November 4, 2019 I Vol. 116 Iss. 14 AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM 2019-20 Basketball Season Preview Pages 2-6 ARIELLE BADER & DEAN WHITELAW | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS REVERSE THE COURSE: Wave of new players brings optimism to unsteady programs EMILY MAISE SPORTS EDITOR oming off a season marred with disap- Atlantic 10, the women’s team will need to rely on fensive style. As a three-year starting point guard, pointment, men’s and women’s basket- its new players to increase production and remain Bautista was a vocal and experienced leader who ball are armed with an infl ux of new competitive. guided the team on and off the court, leaving a void players looking to rebound for the 2019- The men’s team is slated to fi nish 12th in confer- for this year’s team to fi ll. 20 season. ence play, but Christian has eyed a complete trans- Rizzotti said a trio of guards – sophomore Mad- Both teams hit historic lows last season, winning formation of its off ense well before the poll was die Loder, junior Sydney Zambrotta and redshirt Cjust 19 combined games – the lowest total in three released last week. Players have focused on three- freshman Tori Hyduke – are expected to handle decades. This season, the men’s and women’s teams point shooting and pick-and-roll to create a scoring the ball this season. Zambrotta and Hyduke are un- will both rely on a combined crop of 15 new players threat down low and on the perimeter. tested in A-10 play after missing last season because and new off ensive strategies to turn their programs The women’s squad returns nine members of of NCAA transfer rules and an ACL injury, respec- around. last season’s roster. Among the returning players, tively. Loder holds the most experience at the point The women’s squad ended last season with just junior forward Neila Luma leads the pack off ensive- position with 770 minutes played last season. 10 wins, its worst record since 2010-11. Injuries and ly, averaging 10.4 points per game last season. But Luma, a junior forward, said the new team mem- NCAA transfer rules kept the Colonials’ bench the remaining roster averages less than a combined bers have brought a newfound and much needed short, but seven of 13 members will see the court 20 points per game. energy to the roster. for the fi rst time, and the team hopes its new pieces Rizzotti said the lack of a returning core is “That’s something that we need,” Luma said. spark a return to its former glory. “scary” because the new members’ adjustment “We need motivation, helping our teammates out, “They understand that they underachieved, and to the pace of collegiate play is unknown, and her just overall being inclusive to members of the pro- I think everyone is on the same page on what they starting rotation is still up in the air. Three of last gram.” want to accomplish going forward,” women’s bas- season’s fi ve starters graduated, leaving the team Rizzotti said she wants fi ve players who can act ketball head coach Jennifer Rizzotti said. with holes to fi ll at the point guard position, from as a cohesive unit. She said the starting fi ve is not On the men’s side, the team earned just nine the three-point line and on defense. set in stone because she wants to play around with wins during the 33-game season, resulting in for- “It’s not perfect, but I don’t think any team is at diff erent lineups. mer head coach Maurice Joseph’s fi ring. The squad’s this point in the season,” Rizzotti said. “The fact that A duo of transfers and a pair of freshmen round .273 winning percentage is its lowest since the 2000- they’re accepting that there’s room to grow is what’s out the Colonials’ roster. Rizzotti said the level 01 season. With new head coach Jamion Christian important to me.” of competition has increased in practices, which at the helm, along with overhauled off ensive and On the men’s side, nine players are returning, makes her want to off er game time to players who defensive systems and eight new additions to the and eight players will wear a GW uniform for the push themselves in practice. team’s roster, the Colonials aim to fl ip their down- fi rst time. Junior guard Maceo Jack hit his stride “If we don’t have nine or 10 ward trajectory. down the stretch and leads all returning players guys on thethe flfl ooroor consistently consistently ear- ear- “It’s going to come all down to how we connect with 11.5 points per game. The men’s squad scraped ly in the season, I’ll be surprised though, because the connection gives you the abil- together a combined average of 38 points per game because there’s a lot of people who ity to make plays that maybe you can’t draw on the among eight players last season. have earned the opportunity to play,” whiteboard,” Christian said. Christian said he wants to weaponize each play- Rizzotti said. er’s diff erent background and skillset to outpace the Preparing new players for action team’s competition this season, using last season’s Men look to rebuild program Across both programs, 15 players will see shortcomings as a learning experience. Christian rebranded the program the court for the fi rst time “We come here armed with a staff of guys who when he stepped in this year, introduc- as Colonials. In off ensive are able to really come in here and evaluate the guys ing a new offoff ense,ense, defensedefense andand teamteam cul-cul- systems rampant with for what they do well,” he said. “Not to be critical ture. scoring woes, the new of them in the past, but to have the right mindset to The Colonials will play pieces will play a key role help them learn from it.” mayhem defense, an ag- in generating scoring op- gressive style focused on a portunities, Christian and Women navigate uncharted waters full-court press and trap- Rizzotti said. Rizzotti’s fi rst full 13-member roster comprised ping. Christian said the On the women’s side, of her own recruits relies heavily on new pieces fol- team aims to propel the off ense continued to lowing the departure of three seniors. 2019-gradu- its off ense throughthrough be a sore spot for the Co- ates guard Mei-Lyn Bautista, forward Kelsi Ma- its defense, forcing lonials throughout last honey and guard Anna Savino were key fi xtures for turnovers and mak- season, but the team is the Colonials last season. ing stops to give the heading into the year with Mahoney topped the team in three-point shoot- squad more time in seven new faces ready for ing, draining 63 from behind the arc and fi ring at a the off ensive zone. action on the court. Project- .360 clip. Savino was a walk-on turned starter for the ed to fi nish seventh in the Colonials last season who played a disruptive de- See SQUAD Page 6 College Democrats silent amid slew of e-board resignations LIZZIE MINTZ election, while one member said he wants to did not return multiple requests for com- ward after the event and whether they were CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR be transparent with general body members ment. Former vice president of membership forced out of their positions. about how they will work to regain student Elizabeth Gonzalez declined to comment. Current e-board members Nathan Former and current leaders of GW Col- trust. Charlie Panfi l, the group’s former fi - Yohn, Nick Koehler, Amanda Msallem, lege Democrats are remaining tight-lipped “Part of this rebuilding process is to re- nance director, and Helena Russo-Delee, Sarah Gregory, Maddie Goldstein – the or- about details surrounding a slew of execu- uie Kahn, the group’s campaigns manager, the group’s former chief of staff , said they ganization’s current Foggy Bottom fresh- tive board resignations last week. said. “A big part in doing that is being open resigned for the reasons stated in the email man representative – and Jovawn McNeil After seven e-board members an- to hearing their opinions on how we can sent Monday. did not return multiple requests for com- nounced their resignations Monday, re- make our elections more transparent, how Panfi l and Russo-Delee declined to say ment. John Hicks, who lost the Foggy Bot- maining leaders held a town hall where they we could act as a more transparent organi- when they learned that students had re- tom freshman representative race after the unveiled that several departed members zation overall.” moved votes from the election, whether they incident, did not return multiple requests omitted votes from a freshman representa- Lauren Bordeaux, Luke Briggs and Har- were involved with the event and which re- for comment. tive election in September. But 12 current ita Iswara, the organization’s former presi- signed members were involved. and former group leaders have declined or dent, programming director and vice presi- Panfi l and Russo-Delee declined to say not returned requests for comment on the dent of diversity and inclusion, respectively, how College Democrats should move for- See ELECTION Page 8 Vern clinic will improve access to health care, students say TIFFANY GARCIA effi ciency and accessibility on the campus, the CHC, and the center was completely stay there for half a day when you’re sick REPORTER but some students said the Vern’s clinic closed on Sundays.