PHILADELPHIA (7/01/03) - Faced with one of the nation's most demanding schedules and the departure of the program's all-time leading scorer, the Saint Joseph's University women's basketball team (19-11) rose to the challenge in 2002-03, maintaining its stature as one of college hoops' most successful programs. Keyed by a core group of juniors, the Hawks won the Atlantic 10 Conference's Eastern Division title and advanced to the Women's National Invitation Tournament for the second straight year, making the 18th postseason appearance in Hawk history along the way. Second-year head coach Cindy Griffin molded her team during an early-season trial by fire. Facing six teams that would eventually advance to the NCAA Tournament in the team's first eight games, including Penn State, Villanova, Duke and national champion Connecticut, the Crimson and Gray struggled to string together victories. The team, however, grew from its experience and matured on the floor. By the time the A-10 slate was set to open, the Hawks were poised to get into gear. The squad rattled off six wins to open the new year and 10 victories in its first 11 league games, sprinting to the A-10 Eastern Division crown with an impressive 13-3 record. For her efforts, Griffin was named the A-10 Coach of the Year, becoming just the second Hawk mentor to be so honored. The junior quartet of Erin Brady, Stephanie Graff, Amra Mehmedic, and Irina Krasnoshiok set the tone for SJU at both ends of the floor. Accounting for more than 75% of the team's points offensively, each of the four players took turns stepping up on a given night. Like the team, Brady opened the year slowly. A transfer to SJU from American, she shook off the rust of a red-shirt season to become an explosive scorer and adept ball handler. Emerging as the team's pulse as the season wore on, the second-team all-Big Five selection topped the team in both assists and steals and finished the season second in scoring (11.8 ppg.). Graff, who was tabbed to both the Academic all-A-10 and Big Five teams, remained strong and steady on the post. She topped the team in rebounding (7.3) and field goal percentage (52.3%), while establishing new Hawk season (44) and career (99) standards for blocked shots. Mehmedic, meanwhile, remained the team's top long-range threat, leading the team in both three-point field goals made and attempted for the second straight season. Both Graff and Mehmedic were named to the Academic All-District II second team. Arguably the A-10's Most Improved Player, Krasnoshiok blossomed during the course of the season, tapping into her vast potential by leading the club in scoring (14.3 ppg.). She topped the team by tallying double figures in 21 contests, including a 32-point outburst against Rhode Island. Among the most accurate shooters in program history, she was the most decorated Hawk player, garnering first-team All-Big Five and second-team All-Atlantic 10 accolades. Junior Elizabeth "Hootie" Mohan and freshman Maura McBryan took turns filling out the Hawks' starting rotation. Mohan started the team's first 15 contests before giving way to McBryan for the final 13 games of the regular season, as well as the A-10 Tournament. Mohan then returned to the lineup for SJU's pair of WNIT contests. Interchangeable in their selflessness, each provided SJU with a spark on one end of the floor. An adept passer with uncanny floor vision and a unique nose for the ball, Mohan played a critical role in getting the offense on track. McBryan, meanwhile, was a sound ball handler, who also provided solid hard-nosed defense. Fifth-year senior Colleen McGahan closed out her standout career by filling the team's need for a consistent three-point shooting threat. Joining her head coach as just the second player in school history to serve as a team captain for three seasons, she placed fifth on the squad in scoring, while shooting 31.5% from beyond the arc. Two other seniors, Natasha Pronga and Takeya Trayer, made their final collegiate seasons memorable. A two-sport standout and former walk-on, Pronga posted career-highs in virtually every statistical category after earning extend playing time as a defensive stopper. Trayer, likewise, saw significant playing time and proved to be a capable backup at the point guard slot. Freshman Faith Gross filled out the team's regular rotation. An athletic post player, she appeared in 27 games off the bench, flashing glimpses of her untapped potential. Three other Hawks, senior Terraya Richardson, sophomore Kristin Cuff, and freshman Kelly Springman, each saw limited action. Junior Esther Hoffer and freshman Christen Scanlon rounded out the roster. The Season A brutal early-season schedule provided both anticipation and apprehension for a young Hawk squad as the 2002-03 season got underway. With the departure of an experienced group of seniors, including all-time leading scorer Susan Moran, a starting five that featured five juniors would have to find its own identity against some of women's basketball's most revered programs. The Hawks' season opener against longtime rival Villanova was expected to be a stern first test. It was. The Wildcats, flashing a glimpse of the type of play that would eventually carry them all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, held SJU without a three-point field goal for the first time in over two years and limited SJU to just 34.0% shooting en route to notching a decisive 59-44 victory at the Fieldhouse, their first win in the building since 1981. SJU followed up its disappointing loss to VU with an even more stunning loss at the hands of Virginia. The Crimson and Gray shot an abominable 29.2% and coughed up a season-high 28 turnovers in dropping a 66-37 decision in Charlottesville, Va. Despite