Riverdale, N.Y. – College of Mount Saint Vincent Head Coach Kevin Clifford will open his third season at the helm of the Women's Basketball program on Saturday evening when his Dolphins open the 2014-15 season against Alvernia in Westminster, Md. as part of the McDaniel Tip-Off Tournament. The contest is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those who cannot attend the game.
 
At A Glance: The Dolphins are coming off an 18-10 season in 2013-14 that saw them advance to the Skyline Conference Tournament Championship game for the first time in program history and saw them appear in the ECAC Metro Division Tournament for the fourth time in program history.
 
Mount Saint Vincent returns four of its top five scorers from a season ago and 70-percent of its scoring overall from a team that posted the most wins in a season since the 2009-10 campaign. The Mount was led a season ago by Kelly Fraser (Staten Island, N.Y.) who was good for 17.4 points, 13.1 rebounds and a total of 102 blocks as a junior. She was made a First Team All-Skyline Conference selection and named the Skyline Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She closed out an impressive season with her second straight Second Team All-Met Writers selection.
 
Christina Barone (Staten Island, N.Y.) also had a strong season as a freshman, earning Second Team All-Skyline Conference honors in 2013-14. She led the team in assists with 176, while posting 8.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Classmate Brittany Carroll (Staten Island, N.Y.) was the only other Dolphins to average double-figures on the season, posting 10.4 points per game and making a team-high 58 three-pointers. Theresa Carey (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) rounded out her first season at the Mount by averaging 7.5 points per outing.
 
Backcourt: Mount Saint Vincent will feature eight guards on the 2014-15 roster, including returners Gabriella Melgar (Branford, Conn.), Brittany Carroll (Staten Island, N.Y.), Christina Barone (Staten Island, N.Y.), Kristin Henschel (Rockaway, N.Y.), Theresa Carey (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) and Brooke West (Trenton, N.J.).
 
The returning backcourt accounted for 31.2 points per game a season ago with Carroll leading the way with 10.4 points per game. Barone was good for 6.3 assists per night on her way to being named Second Team All-Conference and leading the team with 28.5 minutes per game. Carey closed out a solid season averaging 7.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, while West averaged 3.0 points per game. Henschel appeared in 14 games as a freshman for the Mount and Melgar saw time in 22 contests as a rookie.
 
Clifford and the Dolphins will also look to newcomers Kelly Nola (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Ginger Fitchett (Pomona, N.Y.) for contributions in 2014-15.
 
Frontcourt: Senior Kelly Fraser (Staten Island, N.Y.) and junior Nicole Oliver (Carmel, N.Y.) are the lone returning players in the frontcourt for Mount Saint Vincent, with Fraser averaging a double-double as a junior on her way to being named First Team All-Conference. Oliver returns after seeing time in all 28 games in 2013-14 and averaging 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Oliver was one of five players on last season's roster to haul in at least 100 rebounds on the year.
 
Newcomers Samantha McCarren (Staten Island, N.Y.), Morgan Dewberry (San Diego, Calif.), Allison Clarke (East Northport, N.Y.) and Alexandra Gundermann (Tuxedo, N.Y.) will add depth to the frontcourt in 2014-15.
 
Head Coach: Kevin Clifford opens his third season with Mount Saint Vincent this weekend and has guided the Mount to a 25-26 record over his first two seasons and a 10-18 mark in Skyline Conference play. Clifford was named the 2013-14 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year and has mentored three All-Skyline Conference selections, including Fraser who has been honored each of the last two seasons.
 
A Look At Alvernia: Alvernia is coming off an 8-17 finish in 2013-14. The Crusaders featured three players that scored in double-figures last season, including Kaitlyn Yoh who was good for a team best 13.8 points per night as a junior. Yoh also led the team with 101 assists, while Tyra Roberts returns after averaging 12.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game a season ago. Yoh was made a Second Team All-Commonwealth Conference selection last season and was named Academic All-Conference.
 
Upcoming Schedule: Mount Saint Vincent will play its first five games on the road in 2014-15, featuring trips to New Rochelle, Medgar Evers and York after it closes out play in the McDaniel Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins home opener is set for December 4 when it tussles with St. Joseph's-Brooklyn starting at 5:30 p.m.

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