Our typical recruit is someone who does well in the classroom, is a good person and wants the opportunity to play basketball as a college freshman without having to play behind juniors and seniors.  After two years at Avery Point, student-athletes have the choice to relocate to Storrs or to transfer to an NCAA school and play immediately.  Our campus offers many general education classes that almost every college student must take.  Credits earned at Avery Point are transferrable to other universities.

Contact Head Coach Nate Stailey for more information either by email averypointwomensbasketball@gmail.com or by phone at office: (860) 405-9077 or cell: (203) 530-3978.

The Pointers recorded their fifth win in a row on Sunday afternoon with a 65-48 defeat of Southern Maine CC. UCAP opened the game with a 10-0 run and built a 33-20 halftime advantage. The second half was much of the same with the Pointers staying in control with a double-digit lead throughout. With the win, UCAP improves to 16-3 while SMCC falls to 11-8.

UCAP was lead by sophomore Kristen Woodring as she collected a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Woodring also added three steals and three blocks in the win. Freshman guard Sarah Paternostro had a game-high 14 for the Pointers, as she knocked down two 3-point field goals. Paternostro played strong on the defensive end as well collecting six steals and grabbing five rebounds.

Also reaching double-figures for UCAP was Karen Manning with 12 points. Manning also dished out three assists and collected three steals during the contest.

Rounding out the scoring for the Pointers were Kaitlyn Kozlowski (9), Brianna Reilly (8), Crista Peterson (4), Natalie Smith (3), Brittany Demers (2), and Alyssa Blakley (1). Peterson also pulled down six rebounds and Kozlowski grabbed five rebounds against SMCC.

UCAP now has a week to prepare for visiting Massasoit CC, who comes to Groton for a 1:00 pm game on Saturday, Jan. 31. The Pointers will go for win number 17, which will tie the program's record for most wins in a season, which was set during 2007-08.

BOX SCORE

UConn Avery Point, 65-48

Avery Point: Natalie Smith 1-0-3, Karen Manning 3-5-12, Brianna Reilly 3-2-8, Kristen Woodring 6-0-12, Kaitlyn Kozlowski 4-0-9, Crista Peterson 1-2-4, Alyssa Blakley 0-1-1, Sarah Paternostro 5-2-14, Brittany Demers 0-2-2; Totals: 23-14-65.

Southern Maine CC: B. Rich 1-3-5, D. Webster 1-0-2, S. O’Tash 4-1-9, A. Chandler 2-0-4, T. Cole 2-0-4, R. DelCamp 4-7-15, R. Creveling 3-0-7, M. Logan 1-0-2; Totals: 18-11-48.

3-Point Goals: AP Paternostro 2, Smith 1, Manning 1, Kozlowski 1; SMCC Creveling 1. Rebounds: AP 40 (Woodring 15); SMCC 49. Turnovers: AP 18; SMCC 27. Assists: AP 11 (Manning 3); SMCC 12. Steals: AP 21 (Paternostro 6); SMCC 9. Blocked Shots: AP 3 (Woodring 3); SMCC 3.

Records: AP 16-3; SMCC 11-8

The Pointers started the second-half of the NJCAA Division III Region 21 conference play with a win over Qunisigamond CC in a Tuesday evening contest. With the win, UCAP improves to 14-3 and QCC drops to 3-12 on the season.

After a slow start, the Pointers built a 21-point halftime advantage (43-22) thanks in part to the outside shooting of Natalie Smith. Smith scored nine points in the first half coming off of three 3-point field goals. She then hit two more in the second half and finished with a game-high 18 points on the night.

Also hitting double-figures for the Pointers were Brianna Reilly (14), Karen Manning (12), and Kristen Woodring (12). Reilly pulled in a team-high nine rebounds and Manning dished out three assists.

All nine Pointers scored as Sarah Paternostro added six points and six rebounds. Kaitlyn Kozlowski and Crista Peterson each had five points, with Kozlowski contributing a team-high four assists and Peterson with six rebounds.

To finish up the scoring, Brittany Demers scored four points and Alyssa Blakley had two. Demers also added four rebounds, while Blakley grabbed five boards in the win.

The Pointers are currently riding a three-game winning streak and look to extend it as they host Gateway CC on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 1:00 pm in Groton. In the first match-up with Gateway, UCAP won 88-23.

