Norwich women's basketball gets new head coach

By Matthew Anderson
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

In an effort to fill a vacancy in the Athletic Department's coaching staff, a new women's basketball coach took over in June, according to the Norwich athletic director.

"I'm very excited about coaching at Norwich," said Steve Lanpher, the new women's basketball coach. "I particularly am excited about taking over this group; they are just a great group of ladies."

Lanpher's background includes six years of college coaching on different collegiate levels. He was also the top assistant at Lamar University last season, a Division I program.

"He was probably the most well rounded candidate of all," said Tony Mariano, Norwich athletic director.

Don Lorinovich will return for a second year as assistant coach.

Preseason training has already begun with captains' practices that include long distance running, sprint work, weight lifting, and playing as a group, Lanpher said.

"We will be in great shape for our home opener," Lanpher said.

The team has three returning starters, five returnees who saw significant playing time last season, and two players who were injured last season but are expected to play valuable minutes this year. Joining them are four incoming freshmen.

The captains for this year's team were pre-selected last spring and will be Lisa Belmonte, Jamie Abrams, and Diana Monahan.

There are no seniors on the team this year, but the team will be fine with two juniors and a sophomore as captains, Lanpher said.

"Coach Lanpher will bring a lot to this team," said Belmonte, 20, a junior physical education major from Long Island, N.Y. "He has some great ideas and has a lot of experience, so we are very excited."

"I feel all the players have already developed a great relationship with Coach Lanpher, and we are in for an exciting season," said Abrams, 20, a junior physical education major from Long Island, N.Y.

Other returning players concur with Abrams about the new relationship.

"Already, I think we all click as a team and coaching staff," said Alicia Crismale, 20, a sophomore business management major from Guilford, Conn. "Coach Lanpher is very positive and enthusiastic about our team."

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