After narrowly missing in its bid to win the Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship for the first time ever, the University of Delaware women’s basketball team will attempt to bounce back for another run at the title in 2005-06.

To do so, Head Coach Tina Martin’s Fightin’ Blue Hens will have to find replacements for three key players: 2004-05 CAA Player of the Year Tiara Malcom, fellow forward Tiffany Young and guard Julie Sailer.

Malcom had an outstanding season for the Hens, averaging 16.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and both she and Young have signed contracts to play professionally in Europe. Malcom will compete in Portugal and Young in Germany.

“This is going to be an interesting season,” Martin says. “We are coming off a great year, but we have a lot of new faces and it will take some time for the team to gel.”

That is especially true, she says, because the Hens are playing a challenging early nonconference schedule that includes Georgetown University of the Big East Conference and the University of Massachusetts and LaSalle University of the Atlantic 10.

In addition, the Hens will participate in the St. Joseph’s University tournament, where they are scheduled to meet an NCAA championship tournament-tested team in Bowling Green State University.

Things will not get much easier once UD begins CAA play, with the conference rated among the top 10 NCAA Division I women’s basketball conferences in the nation.

“We have lost a large part of our offense,” Martin acknowledges, “but we have always played a team brand of basketball. I am excited for the challenge, and the team is excited for the challenge.”

For the Hens to do well, Martin says star junior guard Tyresa Smith, senior Amanda Blackstone and junior point guard Alena Koshansky will have to step up their games and their roles as team leaders.

“Tyresa Smith has had two great years here,” Martin says of the 5-foot, 10-inch CAA All-Defensive Team selection. “As a junior, she needs to continue her defensive mind-set because everything revolves around our defense, but she also needs to look to score a little more.”

The 6-foot Blackstone is one of the few seniors on the team with substantial playing experience, and Martin says she will be expected to “provide leadership both on and off the court.”

Koshansky “had a really good year” at point guard in 2004-05, Martin says, and will be counted on to “keep the team under control on the court, and to run the plays we need to run.”

Getting playing time at the shooting guard position will be 5-foot 9-inch Melissa Czorniewy, who earned substantial playing time during her freshman year.

Martin also is counting on a strong showing by 6-foot Chrissy Fisher, a transfer from the University of Maryland who can play either guard or forward. “She has an opportunity to make an immediate impact,” Martin says. “She is a very solid player.”

Another University of Maryland transfer, 6-foot 3-inch Arek Deng, could provide a strong presence in the middle. Martin says Deng has worked very hard to overcome a serious ankle injury and is ready to contribute.

To further bolster the front line, which is Martin’s biggest concern, the coach hopes 6-foot 1-inch Courtney Irving will step up.

As the season progresses, Martin says UD fans could see more of two freshman recruits, 5-foot, 10-inch guard Ethlynne Thomas from Watkins Mill High School in Maryland and 6-foot 2-inch post player Farrah Ferguson from Wissahickon High School in Pennsylvania.

Also, Martin says she hopes for a late season return by Geneva Livingston, who injured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the summer.

Despite the inexperience, Martin says she continues to set the bar high for her team. “Our goal every year is to challenge for a championship,” she says. “There may be some bumps at the beginning of the season, but, hopefully, we will gel as a team and make a strong run at the end of the season.”

Once the team opens CAA play, Martin says she expects perennial power Old Dominion University to continue to set the pace.

—Neil Thomas, AS ’76