With last season getting canceled due to COVID-19, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are getting ready for their seasons. It’s been 610 days since the men’s last game and it’s been 597 since the women’s last game.
The last full season was the 2019-2020 season where the men’s team went 9-17 with a first round loss in the Atlantic East Conference tournament. The women’s team went 22-8 while winning the ECAC Division III tournament against Drew University.
Photo by: Cabrini Athletics
Some of the men’s leading scorers over the last few seasons who are returning to the team were Christian Lane, Aquil Strewart and Josh Jones.
Some of the women’s leading scores over the last few seasons who are returning to the team are Syd Kesselman and Miranda Liebtag.
The men’s open up their season against Goucher on Nov. 8 and their home debut Nov. 16 against Elizabethtown. Other key dates are the Western Connecticut State Holiday Tournament in Danbury, Connecticut in late December, open Atlantic East Conference play on Jan. 8 and Alumni Day on Jan. 29.
The women’s team will open their season on Nov. 10 against Eastern, the Battle of Eagle Road. Other key dates are open Atlantic East Conference play on Jan. 5, Alumni Day on Jan. 29 and the end of the regular season on Feb. 19.
“We are definitely thrilled to be back on the court,” Kate Pearson, Cabrini women’s basketball coach, said. “ Last year was very strange and it was hard because we were trying to find ways to connect and have some fun.”
Pearson has been the coach for the women’s team for the last 13 seasons. Pearson was an assistant coach for Cabrini for five years before.
Photo by : Cabrini Athletics
“I think that they are mentality and emotionally driven,” Pearson said. “We really have to drilled down and zero in on the court to get us more prepare.”
Pearson has a 201-98 record, a winning percentage of .672 and including a trio of 24 win seasons with a ECAC championship in 2019-20.
“Every year we approach with we want to compete for that conference championship,” Pearson said. “We want to go to NCAA competition but take it one game at a time.”
“It feels great to be back,” Brendon Fisher, senior basketball player, said. “I miss being able to interact with my whole team without a mask.”
Fisher is a six foot guard who has appeared in over 13 games in the last two seasons. Fisher wears number 50 and is from right outside of Baltimore.
“I feel like we are the most locked in we have been in years,” Fisher said. “We got a great group of guys who are hungry to get better and work well together.”
Fisher is a part of Cavalier radio and is one of the operation managers and was named to the Atlantic East All-Academic Team in 2020.
“There is only one expectation…a conference championship,” Fisher said. “I feel like since I was a freshman, we have been trying to rebuild that Cabrini culture and get back to our winning ways and with this group, we expect nothing less.“
“It feels great to be back on the court after missing the season with Covid,” Sydney Kesselman, junior basketball player, said. “Everything is different now in a good way and I really missed playing with my teammates.”
Kesselman is entering her first full season with Cabrini. In one game last year, Kesselman played 11 minutes and scored seven points against Neumann.
“I feel like we are very prepared for the season,” Kesselman said. “With last year being majority practice and continuing into this year I think if we all play together, we will be a very hard team to beat.”
Kesselman is a six-one guard/forward who wears number 23 and is from Lafayette Hill, PA. Kesselman is also a member of the women’s tennis team and named to the 2020-21 Atlantic East Conference All-Academic Team.
“My expectations for the season are to win it all,” Kesselman said. “ Try our best to win the conference championship.”
Both the men and women are looking for a great season and both are looking to win the AEC and head to the NCAA Tournament.