BOX SCORE

UConn Avery Point, 78-42

Avery Point: Natalie Smith 6-1-18, Karen Manning 5-0-12, Brianna Reilly 6-2-14, Kristen Woodring 5-2-12, Kaitlyn Kozlowski 2-1-5, Crista Peterson 2-1-5, Alyssa Blakley 1-0-2, Sarah Paternostro 1-4-6, Brittany Demers 1-1-4; Totals: 29-12-78.

Quisigamond CC: Colby Smith 2-1-5, Kim Ratti 4-3-11, Julia Cross 1-0-2, Lyndsay Campbell 3-7-13, Christina Riggiri 1-1-3, Joselyn Crompton 3-2-8; Totals: 14-14-42.

3-Point Goals: AP Smith 5, Manning 2, Demers 1; QCC none. Rebounds: AP 40 (Reilly 8); QCC 33. Turnovers: AP 12; QCC 26. Assists: AP 17 (Kozlowski 4); QCC 8. Steals: AP 12 (Smith, Manning, Kozlowski 2); QCC 8. Blocked Shots: AP 6 (Reilly, Woodring 3); QCC 5.

Records: AP 14-3; QCC 3-12

The UCONN Avery Point (UCAP) women’s basketball team has dashed into the 2008-09 season with a 5-1 mark. After cruising to a home victory over Springfield Tech, 76 – 39, in their first contest, they hit the road for the next five games.  After convincing wins at Gateway in New Haven, 88 – 23 and Quinsigamond in Massachusetts, 75 - 49, the Pointers ran into a buzzsaw courtesy of Roxbury Community College who handed them their first defeat of the season, 73 - 54.  The Pointers atoned for the loss with a 38-point win over Massasoit up in Brockton, MA to move to four wins and one loss. The win earned them a vote in the NJCAA national rankings.

On Wednesday, Avery Point started out quickly building an early 20-0 advantage and then cruised to an 111-34 victory over host Bristol Community College Bees in Fall River, MA. The win resulted from a total team effort as all nine players registered at least six points.

The Pointers were led by Karen Manning, who scored 22 points, dished out nine assists, and collected seven steals. Brittany Demers added 20 points along with six rebounds, and Brianna Reilly had 16 points, nine rebounds, and five steals.

Three other UCAP players (Natalie Smith, 12 pts; Kristen Woodring, 10 pts; and Sarah Paternostro, 10 pts) scored in double figures for the game. Smith led the team with three made three-point shots and grabbed five rebounds. Woodring collected six rebounds and Paternostro had eight assists and six rebounds.

Crista Peterson led the way on the glass grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds, along with nine points. Kaitlyn Kozlowski and Alyssa Blakley rounded out the scoring for UCAP as both scored six points. Kozlowski also dished out four assists and Blakley had eight rebounds.

The UCAP Pointers (5-1) return home on Saturday, December 6 as they host Holyoke Community College in a 1:00 p.m. afternoon contest.

The UCONN basketball uniforms are familiar, but something’s different. The women play a lot of the same style of run and gun basketball, but something’s different. They’ve beaten their opponents by 30 – 40 points or more, and have players ranked in several categories; but something’s different.

If you squint just right, the coach looks like a 20-something Gino, but something’s different. The crowds are just as passionate about their team; but their games are not sellouts…yet.

This is UCONN women’s basketball, but you happen to be on southeastern Long Island Sound near the mouth of the Thames River, not Gampel Pavilion or the XL center on the banks of the Connecticut River.

The University of Connecticut’s branch campus at Avery Point in Groton is the only satellite campus of UCONN that has a women’s basketball team. And while the program is only in its third year of existence, it briefly achieved a No. 10 national ranking in NJCAA Division III last year. The team also has several players in top categories nationwide. 

“UCONN-Lite”

There are those that call this “UCONN-Lite”, but the games carry every bit the same intensity as their Division I counterpart upstate. The girls have out-pressed, out-shot, out-blocked and out-hustled every opponent they’ve faced. They have outscored other team by margins of 30, 40 and even 70+ points.

Being a Division III level school does not carry the same glamour, as Division I. Gyms are likely to have less than a couple of dozen spectators for home games. If you don’t count the players’ parents, who cheer on their daughters, attendance is even less, for now.