the bleak start, the Hawks rebounded to defeat eventual NCAA qualifier Boston University at home, 58-45, and then dumped a highly regarded Buffalo squad, 68-59, in the opening round of the Duke Classic to even its season record at 2-2. The prize for dispatching Buffalo was a date with #1 ranked Duke in the Tournament final. SJU hung tough with the Blue Devils for a half, but in the end the athleticism of Duke All-American Alana Beard proved to be too much as the Hawks fell 82-48. Two days later the Crimson and Gray hit the court again against a nationally ranked foe with an All-American star, this time against #11/12 Penn State in Happy Valley. In a near replay of the Duke game, SJU kept it close for 20 minutes, before PSU's Kelly Mazzante helped the Lions pull away. A victory by the Hawks over Drexel was highlighted by a 27-point outburst by Krasnoshiok, but St. Joe's run through the gauntlet was hardly complete. Defending national champion and #3/2 ranked Connecticut was up next. True to form, the feisty Hawks kept it close for about a half, before the Huskies and national player of the year Diana Taurasi claimed the 82-48 win in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,294 at the Hartford Civic Center. Despite the struggles, SJU hoped to right the ship after the Christmas holiday by hosting their annual Hawk Classic Tournament. The three-time defending champion, however, narrowly escaped with a 66-61 overtime win over UMBC in the semifinals and then were surprised by Siena in the final, 72-69. The loss sent the Hawk women into the new year with an uncharacteristic 4-6 record. Following some deep soul searching, SJU returned to the floor in January with a fresh look and a fresh attitude as the Atlantic 10 slate got underway. Brady, who played tentatively during the non-conference schedule, shifted into a different gear and the Hawks began to soar. She tallied a team-high 20 points as the Crimson and Gray removed a monkey from their back by defeating A-10 East favorite Temple in the league opener. She then erupted for 26 points in a convincing win at Massachusetts. The winning streak would eventually reach six. St. Joe's rolled over Rhode Island, thanks to a career-high 32-point explosion by Krasnoshiok, and Big Five rival Pennsylvania. SJU then won a pair of thrillers with Mehmedic sinking a pair of free throws with 0.8 seconds left in a 61-60 victory over Dayton and Graff scoring 24 in an 83-80 double overtime win at La Salle. A hiccup at home against A-10 West leader George Washington, 77-67, only briefly slowed down the Hawks, who held on for key wins over Temple, 49-47, and Xavier, 67-64, and then soundly defeated both Richmond and St. Bonaventure on the road. Winners of 10 out of 11 games, the surging Hawks appeared to be peaking at the right time and held a 14-7 overall record as the stretch run approached. Danger, however, lurked on the horizon. Cindy Griffin's charges flew into Pittsburgh, where SJU had lost three of its last four games, to take on an erratic Duquesne squad. SJU led most of the way, but the Dukes hammered the Hawks on the boards and took over late to put an end to SJU's hot streak, 68-64. One week later it was traditional A-10 punching bag Fordham that played spoiler. The Rams, losers of 13 straight to SJU, played with poise and the Hawks merely went through the motions in dropping a 57-53 decision that put a serious crimp in SJU's NCAA Tournament dreams. Griffin rallied her troops for the final regular-season push. SJU closed out the year with another solid win over UMass, then avenged the loss to Fordham with a convincing victory in the Bronx. The Crimson and Gray then defeated URI, before capping the season with a rout of the Bonnies on Senior Day. SJU appeared to have reclaimed control of it postseason fate with the four-game winning streak. The A-10 Eastern Division Champions (13-3) entered the A-10 Tournament as the East's top seed with an 18-9 record. A win over tournament host Rhode Island in the quarterfinals would have propelled SJU into the semifinals against Xavier and likely secured a NCAA bid. The Hawks, who had defeated URI at the Ryan Center one week earlier, played timidly and were upset by the upstart Rams, 62-49. The shocking turn of events left SJU's NCAA Tournament hopes in limbo despite a RPI in the mid-30s. One week later the team's fate was revealed. The Hawks dreams were left unfulfilled. Possessing the highest RPI of any team left left out of the NCAA Tournament, SJU settled for a WNIT berth for the second straight year. Much like 2002, St. Joe's took out the disappointment of its NCAA snub on an unsuspecting foe. SJU blitzed Delaware in a WNIT first round game. The Hawks, however followed up that win with an inconsistent effort against A-10 rival Richmond in the second round. Digging out of an early deficit, the Crimson and Gray led late, but the Spiders eked out the win at the finish and put an end to the season for Saint Joseph's. When looking back it will be easy to remember the accomplishments of the 2002-03 Saint Joseph's women's basketball team. Rising up to the challenge of a non-conference schedule that was rated fourth nationally and featured 12 games against teams that advanced to postseason play, the Hawks won the Atlantic 10 Conference's Eastern Division title and earned a WNIT berth for the second straight season. What may be more significant, however, was the maturation and development of a Hawk team that learned it could hold its own with the nation's best programs. Shaped by coach Cindy Griffin in the mold of great Hawk teams of the past, the squad saw the emergence of players like Erin Brady, Irina Krasnoshiok, Stephanie Graff and Amra Mehmedic, which should position SJU for even greater success in 2004.