Keep an eye on these five local college women's basketball players primed for big seasons
The women's college basketball season tips off this week, and there are plenty of Central Mass. stars to watch shine for area teams. We take a look at some to keep an eye on this year.
Emmy Allyn
WPI (Rutland/Wachusett Regional)
Freshman, Guard
Each of the last two seasons, Allyn played a major role in helping Wachusett Regional reach the Division 1 state semifinals, not just with her skill, but with her leadership. Mountaineers coach Jim Oxford often referred to Allyn as an extension of himself on the court.
Allyn is already making a similar impact at WPI.
“She has such a high IQ,” WPI coach Cherise Galasso said, “she thinks like a coach. She knows that success takes more than just talent, and she’s willing to do what it takes to be the best and to make her team the best. She’s definitely going to be a factor this year.”
Allyn, who was a two-time T&G Super Team selection, averaged 10 points, 2 steals, 5 assists and 2 rebounds as a senior at Wachusett, and was one of the Mountaineers’ best defenders.
“She had such great coaching in high school, it just really set her up for college,” Galasso said. “She’s a three-level scorer, and she’s an excellent defender within the team defensive system. She can guard one-on-one, but what is different about her and a couple of our other first years, is they understand the team defensive dynamic because they were so well coached coming into college.”
The 5-foot-7 Allyn is one of eight freshmen on the young Engineers’ roster.
“She has all the intangibles,” Galasso said. “She is committed, hard-working, and she is a great teammate. She competes at a higher level every day.”
Stephanie Hart
Fitchburg State (Ayer-Shirley)
Junior, Forward
A foot injury limited Hart to 15 games off the bench her freshman season at Fitchburg State, but last year the former T&G Super Team selection stepped into a starting role and averaged a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game.
“We’re looking for her to keep building on those things,” Falcons coach Laura Pierce said, “and taking on more of a vocal leadership role as well.”
As a senior at Ayer-Shirley, Hart, who was a two-year captain, averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Hart averaged 6.5 points last year and scored a season-high 14 in a loss to Salem State. She posted double-figures in rebounds in eight games.
“She works her butt off every possession,” Pierce said. “One thing we know we’re going to get from her is she’s always going to give 110 percent on every possession. She rebounds really well, and she’s going to be that steady presence where we know what we’re going to get as a coaching staff.”
Hart’s twin sister Kathryn, who also played at Ayer-Shirley, is a Falcons junior guard. Kathryn transferred to Fitchburg State last season after beginning her college career at Regis.
Mia Haynes
Worcester State (Worcester/Burncoat)
Freshman, Guard
Worcester State coach Karen Tessmer is excited about her five-member freshman class, which, in addition to Haynes, includes Clinton’s Ava Lemanski and West Brookfield’s Hannah Manzaro.
Injuries hit the Lancers this preseason, so their young players will have to contribute as they gain experience.
“I have high hopes for Mia,” Tessmer said, “and all of our freshmen.”
At Burncoat, the 5-foot-9 Haynes averaged 11.6 points per game as a senior and earned T&G Division 4 all-star honors. Haynes also starred in softball for the Patriots.
“She is a good-sized guard,” Tessmer said, “she jumps well, and she can take it to the basket. She has a lot of upside, and that’s what we’re excited about. She is a hard worker, and she has done a nice job stepping in and learning the college game.”
Gina Parmenter
Anna Maria (Oxford)
Junior, Guard
After beginning her college career at Nichols, Parmenter transferred to Anna Maria last season and made an immediate impact on the AmCats’ program.
“By second semester (last season), she was already named a captain,” Anna Maria coach Melissa Paulhus said. “She played a key role for us last year, and I don’t expect anything different. She will continue to be a leader and an additional coach on the court. She is the heart of our team.”
Parmenter concluded her outstanding career at Oxford as the No. 2 all-time scorer behind the great Carla Berube. Paulhus (nee Arseneault) was a teammate of Berube, and the pair helped the Pirates win back-to-back state championships in 1992 and 1993.
Last season, Parmenter averaged 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists. She scored in double figures 17 times, including in 10 of the AmCats’ last 11 games.
Parmenter is an excellent passer and makes her teammates better.
“What I love most about her,” Paulhus said, “is her passion for the game. She has an unwavering fight, and her competitiveness never goes astray. She by far has one of the highest basketball IQs of anyone I have ever coached. I’m excited to see what Gina can do this year to help our team succeed.”
Alyvia Smith
Nichols (Fitchburg)
Sophomore, Guard
In 2022-23, Nichols ranked fourth in the nation in steals per game, averaging 16.8, and Smith, who is a great fit in the Bison’s fast-paced offense and pressing defense, played a major role in that achievement.
“She’s got great instincts, anticipating where passes are going to come out of traps,” Nichols coach Dan Nagle said, “and she has the quickness and athleticism to get wherever she needs to go in our defense.”
As a Nichols freshman, Smith, who was a T&G Division 2 all-star her senior season at Fitchburg, started 23 of 24 games and averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists. She posted career-highs for points (15) and rebounds (11) in a game against the University of New England, and a career-best seven steals against Wellesley.
“On offense,” Nagle said, “she uses the same speed to get out on the break and make plays in transition.”
Additionally, Smith is a solid 3-point shooter, Nagle said.
Nichols welcomes four freshman to the team this season, and Smith has emerged as a leader with her younger teammates.
“She’s made the jump with how vocal she’s become,” Nagle said. “It makes you proud as a coach that, obviously, she sat listening to the message last year as a freshman. With the new crop of freshman, she’s stepped up being vocal with them and doing things the right way.”
Molly Stokes
Assumption (Worcester/Worcester Academy)
Senior, Guard
After Stokes’ sophomore season, during which she played limited minutes as a backup, she was sick of sitting on the bench, so she did something about it.
“Molly is one of the rare student-athletes,” Assumption coach Kerry Phayre said, “that can look in the mirror and see if it’s going to change, it’s up to her. Last year, it really started to change. We saw a different intensity and a different confidence.”
In 2022-23, Stokes started every game, earned All-Northeast-10 Conference third-team honors and helped the Greyhounds to a historic season. Assumption won 27 games and advance to the NCAA Division 2 Elite Eight.
Stokes averaged 11.8 points on 42% field-goal shooting and 1.6 rebounds. She made 37% of her 3-point attempts and scored a career-high 26 points in Assumption’s win over Dominican (N.Y.) in the opening round of the NCAA tourney.
“She was a tremendous impact player for us,” Phayre said. “Her work ethic, her competitiveness, her ability to shoot the 3, and her improved defense was a big part of our success for sure.”
The Greyhounds are the preseason favorite to repeat as NE-10 champions and the No. 6 team in the WBCA preseason poll.
Stokes again will play an important role in Assumption’s success.
“(After her sophomore season), we kept telling her, ‘We need you to do more here,’” Phayre said. “She started believing in herself, and it was nothing more than a lot of hard work before last season to change herself as a player, and she did the same exact thing this year. She came back much better, more diverse offensively, and much more determined.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: These five local college women's basketball players are set for big seasons
