New coach, same expectations - Senior-laden Falcons aim for success

Courtesy of Nick Mallard Sentinel & Enterprise

FITCHBURG, Mass. - Stepping into the head coach's role of the Fitchburg State women's basketball team for the 2014-15 season, Brooke Freeburg has a decent amount of talent to work with.

Furthermore, the former NCAA Division 1 athlete has something that should really help the Falcons with the transition to a new coach and potential success: familiarity with the program.

Freeburg spent the past two seasons on the bench of the Salem State women's hoops squad, meaning she saw the Falcons a handful of times and giving her some insight into what type of players she's inherited.

"I'm familiar with the MASCAC and knew about this team a bit when I came in," said Freeburg, who was a standout basketball player and an All-American track start at Providence College.

"I'm super excited. I think I saw something in them last season and I'm happy to have the opportunity to come in this season and see what we can do."

The Falcons finished last season 13-12, falling to Freeburg and the Salem State Vikings in the MASCAC tournament. The team lost Amy Fahey -- the program's all-time leading scorer -- to graduation, but boasts nine seniors on its roster.

Fitchburg State returns senior and former St. Bernard's star Laura Cote, who averaged 13 points per game last season and sits 248 points short of 1,000 for her career at FSU. Classmates Rebecca Fluet (9.3 ppg), Britney Payne (8.2 ppg) and Megan Wodzinski (7.7 ppg) return as capable scoring threats, as well.

"We're very heavy with upperclassmen, so there's an experience and maturity that we have an advantage with this season. I think that's really going to help influence the younger players and get them going on the right track for the rest of their careers."

Last season's disappointing end has served as fuel to push the returning players this season. Freeburg says that the team hasn't lacked intensity in the preseason and is "a fun group to coach."

"It's a very competitive team. Coming off of last year, they had high expectations of themselves and a lot to prove, which gives them a sense of motivation," she said. "That makes my job easier. They're already working hard and ready to go."

There's also a fairly local flavor to the Falcons, with players from Leominster High (Gina Angelini), Fitchburg High (Fluet), St. Bernard's (Cote), Oakmont Regional (Kristen Enright) and Ayer Shirley (Anna Peck) among those on the roster. And every player on the team brings something to the table, with Freeburg saying she "could go 10 names deep" on players who should contribute heavily this season.

Still, specific roles aren't set in stone yet. Freeburg plans on working on the lineup as the season progress and not getting stuck in thinking that one set of starters is the only way to go. The rookie head coach sees the team's depth as a definite advantage entering the season.

"It's something we're going to play around with for the rest of the semester," Freeburg said of the starting lineup. "(The MASCAC) schedule doesn't start until January, so we have a good chunk of time to figure out what combinations work best together. But that's another advantage we have; we have so many seniors and returners that we have a decent amount of depth.

"We'll be able to look at certain game plans and make adjustments, personnel-wise. That's a big advantage to have right now."

The Falcons were picked to finish sixth in the conference in the MASCAC preseason coaches poll. They'll open in Worcester at Clark University on Tuesday night. Conference prognostications aside, Freeburg is optimistic about the 2014-15 campaign.

"I think it's going to be a fun season," she said.