SALEM — When coach Bobby Verdun took over the Salem State women’s basketball team, one of his priorities was to bring local talent to the Vikings. A year later, Verdun and the Vikings have made progress on that goal.
Salem State tipped off its 2019-2020 season earlier this month with five North Shore natives on the roster. Two of them are freshmen.
“I think last year was an inherited year,” Verdun, a Marblehead resident, said. “This year starts our rebuilding process. This is our first recruiting class. We’re feeling the effects of it. To build back the program is going to take a few years. But this freshman class has some really bright spots. They’ve shown flashes of that already.”
Peabody freshman forward Liz Zaiter joins the Vikings after a run to the Division 1 North semifinal with the Tanners last winter. Zaiter’s averaging eight points and eight rebounds through her first three college games.
“We call Liz ‘the big hurt’ because she’s a real physical presence for us,” Verdun said. “What I’ve enjoyed about her so far is her ability and desire to be coached. She’s one of the first kids at practice and one of the last to leave. She’s improved leaps and bounds. She’s gotten herself in shape. She’s learning what it takes to be in basketball shape. She really picks up on things. I think she’s going to have a great career with us.”
Also in her freshman season in Marblehead’s Darcy O’Sullivan. A forward, O’Sullivan scored seven points in Salem State’s season opener- a 61-56 win over Elms College.
“Darcy really defines work ethic,” Verdun said. “She’s another kid who works really hard. In my opinion she has a great feel for the game but she’s also a great teammate. She can play either the four or the five for us. She’s getting better offensively. Learning how to play the big spot in college basketball isn’t easy but she’s embraced the process.”
Revere’s Tatianna Iacoviello, a sophomore guard, has transferred to Salem State after a season at Rhode Island College. Iacoviello’s averaging 4.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per contest.
“Tatianna didn’t have a great experience at Rhode Island (College),” Verdun said. “She’s starting to be the player we all saw at Revere. She’s a ball of energy and a leader. As her confidence grows she’s going to improve. She handles that ball really well. She’s been a gift to us.”
Peabody junior guard/forward Katie Wallace and Beverly junior guard Natalie Mellinger are also in the mix.
“We’re really committed to the mission of the university in being a place that local kids can attend,” Verdun said. “We want to keep kids local. Liz had a great career at Peabody. Tatianna had a great career at Revere. It hasn’t been done. My entire sophomore class is walk-ons. We’re committed to the North Shore. We’re committed to our community.”
Mellinger co-captains the Vikings alongside senior forward Mia Crawley (7.3 points per game) and senior guard Courtney Paschal (18.3 points per game).
“Their patience has been appreciated as they’ve seen these kids grow up on a daily basis,” Verdun said. “They’ve seen the program and where it’s at. I think they appreciate that we’re going out and finding players for them. Moving forward, that culture’s going to stick.”
Verdun foresees a competitive MASCAC schedule this season.
“The conference is getting better,” Verdun said. “Framingham’s very good. Westfield has some of the best players in the league. I appreciate being in MASCAC because it’s a great league. The coaches are respectful. We have one of the most brutal non-league schedules. We’re going to take some lumps early on but it’s going to prepare us for our league. At the end of the day, you set out to win your league and qualify for NCAA’s.”
The Vikings, undoubtedly, are younger than they’ve been in recent seasons. But Verdun feels the future’s bright as the program builds.
“This group is going to be fun to watch over the next four years,” Verdun said. “They’re excelling in the classroom. They’re competitive individually and collectively. I think this group will develop into a winning program over the next four years. It won’t be easy. We’re going to be patient and develop these kids but we’re really excited.”
Salem State (1-2) hosts Curry in a non-league tilt Saturday (1).
