City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of our 2023-24 season coverage, which will run for the six weeks preceding the first official games of the year on Nov. 6. To access all of our high school and college preview content for this season click here.)

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Big 5 Preseason Primers
MBB: Drexel | La Salle | Penn | Saint Joseph’s | Temple | Villanova
WBB: Drexel | La Salle | Penn | Saint Joseph’s | Temple | Villanova

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2023-24 Drexel Dragons WBB Primer
Coach: Amy Mallon, 4th season (63-25, .716)
Last Year: 21-10 (13-5 CAA); lost in CAA quarterfinals (Monmouth, 65-59)

Mallon has continued the success of her predecessor (Villanova women’s coach Denise Dillon) at Drexel, going to the NCAA Tournament in her first season and following with a pair of 20-plus win seasons and CAA regular season titles in her second and third seasons at the helm of the program. A three-game losing streak to end the season, including opening game losses in the conference tournament and WNIT, spoiled another otherwise terrific season in 2022-23. The Dragons have a few big pieces to replace, but that was also the case last season and there were plenty of players ready to step into bigger roles.

Key Departures: G Keishana Washington (27.7 ppg), F Kylie Lavelle (11.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg), G Maura Hendrixson (5.6 ppg, 7.8 apg)

Washington, a 5-foot-7 guard, was the nation’s third leading scorer in 2022-23, averaging 27.7 ppg as she earned All-American honors. She finished her career with 2,363 points in five seasons in University City. There won’t be any one player to replicate the production of one of the best to put on a Dragons’ uniform.

Hendrixson was another fifth-year player and national statistical leader, ranking third in assists per game and setting the program record with 223 assists last season. The Dragons will need someone else to become the table setter in place of the 5-foot-9 O'Hara product. Lavelle’s departure came a bit unexpectedly as she appeared to be on the program's building blocks, earning CAA All-Rookie honors before transferring to Penn State. 

New Faces: G Brooke Mullin (Gr. | Villanova), G Erin Doherty (Gr. | Catholic), G Amaris Baker (Jr. | Harcum College), G Laine McGurk (Fr. | West Chester Rustin, Pa.), F Clara Bergeron (Fr. | Montreal, Quebec)

The Dragons add a pair of local products via grad transfers in Brooke Mullin (Neshaminy) and Erin Doherty (Haverford). Mullin, a 5-foot-11 guard/wing, started 89 games over the last three seasons at Villanova and played in a total of 124 in four seasons on the Main Line. She brings experience from two NCAA Tournament trips, averaging 3.5 ppg and 3.5 apg during last season’s Sweet 16 run. Doherty earned All-Landmark honors as a junior and senior at Catholic, averaging 12.4 ppg and 3.3 rpg last season. The 5-foot-7 guard will bring some shooting 34-of-96 (35.4 percent).

Baker is another local product (Cardinal O’Hara) who comes to the Dragons by way of Harcum College after a season at Kennesaw State. The 5-foot-8 guard was the top NJCAA Division II scorer in the country, averaging 27.0 ppg and added 6.5 rpg and 3.1 apg while shooting 51.8 percent overall and 38.5 from three during a run to the NJCAA semifinals. Then there’s the two freshmen. McGurk, a 5-foot-10 guard/wing, is another big-time scorer, averaging 21.4 ppg as a senior. Bergeron is a 6-foot-2 forward from Canada, continuing the Dragons’ pipeline from up north.

Projected Lineup: PG Grace O’Neill (7.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg), G Amaris Baker (27.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg at Harcum), G Brooke Mullin (3.5 ppg, 3.5 apg at Villanova), F Chloe Hodges (5.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg), F Hetta Saatman (5.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg)

O’Neil, the 5-foot-7 point guard from Archbishop Carroll, played in all 31 games last season, starting 30 as a freshman. The sophomore guard should see an even bigger role after averaging 33.9 minutes per contest and should have the ball in her hands more with Washington and Hendrixson gone. Saatman, a 6-foot-2 forward, is the only other returning starter. She started all 31 games last season and will bring a veteran presence up front. With Lavelle’s scoring touch gone inside, she could be primed for a big final season in University City.

Valentine, a 5-foot-11 forward, is the only other returner from last season’s team with experience in the starting lineup, starting eight of the 31 games she played. She was the team’s second leading rebounder last season beyond O’Neil. It makes sense that some combination of the newcomers will make up the rest of the starting lineup with Baker’s scoring and Mullin’s winning experience making a lot of sense. 

Hodges, a 6-foot forward from Australia, was a key piece in the rotation last season, averaging 17.6 mpg off the bench in 29 games. Her versatility should help her carve out a big role in the again and potentially a starting spot.

Key Reserves: F Jasmine Valentine (4.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg), G Erin Sweeney (0.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg), G Momo LeClair (DNP) , F Clara Bergeron

Graduate Erin Sweeney, an Archbishop Carroll product, played limited minutes in 18 games last season, but no one else on the roster has much experience. Mallon has had no problems letting her freshmen see action early in their careers and McGurk and Bergeron could push for minutes. Momo LaClair and Sira Ba were both out last season, while sophomore guards Jalyn McNeill and Jennifer Martin saw very limited action in their first years on campus last season.

Biggest Strength: Taking care of the ball

The Dragons have ranked among the top teams in the country in most turnover categories during Mallon’s tenure at Drexel. Even without former star guard Hannah Nihill last season,  that trend continued as the Dragons ranked seventh in assist to turnover ratio (1.39), ninth in turnovers per game (12.1) and 22nd in turnover margin (+4.90). Hendrixson was terrific at the point, tallying 223 assists compared to 103 turnovers, ranking 28th in the country in assist to turnover ratio (2.3). O’Neill tallied 55 assists compared to 29 turnovers, which would have ranked 68th if she qualified — a good sign that the Dragons will be able to continue to take care of the rock in 2023-24.

Area for Improvement: Rebounding

It’s probably not a great sign for your team’s rebounding prowess when your 5-foot-7 freshman guard is the team’s leading rebounder. While O’Neil’s showing on the glass was impressive, the Dragons as a team ranked 338th in rebounding (31.4 pg). An extended role for Valentine could help the Dragons on the glass and Baker has proven herself an effective rebounder from the guard/wing position. Saatman and Hodges could also help the team improve on the glass. Drexel ranked 331st in 3-point shooting defense last season (34.4 percent) and if they improve on that front it will become more imperative to secure misses.