before completing the sweep with a 62-42 win on Monday (Jan. 18). Senior forward Breyenne Bellerand scored eight points to lead Hartford in the series opener, while senior guards Jada Lucas and Nina Farkic combined for 29 points to pace the Hawks in game two.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
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HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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FEATURED HAWK NINA FARKIC
Nina Farkic is a senior guard that made her Hartford debut against Maine on Dec. 22. The Ontario native spent two seasons at Western Michigan before transferring to Hartford. Due to NCAA rules, Farkic had to sit out last season before suiting up for the Hawks. Starting in all 10 games, she leads the team with 2.1 assists per game, while her 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game rank third and second on the Hawks, respectively.
GET TO KNOW...
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FEATURED HAWK
IN THE HOT SEAT...
NINA
FARKIC THE LAST SHOW NINA BINGE-WATCHED WAS “GOOD GIRLS” ON NETFLIX THE WORST STYLE CHOICE SHE EVER ROCKED WAS TUCKED IN SHIRTS IN HIGH RISING PANTS ACCORDING TO NINA, THESE THREE EMOJIS BEST DESCRIBE HER:
IF SHE WERE TO KEEP THREE APPS ON HER SMARTPHONE, THEY WOULD BE THE CAMERA, INSTAGRAM AND SAFARI IF NINA COULD BE AN ANIMAL, SHE WOULD BE A CHEETAH BECAUSE THEY ARE FAST AND COOL THREE WORDS THAT SHE USES TO DESCRIBE COACH VALLEY ARE PASSIONATE, TOUGH AND MOTIVATING
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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HARTFORD STATISTICS & STANDINGS INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS
CLICK HERE FOR ALL 2020-21 STATISTICS
SCORING Jada Lucas 9.8 per game REBOUNDING Sierra Smith 8.5 per game ASSISTS Nina Farkic 2.1 per game STEALS Breyenne Bellerand 1.6 per game MINUTES Nina Farkic 29.5 per game FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE Charlette Leurs 43.2% (19-of-44) 3-PT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE Jada Lucas 30.2% (13-of-43)
AMERICA EAST STANDINGS
Maine Stony Brook UMass Lowell Vermont UAlbany Binghamton New Hampshire NJIT UMBC Hartford
OVERALL AE W-L PCT W-L PCT 12-1 .923 8-4 .667 8-5 .615 4-2 .667 4-6 .400 4-10 .333 4-11 .267 4-12 .250 2-6 .250 3-7 .300
9-1 .900 6-2 .750 7-3 .700 4-2 .667 3-3 .500 4-8 .286 4-8 .333 4-8 .333 2-4 .333 3-7 .300
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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ALUMNI FEATURE WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
LINDSEY ABED BY THE #’S
3
Graduating from Hartford in 2019, Abed left as the program’s all-time leader in three-point field goals (236), three-point percentage (37.6%) and steals (243)
18
Totaling seven points against No. 4/5 Louisville on the road, Abed became the 18th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points on Nov. 24, 2018
3
Joining Magectias Contra Violencia Genero in Spain in 2019, Abed is one of three Hawks who are actively playing overseas, joining Diana Delva (’10) and Janelle Harrison (’18)
Before committing to make the journey to the Northeast, Lindsey Abed had no idea the storied and decorated career she would have at the University of Hartford. However, former head coach Jen Rizzotti saw something in the 5-8 point guard from Oakton, Va., that might have given her a clue. Graduating from Oakton High School as a twotime captain and a Virginia State Champion, Abed was convinced by Rizzotti to don the scarlet and white. Making an immediate impact as a freshman for the Hawks, she averaged 5.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22 appearances en route to garnering America East All-Rookie Team honors. After Rizzotti departed for George Washington University, Abed had to decide whether she would transfer to another program or return to Hartford to finish her career under a new head coach. Choosing to continue to play for the Hawks, she upped her averages to 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as a sophomore, making starts in all 31 games. Following that impressive sophomore campaign, Abed was named team captain as a junior in 2017-18. That season, she averaged 13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per
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ALUMNI FEATURE game while being named to the NCAA DI-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team and America East AllConference Second Team. Abed left her mark in the program’s single-season record book that year, as her 124 assists and 65 three-pointers ranked eighth and third, respectively. As a senior, Abed made program history after becoming the first Hawk to earn NCAA DIAAA Scholar-Athlete honors in multiple seasons. In her final season with the Hawks, she averaged 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game and 2.6 steals per game, earning America East All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team honors along the way. Abed rewrote the record book on her way out. Smashing the single-season record after draining 96 three-pointers in her final season, her 496 points that year were the third-most in a season. Abed graduated in 2019 as the all-time program leader in made three-pointers (236), threepoint field goal percentage (37.6 percent) and steals (243), while her 1,383 career points rank fourth all-time. After graduation, Abed decided to take her career overseas, signing with Magectias Contra Violencia Genero in Spain in November 2019. In 13 games for Magectias Contra, she averaged 7.4 points per game on 47 percent shooting from the field before the season was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Dooley, the voice of the Hartford Hawks, had a chance to catch up with the former women’s basketball standout. To hear more about Abed’s journey, and her time as a Hawk, check out the interview below.
ONCE A HAWK, ALWAYS A HAWK
HARTFORD HAWKS // #FLYHIGH
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