When Princeton head coach Kevin Morris is asked who he figures to be the top competitors for the Ivy League title, his answer is swift and decisive — Harvard and Dartmouth. That, of course, should come as no surprise. Harvard and Dartmouth have won at least a share of the title every year since 1993.
This year should be no different.
1. Harvard
Last year was a trying season for Harvard. Two top players — senior captain Melissa Johnson and junior forward Katie Gates — had their seasons cut short as a result of injuries. The team was also distracted by head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith's battle with breast cancer.
In spite of this adversity, Harvard managed a 9-5 record in the Ivy League, and had the Crimson not lost at home to a much weaker Columbia team, Harvard would have made a run at league champion Dartmouth.
Harvard will have a lot of experience heading into the 2000-2001 season. In addition to Johnson and Gates — who together averaged almost 20 points per game for the Crimson before they were injured — junior point guard and second-team All-Ivy selection Jennifer Monti (8.9 points per game and 6.1 assists per game) will be back along with sophomore Bree Kelly, who averaged 8.5 ppg last year.
The Crimson has both solid leadership and exciting young talent. Look for Harvard to return to the position it enjoyed three years ago at the top of the Ivy League.
2. Yale
The Elis may not win the title, but they will almost certainly be in the hunt. Yale has probably the most balanced offensive arsenal of any Ivy team this year and has a core of experienced players who are ready to win.
Last year, Yale finished just 7-7 in league play, but the Elis showed during a late-season surge that they were on the verge of making the transition to being a top-notch team. Yale will rely heavily on senior forward Alyson Miller, who averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game last year. A second-team All-Ivy selection in the 1999-2000 season, Miller shot 52 percent from the field and better than 70 percent from the free throw line.
Last year's leading scorer — guard Maria Smear, who averaged a team-high 11.3 points per game last year — returns as well. If the Elis can defeat Harvard in the two teams' first meeting Jan. 12 at Yale, they will be in good position to snag the Ivy title.
3. Dartmouth
During the past seven years — in which the Big Green has captured four Ivy titles — Dartmouth has established itself as the team to beat in the Ivy League. Going 12-2 last year, the Big Green cruised to the league championship, then gave Purdue a good battle in the NCAA tournament, falling, 70-66.
Despite its recent success, expect things to turn out differently this year for Dartmouth for two reasons. First, the Big Green will sorely miss the shooting touch of two-time All-Ivy selection guard Courtney Banghart. Second, the Ivy League as a whole should be much stronger this season, and powerhouses Harvard and Yale will likely be too much for this young Dartmouth squad.
While the Big Green may not win a third straight title this season, its Ivy opponents will still need to be ready for each game against them. Last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year — Katharine Hanks, who averaged 15.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season — returns this year to lead Dartmouth. The only seniors on the team — Sherryta Freeman and Stephanie Kinnear — will also be solid in the frontcourt.
4. Penn
Penn's 9-5 Ivy record was good enough for second place in the league last season. This year, the Quakers — who have a true superstar in All-American senior Diana Caramanico — should be strong as well. Caramanico led the team and the league in scoring last season with 24.8 points per game. Penn also will receive strong contributions from junior forward Julie Epton and 6-foot, 3-inch junior Jessica Allen.
Mercifully for Princeton fans in a year in which Harvard and Yale will likely capture the top spots in the Ivy League, Penn should again fall short of the Ivy title. The Quakers will be hurt by the loss of the dependable 20 points per game they received from guard Mandy West. Though Caramanico will put up big numbers for Penn, she does not have enough support to propel Penn to the top.
5. Brown
Brown is a real wild card team this year. The Bears have not historically been one of the powerhouses in the Ivy League and probably will not make a serious run at the title this year. But if there is one team that can surprise Harvard and Yale it might be this exciting, up-tempo Brown team.
One of the top players to watch in the Ivies this year will be sophomore guard Barbara Maloni, a first-team All-Ivy selection last season who put up almost 17 points per game as a freshman. Rada Pavichevich will accompany Maloni in the backcourt, and this duo will give the other Ivy league guards nightmares trying to keep up with them.
6. Cornell
Cornell is coming off a dismal 3-11 season last year, and though the Big Red will be more seasoned this year, it does not have any players it can count on down the stretch. Cornell will be led by lightning-quick junior point guard Deborah Stevens, a strong overall player who averaged 12.7 points per game last season, and by junior guard Breean Walas, who was good for 8.5 points per game last year on 51 percent shooting from the field. The Big Red will need new leaders to emerge, however, if it hopes to have a respectable showing.
7. Princeton
This season, the Tigers can only hope to begin the process of turning their team around following the departure of head coach Liz Feeley. Jessica Munson is the only senior on this young squad and will be looked to by younger players to help Princeton make this transition. But for interim head coach Kevin Morris, this could be a season filled with a lot of frustration.
8. Columbia
While the Lions showed flashes of brilliance last season in upset wins over Penn and Harvard, Columbia has a history of stagnating at the bottom of the Ivy League standings. The Lions' 6-8 league record last year was the best in school history, and they return their leading scorer in senior Shawnee Pickney this year. But Columbia will miss contributions from Catherine Tubridy and Shaunte Edmonds and should return to its typical position at the bottom of the Ivy standings.
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