Can Vermont women's basketball win the 2024 America East title: Forecast of what to expect

The University of Vermont women’s basketball team broke records, suffocated teams defensively and punched its NCAA Tournament ticket at Patrick Gym last season.

The Catamounts ended a 13-year conference title drought with a 38-36 triumph over No. 2 Albany last March. The championship capped a 17-game win streak, the longest since the 1992-93 season and fifth longest in the country at the time.

Vermont fell to Connecticut in the first round of March Madness. But brought back stars Emma Utterback and Delaney Richason for fifth seasons and an aim at a repeat bid in Burlington.

“I definitely hadn’t decided before the championship that I was going to come back another year,” Richason said. “But I think missing that season sophomore year and only playing really six games, that season was disappointing.

“The main reason was all the girls here and the coaches, I love the team and couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.”

The Catamounts earned the top spot in the America East coaches’ poll while Utterback and Anna Olson were tabbed to the preseason All-Conference team.

Eyes are on the Catamounts with four of five starters returning and expectations are to compete.

“I think we're in a really good place,” Vermont coach Alisa Kresge said. “It's showing in our leadership and taking advantage of what the task at hand is right now. I think it's when the lights are on, that first little test is, how do you stay poised and not try to win 30 games before you even tipped off on your first.”

Related: Who's on the roster? The latest on 2023-24 UVM women's basketball

The Cats open vs. Miami (OH) on Nov. 6. Here is my annual seasonal outlook on UVM and the 2023-24 schedule.

Replacing Catherine Gilwee’s production and role

Catherine Gilwee, the Champlain Valley Union High School graduate, suffered a season-ending knee injury this spring leaving a gap in the Catamounts’ backcourt.

The point guard drained the second-most 3-point field goals in a season (74), which trailed Josie Larkin's 2021-22 winter by just one trey. The Hinesburg native was the best 3-point threat the Catamounts had last winter with Richason's 47 makes second on the team.

Not just a shooting specialist, Gilwee was the Catamounts’ primary ball-handler and finished second on the team in assists. Her pace and understanding of the floor as a second-year starter pushed Utterback off the ball and the Cats thrived.

“We did have four of the five (starters) returning which is nice,” Utterback said. “But we have straight shooters that I don't think people have seen yet. They didn't get a lot of minutes last year, but I think they're ready.”

Andjela Matic, a 5-foot-8 sophomore from Serbia, figures to slide into the No. 1, which will keep Utterback off the ball. Matic played in 20 games last year and averaged 4.6 minutes per contest.

“I'm very tough on point guards and (Matic) doesn't have a lot of game experience,” Kresge said. “But she's doing an incredible job and I think that's going to be a big fill that we need with (Gilwee) being out.

“I could foresee that happening (Utterback playing on-ball) at times just because she can handle the pressure the best on our team,” Kresge said. “But I also need her at the wing and doing her scoring and being Emma.”

Outside shooting, which the Catamounts averaged 36% from 3, is improved despite Gilwee’s absence thus far. Richason’s return, paired with Matic’s potential and sophomore Keira Hanson provide ample options from beyond the arc.

“I think weirdly at this time last year, we were not shooting the three at all,” Kresge said. “We're definitely a little bit better where we are at shooting the three in practice than we were last year. You don't know till the lights are on.”

More: Storylines, schedule for 2023-24 UVM men's basketball team

Sophomore jump and depth outlook

Kresge pinned three sophomores, and Utterback echoed her thoughts, who could enter Year 2 in Burlington with significant impact.

Matic, Hanson and 6-foot-2 forward Nikola Priede all add viable minutes after making strides a year in the Catamount program.

“(Priede) coming off the bench in post play, she just seems like a different person out there in a good, positive way,” Kresge said. “I think she's going to bring some depth for us, which is exciting.

“But I just think especially those three in our sophomore class have shown that they took advantage of learning in the offseason and wanting to be good for this team.”

Paula Gonzalez (15.2 minutes per game; second on the team in 3-point percentage) will continue to be a key scoring option in a sixth-woman role.

Said Utterback: “If they do what they're doing in practice, they're going to be seeing the floor and they can get a bucket. We trust them and they're putting in the work and there's a lot more offensive threats than I think people realize.”

Kresge said that the bench could go at least nine deep, a luxury that the Catamounts haven’t had.

“It was easier when you know exactly who you are rocking with and you trusted them,” Kresge said. “Now I have other kids that I can trust too, so how do you balance that out? If anything, it should make us more efficient and not playing tired."

St. Louis transfer forward Sarah Lazar provides size, shooting and a potential lineup to mitigate the rebounding woes as the Catamounts ranked fifth in the conference in team rebounding last winter.

“If we are going to be able to get back in the realm of competing for this league, we’ve got to have some more depth this year,” Kresge said.

UVM women’s basketball schedule 2023-24

Monday, Nov. 6: vs. Miami (OH), 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10: at Providence, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 17: at Quinnipiac, 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 19: vs. Saint Rose, 1 p.m.

Gulf Coast Showcase

At Estero, Florida

Friday, Nov. 24: vs. North Carolina, 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 30 vs. Dartmouth, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 3: vs. Holy Cross, noon

Wednesday, Dec. 6: at Army, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 9: at Manhattan, noon

Saturday, Dec. 16: vs. Duquesne, 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 20: vs. Sacred Heart, 11 a.m.

Friday, Dec. 29: vs. Princeton, 1 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 4: vs. New Hampshire, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 6: at Maine, 1 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 11: at UMBC, time TBD

Saturday, Jan. 13: at NJIT, 1 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 18: vs. Binghamton, time TBD

Thursday, Jan. 25: vs. UMass Lowell, 11 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 27: vs. Bryant, 2 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 1: at Albany, time TBD

Saturday, Feb. 3: at Binghamton, time TBD

Thursday, Feb. 8: vs. NJIT, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 10: vs. UMBC, 2 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15: at New Hampshire, time TBD

Saturday, Feb. 17: vs. Maine, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22: vs. Albany, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24: at Bryant, time TBD

Saturday, March 2: at UMass Lowell, time TBD

Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont women's basketball 2023-24 season: Schedule, players to watch