2023-24 Season Preview: Rivier Women’s Basketball
NASHUA, N.H. – The Rivier women's basketball team will kick off its 2023-24 campaign on the newly renovated court at the Muldoon Gymnasium on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in a non-conference clash against Fisher. The Raiders, under the direction of fourth year head coach Deanna Purcell, will look to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament for the third consecutive season.
Rivier returns two of its GNAC All-Conference honorees from before, with First Teamer Lyric Grumblatt and Third Teamer Hannah Muchemore returning to the squad for their senior seasons.
Grumblatt finished with 17.7 points per game and was the fastest player in conference history to reach 1,000 points (44 games) during that span. She was also honored by the New England Women's Basketball Association, making the Third Team.
Muchemore finished with 13.5 points per game, 4.9 assists per game, and 3.6 steals per game as she broke two single-season records, notching 132 assists and 96 steals.
The team brought in three first years to play alongside 14 returners who helped their team reach the GNAC Semifinals last season.
Grumblatt and Muchemore are two of the team's three captains, with classmate Anna Stenger helping lead the squad.
"Our core group of upperclassmen has spent the last two years playing big minutes as a young, inexperienced team," said Purcell. "Now, in our third full season together, with three exciting first years added to our roster, we get to showcase the development and growth of our program and these young women.
After taking on Fisher, the team will play in the Wheaton Tip-Off Tournament over the weekend before returning home to face off against in-state rival Plymouth St. on Nov. 14.
The Raiders will be California-bound following a home matchup with WPI as they head out west to play Redlands and Cal Lutheran at the Kaiser Permanente Arena.
Conference play begins on home court as the team will host Emmanuel (Mass.) after playing Brandeis just two days prior.
From there, there will be a mix of challenging out-of-conference opponents on the schedule, along with a lengthy GNAC slate.
"We intentionally scheduled tough, talented non-conference opponents who will prepare us to compete at the highest level in GNAC play," said Purcell. "This group is more motivated and more focused than ever; they want to hang the first women's basketball championship banner in the Muldoon."
