Editor's Note: The BIG EAST will be previewing both the men's and women's team from each BIG EAST member each weekday from October 22 to November 9 in advance of the 2012-13 season. Use hashtag #BECountdown to join the conversation on Twitter.

Providence Friars Women's Basketball

The Big Picture:
The Friars will embark on a new era under the direction of first-year Head Coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl.  Robinson Fruchtl was named Head Coach on April 9, 2012, replacing Phil Seymore, who resigned in March 2012. Last season, the Friars got off to a respectable 4-4 start in BIG EAST Conference regular-season play, including wins over #20/18 DePaul and West Virginia.  However, the Friars were tripped up down the stretch, finishing out the last eight games with a 1-7 mark.  At season’s end, the Friars had compiled a 5-11 BIG EAST record.

 

Who’s Back:
Providence returns six letter winners.  Symone Roberts, Brianna Edwards, Chanise Baldwin and Danielle Pearson saw some time in the starting lineup, but in nine games or fewer. Senior Symone Roberts is the team’s leading returning scorer from a season ago.  Roberts finished third in scoring last season with 8.2 points per game.

Who’s Gone:
The Friars will look to fill the void left by the departed seniors Teya Wright, Rachel Barnes and Lola Wells.  Wright and Barnes finished atop the statistics in scoring, with 12.3 points and 10.7 points per game, respectively.  Wright also hauled in a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game and led the BIG EAST Conference with 13 double-doubles.


 

Storylines:
Providence will open the doors to the newly-renovated Alumni Hall/Mullaney Gymnasium. Over the summer, the facility underwent a complete overhaul, including new seating, scoreboard, air conditioning, lighting sound system, video boards, control room, media work area, etc.