Wayne State Warriors Season Preview

By Tom Balog/Wayne State Beat Writer

WAYNE STATE WARRIORS

Head coach: Jim Fetter (seventh season, 109-102-22)

Home arena: City Sports Center (500)

Last season: 9-18-4 overall, 5-10-1 CHA (5th), lost in CHA quarterfinals to Robert Morris

Returning for the Warriors:
Goaltenders: Delayne Brian, Brittany Zeches
Forwards: Micheline Frappier, Veronique Laramee-Paquette (C) , Alyssa Baldin (C), Adrianna Pfeffer, Lauren Ragen, Gina Buquet, Julie Hebert, Julie Ingratta, Jaclyn Stapleton, Lauren Coxon
Defensemen: Marlee Fisher, Jill Szandzik, Ciara Lee (A), Lauren Lovold, Jenaya Townsend

No longer wearing the Green and Gold:
Goaltender: Lindsey Park
Forward: Katrina Protopapas
Defensemen: Chelsea Burnett, Christine Jefferson

New to the Warriors:
Goaltender: Lisa Marshall
Forwards: Cari Coen, Rachel Hardwick
Defenseman: Katie Gaskin

Outlook: For the second year in a row, the Wayne State Warriors will need to learn how to find some scoring in an increasingly competitive CHA.

Last season, senior Katrina Protopapas stepped up and had a career year by leading the Green and Gold with 13 goals and nine power-play tallies and came in second on the squad with 17 points.

With “Papi” gone, the Warriors will lean more heavily on junior forwards and co-captains Veronique Laramee-Paquette and Alyssa Baldin.

Baldin led the team with 20 points last season and is the top returning goal scorer after posting a career-best nine markers.

Laramee-Paquette missed six games down the stretch due to injuries, but still tied for fifth in scoring.

Julie Ingratta and Gina Buquet also rifled in six goals apiece in '09-10 and will be counted on to increase their numbers.

“We have a tough schedule, but it’s a challenge for our players,” said Fetter. “We want to continue to get better and improve, and I think we need to play those programs so that our players can see where we need to get to.”

The Warriors will show experience on defense with five players returning to the blueline. Junior Ciara Lee will provide leadership and wear the “A” and steady Jill Szandzik returns after tying for fifth in team scoring a year ago.

Junior Delayne Brian led the Warriors between the pipes last season with 19 games played and five wins. There could be a depth challenge behind Brian as Brittany Zeeches has only played two in two seasons and Lisa Marshall entering as a true freshman.

After playing an exhibition game against York University in Toronto, the Warriors will faceoff the '10-11 season with a pair of non-conference games against the Bemidji State Beavers at the City Sports Center in Detroit beginning this Friday.

The Warriors will begin the battle for the CHA title with a pair of road battles against Robert Morris beginning on Nov. 11 and then face the reigning CHA champion Mercyhurst Lakers the following weekend in Motown.