There are no bands, no Jonathan mascot, no crazed blue and white painted faces and bodies in the stands. But there is a growing intensity in the program.

Local papers carry many stories on that ‘other’ UCONN women’s team located over an hour’s drive away in their sports sections. But for now, it can be tough to just get a box score of the latest clobbering the UCONN Avery Point (UCAP) women bestowed upon their latest opponent listed in the local papers in their own backyard.

It almost seems like there is a sort of Rodney Dangerfield-like complex that they ‘get no respect’ from the media. But that’s not evident from the opponents they’ve played this year.

According to first year head coach Nate Stailey, "Our success this season will hinge on how fast our freshmen can adjust to the college game. If we can come together as a team and play at our pace, we should make a deep run into the playoffs." Stailey provided the following skinny on his young team:

Karen Manning – freshman from Bolton HS, Bolton, CT. Speedy point guard, who creates scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates.

Natalie Smith – freshman from Manchester HS, Manchester, CT: Deadly three-point shooter, who extends the defense.

Kaitlyn Kozlowski – freshman from Shelton HS, Shelton, CT: Excellent defender and passer, who gets out and runs on the break creating easy scoring opportunities.

Sarah Paternostro – freshman from Glastonbury HS, South Glastonbury, CT: Has the ability to hurt teams from the outside with the three and can also attack the basket. Also serves as back-up point guard.

Brittany Demers – freshman from Windsor HS, East Windsor, CT: Does all the little things that you can only see on the stat sheets, plays almost every position.

Brianna Reilly – freshman from Chariho Regional HS, Hopkinton, RI: Has post player size but draws the defense out to the wing with her guard skills. Has potential to be a dual threat with the ability to post up and shoot the three.

Alyssa Blakley – freshman from Bristol Eastern HS, Bristol, CT: Good post player; plays bigger than she is with excellent moves around the block.

Crista Peterson – sophomore from Morgan HS, Clinton, CT: Experienced post player with excellent offensive skills around the basket.

Kristen Woodring – sophomore from Mount Hope HS, Bristol, RI: Excels in the paint on both offensive and defensive ends. Woodring uses her 6’1” height to alter opponents’ shots and score from the block.

Nate Stailey enters his first season as head coach at Avery Point. Coach Stailey takes over a program in just its third season and looks to keep the program going in the right direction after a successful 2007-08 season in which Avery Point finished the year with a school record 17 victories and a NJCAA Division III ranking of 10th.

For more information: Website:http://www.eteamz.com/UCAPwomensbasketball/ Email:Head Coach Nate Stailey: averypointwomensbasketball@gmail.com  Phone: (203) 530-3978 ###

The Lady Pointers finished the season with a school record 17 wins.  UCAP defeated an NJCAA Division II school and also an NCAA Division III school during the season.  At the conclusion on the season, Avery Point also earned national recognition by becoming the tenth ranked team in the entire country.  Another highlight was a regional tournament appearance and an NHTI tap-off tournament championship.

The Lady Pointers are gearing up for their third season and plan to build on the excitement of the first two.  The team returns two players from last year's 17-9 team that lost in the conference semi-finals.  Included in this group is Kristen Woodring, the team's leader in blocks and rebounds.

This year's team should be fast, strong and very consistent.  Scoring points should not be a problem because transition basketball will once again be a strength.  Newcomer Karen Manning (Bolton HS) has the speed and ability to be a tremendous point guard.  Sarah Paternostro (Glastonbury HS) will also help man the point guard position while also seeing time on the wing.  The rest of the wing players will be incoming players Brittany Demers (East Windsor HS), Kaitlyn Kozlowski (Shelton HS), and Natalie Smith (Manchester HS).  The freshmen are all strong defenders who can shoot, pass, and finish.   

The forwards on the team with experience are Woodring, and Crista Peterson.  Both scored in double figures at least once as freshmen.  Incoming freshmen Brianna Reilly (Chariho HS) and Alyssa Blakley (Bristol Eastern HS) will also see significant minutes.  Both have good size and the ability to shoot from the outside.  

The 2008-2009 schedule is very difficult.  The team has 26 games scheduled, with a mix of opponents from all over the New England region.  Most of the non-league games are against teams that finished at or very near the top of their respective leagues.  The fans who join us will see fast-paced and exciting basketball.