GORHAM, Maine  – Heading towards the season-opening games of the 2022-2023 season-opener, the Little East Conference released its annual Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll.  Graduating four starters, including a pair of All-Conference performers, and returning five members of the 2021-2022 squad the University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's basketball team was selected to finish seventh in the poll, earning 27 points. 
 
Led by head coach Samantha Norris, in her eighth year, the Huskies' roster of the upcoming year is nearly a 50-50 mix of newcomers and returning players.  "We're young but hard working.  If we practice hard, commit to getting better and giving our best efforts in each practice and on every play, we will have a successful season.  Our five returners will be relied upon to provide leadership and motivation."
 
Rhode Island College (57 points, 5 first place votes) was selected to repeat at the top of the Little East Conference, followed by Eastern Connecticut (56 points, 2 first place votes) and UMass Dartmouth (55 points, 2 first place votes) to round out the top three.  Castleton University (37 points) is selected fourth, while the five through seven spots are separated by a total of four points with UMass Boston (31 points), Keene State (30 points) and Southern Maine.  The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the Little East Conference playoffs.
 
Finishing the season in fourth with a 7-7 mark in the LEC, Southern Maine returns four juniors and a sophomore from last season, including junior guards Ashlee Aceto (South Portland, Maine), Amy Fleming (Wells, Maine), Tamrah Gould (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Memorial) and Franny Ramsdell (Wells, Maine), and sophomore guard Maria Degifico (South Portland, Maine). 
 
The Huskies' third leading scorer last season, Fleming averaged 9.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a sophomore.  Scoring in double-digits in six games, Fleming set a career-high of 18 points in a 71-64 win over Castleton State shooting 7-for-14 from the field.  She was named to the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches' Association Rookie of the Week honor roll three times, and was named to the LEC All-Academic Team as an Engineering major.
 
Named to the MWBCA Rookie honor roll twice last season, Ramsdell averaged 5.8 points, 3.7 rebounds per game and shot 71.9 percent from the free throw line.  Scoring in double-digits on six occasions, Ramsdell had eight points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals in the Huskie's win against Castleton University.  A William B. Wise Scholar Athlete, Ramdell is a double major in Psychology and Business.
 
Aceto played in 24 games in her first year as a Husky, starting 15, and shot a solid 30.6 percent from three-point range.  Named to the MWBCA Rookie Honor Roll once during the season, Aceto had a season and career-high 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting (3-for-4 from three) against UMass Dartmouth.  Majoring in Psychology, Aceto earned LEC All-Academic team honors.
 
Bouncing back from an injury, Gould played in 18 games for the Huskies to average 2.1 points, and 1.3 rebounds per game while shooting 33.3 percent from the three-point line.  In the Huskies playoff win over Keene State, Gould was 2-for-2 from three for six points.  A Nursing student, Gould earned LEC All-Academic team honors.
 
A three-time MWBCA Rookie Honor Roll selection, Degifico played in 25 games as a first-year and averaged 3.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game, and upped her averaged to 7.8 points per game shooting 51.8 percent from the field in the final five games of the season.  Degifico had 12 points (5-for-10 FG) in the Huskies 66-62 win over UMass Boston. In a 60-51 road win at WestConn, Degifico had 10 points and four rebounds on 4-for-5 shooting.
 
In addition to welcoming back its five returners, Southern Maine has a quartet of first-year players anticipated to make an impact, including sophomore transfer Gabby Green (Manchester, Maine/Maranacook), and freshmen Emma Haskell (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy),  Mackenzie Roderick (South China, Maine/Erskine Academy),  and Vanessa Vaughan (Hantsport, Nova Scotia/King's Edge Hill). 
 
A four-year starter for Erskine Academy and three-year captain, Roderick is a three-time All-KVAC selection as a point guard.  Green, a three-sport athlete at Maranacook, excelled in basketball and track & field.  A McDonald's All-Star in basketball as a senior, Green was a second team All-KVAC pick as a senior.  A four-year varsity member of the Hampden Academy team, Haskell was a two-time State Class A Champion Runner-Up and two-time Northern Maine Champion, earning KVAC All-Academic, All-Rookie team and Class AA Honorable Mention honors during her career.  A four-sport student-athlete in cross country, soccer, track & field and basketball, Vaughan played a year of prep ball at King's Edge Hill
 
Southern Maine opens its season on the road at University of New England in a non-conference game on Tuesday, November 8 (5:30 pm). 
 
2022-23 LEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Rhode Island College - 60 points (5 FPV)
2. Eastern Connecticut - 56 points (2 FPV)
3. UMass Dartmouth - 55 points (2 FPV)
4. Castleton - 37 points
5. UMass Boston - 31 points
6. Keene State - 30 points
7. Southern Maine - 27 points
8. Western Connecticut - 19 points
9. Plymouth State - 9 points
 
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