The College of Staten Island Women's Basketball Team begins the 2024-2025 season with the program's annual Conference Challenge this weekend, and the team will be looking to qualify for the ECC postseason for the third straight season. In the recently released ECC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Dolphins were chosen to finish 5th in the conference which would once again place them firmly in the playoff picture. The Dolphins were 7-9 against the conference last season which sent them on the road in the opening round of the playoffs for the second straight season. As they did in 2023, the Dolphins visited UDC in their first-round matchup. This time, the Firebirds defeated the Dolphins to end their season. After returning much of their roster ahead of the 2023-2024 season, the Dolphins graduated several key players from last year's playoff squad. However, the team also added plenty of new talent to this year's roster including multiple players with previous collegiate experience. Returning for her seventh season is Head Coach Nicole Sarcone who has led the Dolphins to double-digit victories each of the last two seasons. Still the only CSI Athletics varsity sports program with a postseason victory, the team hopes to make a push deeper into the postseason in their third season of NCAA Division II playoff eligibility.
2024-2025 ECC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL RANKINGS
KEY RETURNERS
*20+ MINUTES PER GAME IN 2023-2024
JENALYSE ALARCON - Sr. | FWD | Troy, NY
Alarcon has been the most important player to the Women's Basketball program since the team's move to Division II, and the senior is the only returning player who averaged double-figure scoring last season. The fourth-year Dolphin has averaged at least 10 points per game during the first three years of her career, and she has also led the team in rebounding during each of those seasons. In addition to her scoring and rebounding, she has also ranked among the team leaders in assists during her time with the program. An ECC All Conference Second Team selection, Alarcon will once again be relied upon as a leader at both ends of the floor for a Dolphins team with playoff aspirations.
DANA PHELAN - Jr. | G | Tappan, NY
Phelan took a big step forward from year one to year two with the program. Last season, she increased her scoring by four points per game and improved her outside shooting significantly. Increasing her three-point shooting percentage seven points to over 36% last season, Phelan was CSI's best outside shooter during the 2023-2024 campaign. A player who scored in double-figures fourteen times, including two games over 20 points, Phelan will once again be looked to for floor spacing and consistent scoring from the perimeter.
KYRA ROSE - Jr. | G | Jersey City, NJ
Rose has been a consistent contributor during each of her first two seasons with the program as the team's top scorer off the bench. Averaging over 20 minutes per game each season, primarily as a reserve, the junior has averaged 6.9 and 10.0 points per game during her first two seasons. She has also been a consistent presence on the glass averaging 6.2 and 5.2 rebounds per game as a freshman and sophomore. Awarded the CSI Athletics Breakout Player of the Year Award last season, the Dolphins will be counting on Rose to continue her upward trajectory in her third season with the team this year.
NOEMIA MASSINGUE - Sr. | FWD | Matola, Maputo, Mozambique
Massingue has remained a key piece of the CSI rotation during each of her first three seasons with the team and has appeared in 25 games or more each year. As a freshman, she posted career-highs in scoring and rebounding averaging nearly 29 minutes per game. During each of the last two seasons, she has posted similar rebounding numbers despite a slight decrease in minutes played. Entering her senior season with the program, she will continue to be relied upon for interior scoring and rebounding.
2024-2025 TRANSFERS
*3+ YEARS OF COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE
AMBER ABUSBEIH
Abusbeih is a transfer from Columbus State University who will immediately assume a role as the starting point guard for the Dolphins. With over 250 career assists, including 180 across the last two seasons, she will provide the team with a facilitator that can also deliver consistent scoring. She enters the upcoming season just ten points shy of 1000 for her career, and she has averaged double-figure scoring during three of four seasons.
Quirolo has spent the last three seasons as a reserve for Saint Anselm College providing the Hawks with consistent rebounding and outside shooting in her time on the floor. A 38% three-point shooter for her career, she has attempted at least 64 threes and made no fewer than 20 during each of her three seasons with Saint Anselm. Averaging just over 16 minutes per game, she has averaged over 5 points and two rebounds per game, numbers that are sure to increase with additional playing time.