SFU Media Tip-Off Luncheon Signals Beginning of 2008-09 Basketball Seasons
LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 5, 2008) – In front of an overflow crowd in the Stokes-Twyman Room of DeGol Arena, the Saint Francis men’s and women’s basketball coaches – Don Friday and Susan Robinson Fruchtl, respectively – announced their expectations for the upcoming 2008-09 season during the annual SFU Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon.
Robinson Fruchtl enters her second season in charge of the Red Flash women’s program, and is counting on a solid returning corps and a nationally respected recruiting class to help her team get back to the Northeast Conference Tournament for the first time since they won the league title and went to the NCAA Tournament in 2004-05. With five freshmen and one transfer, the Red Flash will have a new look this season.
“We’re extremely young,” said Robinson Fruchtl. “We’ve put in a whole new offense and three new defenses, so things are moving in the right direction. You’re going to see a more up-tempo style, more fast-breaking. We’re going to spread the floor and really look to get to the hoop. We’ve got to get to the foul line a lot more this year. We’ve got to get out and run, and I think you’re going to see that. You’re going to see some mistakes early in the season, but that’s what our non-conference season is for – to get ready for conference. Our goals in the NEC are very high this year, and we really want to go after that.”
She also addressed the media and other attendees on the winning tradition that has been associated with Saint Francis basketball. With nine NEC championships in the past 13 years, the past is not something that should be forgotten by the Red Flash faithful. Robinson Fruchtl intends to honor that tradition, and build upon it in the future.
“I think the players, especially the older players, are very aware of the history of this program,” she said. “Emily Bollinger was on the team last year, so they played with her and she was a player that was on the last championship team. I think she let them know about it, and that’s a good thing. You have to embrace tradition, but not be scared of it. We can never be fearful of the championships they’ve won here. It’s something we need to embrace, and we need to expect that of ourselves. But we need to go higher. No NEC team as ever gotten above a 12 or 13 seed in the NCAA tournament, so that’s something as you start getting better, every NEC team that is going to get in the tournament wants to improve upon. We can’t be scared of it, we need to embrace it and remember the things that got them there – the hard work.”
The Red Flash women start the season with a trip to Boston College on November 14 with an 8:15 pm match up with the Eagles. The team will travel to Farmville, Va., to take on Longwood on November 19 at 7 pm before returning home to DeGol Arena on November 22 when they play host to Lehigh at 5 pm.
The Flash will also play an exhibition game on November 10 when they host the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons at 7 pm at DeGol Arena. The game can be heard on The Edge 1400 AM and The Edge 850 AM, as well as around the world at www.GoRedFlash.com.
Friday takes over the Saint Francis men’s basketball program, and is focusing on teaching the fundamentals of a motion offense that is difficult to guard against. Despite losing the team’s top two leading scorers, the Red Flash return 11 experienced players, and are hoping to make some noise in the Northeast Conference.
“We’ve set a couple goals up for our team,” Friday said. “The first thing is, we want our kids to be relevant here academically. Our team goal is to get a 3.0 GPA as a group. And we want to be somewhere in the Top-10 in our athletic department in terms of academic success. Our second goal is we want to be able to make that Northeast Conference Tournament at the end of the year. I can’t promise you that we’re going to go out there and do it tomorrow, but by the end of the year I hope that as we get better we’re relevant at the end of this year. We can be in that Northeast Conference Tournament.”
The Saint Francis men will have to learn a new offensive philosophy under Friday, who compiled an 83-49 record in five seasons as the head coach at Lycoming College. Friday realizes that it will take time for his players to learn the system. Although the 11 returning players have valuable Division I experience, they are all essentially freshmen in his system. Friday has been preaching to his players that hard work, and patience will be of benefit to the team.
“We are going to worry about five minutes at a time,” he said. “We’re not talking about Texas Tech, and we’re not worried about Bucknell or Duquesne or anyone else in our conference. It’s the next five minutes at a time – that’s what we are preparing for. We’ve got to do our very best now. Things are not going to happen here by accident… I promise you nothing here with us right now. I can’t give you a win-loss total for the year, but I do know that we will play five minutes at a time to the best of our ability. We’re going to prepare for those five minutes. The preseason prognosticators picked us dead last (in the conference). Hey, right now that’s a prediction. We’re going to give our best effort here.”
The Red Flash will tip off the 2008-09 campaign against Big 12 foe Texas Tech at 9 p.m. on Friday, November 14. That game, and all Red Flash games during the season, can be heard on the Red Flash Sports Radio Network or via www.goRedFlash.com.
Saint Francis will play host to in-state rival Duquesne in its home opener at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 20. The Red Flash will then hold their annual Alumni Night against another in-state rival, Bucknell, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 22.
Tickets to all Red Flash men’s and women’s basketball games can be purchased by calling 814-472-3286.