Quote from: saratoga on April 07, 2025, 07:15:37 PMAugie, I hope you're right about this incoming class.
However, as we all know, the ability to put up great high school numbers does not always translate to the college game.
Just took a look at Lady Royal rosters going back 40 + years to see which years brought in at least 2 players that made a significant impact.
Here we go...
1983/84'
Patty Fulton
Shelly Ritz
Grace Hickey
Sharon Barone
Una Espenkotter
This group got great experience as freshmen & then the following year, aided by transfers Shelly Parks & Deanna Kyle went on to win the National Championship.
1989/90'
Another great year adding future stars:
Jackie Dougherty
Katie Geiger
Anne Gooley
Lynn Kempski (Mom of current Lady Royal Liz Halligan)
1995/96'
Erin Hurleman
Kate Dougherty #1
1996/97'
Kelly Halpin
Shannon Milder
1997/98'
Lisa Harris
Jaime Eilbacher
2000/01'
Katie Dougherty #2
Kate Pierangeli
2001/02'
Eileen Webster
Tara Gemmel
2003/04'
Taryn Mellody
Allison Matt
2007/08'
Jenn King
Courtney Roselle
Megan Kopecki
2011/12'
Lindsey Fluehr
Meredith Mesaris
2012/13'
Noelle Alicea
Jackie Gantz
2013/14'
Sarah Payonk
Alexix Roman
Denise Rizzo
2014/15'
Katie Broderick
Katie Feehery
2016/17"
Sophia Recupero
Mackenzie Mason
Lily Warhaftig
Emily Sheehan...(by their junior year, the class was in the Final Four)
2018/19'
Danielle McCurdy
Emily Shurina
2019/20'
Hannah Angelini
Bridget Monaghan
Kyra Quigley
2020/21'
Maddie Hartnett
Maddy Ryan
Jenna Larrabee
2022/23'
Kacy Kranson
Jenna Sloan
2023/24'
Katie Gorski
Elizabeth Bennett
Megan LaManna
Natalie Stoupakis
The 2024/25' kids all played about as expected but thus far, no one has emerged as a dominate player from that class.
A number of years there were multiple incoming freshman but only 1 emerged from the group as an impact player.
Those would be, as an example, the following years:
1992/93'-Mary Strasser
1993/94'-Current All-Time leading scorer Jen Nish
1998/99'-Gillian McGovern
1999/2000-Ann Marie Russo
2002/03'-Kelly Lewendowski
2005/06'-Kathleen Daly
2010/11'-Allison Sweeney
2015/16'-Bridget Mann
I'm sure there are others I may have missed but I think this gives Royal fans a trip back in time to the kids that made this program one of the most consistent Top 20 teams in the nation year in and year out.
What this next group brings to the table is yet to be seen but chances are, at least one of them will will make some serious contributions and keep the deep runs coming.
Saratoga,
Nice effort on Lady Royals' history. I began my evaluation of prospects when nobody of note showed up to complement Megan Kopecki during her next 3 years.