The 1982-83 women’s basketball team finished with a 21-9 record and won its first NE-8 championship. It was the first women’s basketball team to play in the NCAA Division II tournament. The Lady Chieftains were coached by Paula Sullivan, who in her 24 years as head coach, has compiled a 453-153 record. The achievements of the 82-83 team earned her NE-8 Coach of the Year honors, the first of five such honors. The team started the season 8-1, but suffered two disappointing losses at home to conference rivals Bentley and Springfield. Those two losses proved to be the turning point, as the Lady Chieftains went 12-3 the rest of the season, including nine wins in their last 10 games. The last two victories coming in the NE-8 tournament on the road at Bentley 65-63, and at Saint Anselm College 58-54, earning Stonehill an automatic bid to the NCAA’s.
The team was led by senior co-captains Ann Mallory and Nancy Smith. Mallory at center, was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder. She averaged 13.2 points per game and 8.3 rebounds a game. She finished her career with 1,510 points, becoming the first woman player to score 1,000 points. Smith, the team’s point guard, averaged 5.2 points per game and 7.3 assists per game. One of the premiere ball handlers in the conference and in Division II, Smith earned the Most Valuable Player Award in the NE-8 tournament.
The '82-'83 squad boasts four 1,000-career point scorers in Mallory, Mary Anne Walsh (1,352), Penny Bronsdon (1,210), and Dottie Chartier (1,007).
Mary Baron
Meg Brenneman
Penny Bronsdon
Carlene Casciano
Dorothy Chartier
Stacy Dolloff
Sissy Dunn
Karen Long
Helen Phillips
Ann Mallory (Captain)
Cindy Sidorski
Nancy Smith (Captain)
Maryanne Walsh
The 1982-83 women’s basketball team finished with a 21-9 record and won its first NE-8 championship. It was the first women’s basketball team to play in the NCAA Division II tournament. The Lady Chieftains were coached by Paula Sullivan, who in her 24 years as head coach, has compiled a 453-153 record. The achievements of the 82-83 team earned her NE-8 Coach of the Year honors, the first of five such honors. The team started the season 8-1, but suffered two disappointing losses at home to conference rivals Bentley and Springfield. Those two losses proved to be the turning point, as the Lady Chieftains went 12-3 the rest of the season, including nine wins in their last 10 games. The last two victories coming in the NE-8 tournament on the road at Bentley 65-63, and at Saint Anselm College 58-54, earning Stonehill an automatic bid to the NCAA’s.