JOHNSON, Vt. - The Johnson State College women's basketball team will look to new Head Coach Greg Eckman to invigorate a program that finished 4-21 overall, 0-14 in the North Atlantic Conference in 2010-11.  Coach Eckman, the Associate Head Coach for the men's basketball team for the last five seasons, made an immediate impact in the spring after his hire bringing a number of talented recruits to add to some solid returners.

Returning to lead this is squad is hard-nosed, do-it-all senior Andrea Deuell (Milton, Vt./Milton).  Deuell logged enormous minutes last season as both a point and shooting guard.  She finished as the team leader in assists (79), steals (66), free throw percentage (.667) and 3-point field goals (51) while also being the second leading scorer (13.4 ppg) and third leading rebounder (4.1 rpg).  She logged an eye-popping 948 minutes out of a possible 1120 in 25 games last season.

Also back to the 2011 roster are five other veterans including junior forward Catlyn Hughes (Canterbury, Conn./Griswold) who averaged 4.1 ppg and 3.9 rpg, sophomore wing Amber McCullock (Morrisville, Vt./Peoples Academy) who provided 3.4 ppg and 4 rpg, and sophomore forward Jenessa Swainbank (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) who averaged 2.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest.

"I am very happy with the leadership and basketball of our returnees," said Coach Eckman.  "I also very excited about the talent within our group of freshman."

Johnson opens their season with at Vermont Technical College on Wednesday, November 16 at 6:00 pm.  In addition the JSC non-conference schedule will feature a November tournament at Eastern Connecticut State University that will also feature Montclair State University and Regis (MA) College.  Games against other NCAA Division III members include Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and Plymouth State University.  USCAA opponents SUNY-Canton and College of St. Joseph (Vt.) are also on the schedule.

The NAC schedule will feature 18 contests in 2011-12 with the additions of Colby-Sawyer College and New England College to the league.  The Badgers will kick-off the NAC schedule on Thursday, December 1 when they travel to New England College for a 7:30 pm tip-off.