Easter Faafiti and Gallaudet will be looking up at a different set of teams in the conference standings this season. Or, perhaps looking down. Gallaudet athletics file photo

One could excuse Gallaudet women's basketball coach Kevin Cook if he wanted to enter the 2010-11 season and point to last season's breakthrough record and list of awards for All-American center Easter Faafiti and think it will be easy to duplicate in a new conference this year. But those that know Cook, a very humble man, understand he doesn't live in the past and doesn't need awards, rankings, trophies to validate his program that he has worked diligently over the past four years to build. At the core of Cook's program is a team of close knit student-athletes that he teaches from day one the importance of being a student first at Gallaudet.

"It is very important that we strive for excellence in the classroom and on the court. I have always said that books and basketball, you can't have one without the other. They go hand and hand. We need to get our new players to understand this," said Cook. "Our next goal is to do our best each practice and game. If we can do this everything will take care of itself."

The Bison posted the program's first winning record in a decade last year during the final season in the Capital Athletic Conference as the Buff and Blue went 14-12, 7-9 in conference, and made an appearance in the CAC tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 season. GU is now a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) after 20 years in the CAC.

"When you look back we won a lot of close games [last year]. That shows the resolve of this team. Hopefully that will pay dividends this year. We now have the experience of coming through [in the clutch]," said Cook who only lost one senior on last year's squad.

Cook described his goal for the new season like an architect sculpting a new project. "Everything comes in steps. We are just hoping to take the next step. We want to get in the playoffs of the new conference."

The Bison kicked off the regular season schedule at home for four games. GU starts against Christendom and then hosts the annual GU Holiday Tournament on Thanksgiving weekend Nov. 27-28. The Buff and Blue finish the homestand against Wilson on Dec. 1. Thereafter, the Bison hit the road for six of their next seven matches, with a game at the Field House in between against Penn State-Abington on December 8. From Jan. 12 through January 23, the squad then returns to the Field House for five games, headlined by SUNY Cobleskill (17-9 last season) on Jan. 22.

"Playing in the NEAC will allow people who haven't seen us play before a chance to come out and see us play," said Cook. "The advantage of the new conference is that we will be able to compete, game in and game out every night."

The Bison then finish their road swing from Jan. 29 through Feb. 5 headlined by a matchup against St. Elizabeth (Feb. 2). The Bison round out the season with three of its last four games at home. These contests include defending champion Penn St.-Berks on February 9, Penn St.-Harrisburg (Feb. 12), Keuka College (Feb. 19) when the Bison participate in the WBCA PinkZone Day and then Senior Day on Feb. 20 against Wells. The NEAC tournament begins Feb. 26.

Cook, his coaching staff and student-athletes don't have to go far to be reminded about the steep tradition and success of the GU women's basketball program. In Cook's office is a framed 23 jersey worn by Hall of Famer and All-American Ronda Jo Miller along with a team photo of the 1998-99 team that advanced to the NCAA tournament 'Sweet 16' round. That is a goal that Cook hopes for his players to experience one day.

"That is where we want to get to," said Cook. "It is very attainable but it is only attainable if you are willing to sacrifice. It has helped me to see former coach Kitty Baldridge in the stands supporting us. It means a lot. That is why we have that team and jersey framed in the office."

Faafiti, a junior-college transfer from Pasadena City College, enters the 2010-11 season as a preseason All-American, selected by D3hoops.com to its third team at center. She took home a slew of awards last year including two different All-American awards and All-Region honors. She led the CAC in scoring (19.1 points per game), rebounding (11.1 per game), field goal percentage (.597), offensive rebounds (5.1 per game) and was second in steals (3.3 per game) and fourth in defensive rebounds (6.0) in 25 games played and started. Her production earned her CAC Player of the Year honors, becoming the third player in Bison history to do so, joining three-time honoree Ronda Jo Miller (1996-97, 97-98, 98-99) and her teammate Touria Ouahid (2000-01).

Nationally, Faafiti was ranked in several categories among all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs including field goal percentage (10th), scoring (27th), rebounding (30th) and steals (38th). She was also selected as a D3hoops.com All-American for the 2009-10 season.

"I am very pleased for Easter Faafiti," said Cook of his star player. "She is an excellent young woman and a true leader."

Faafiti and Nukeitra Hayes are the lone seniors on the 2010-11 team. Hayes, a center, will help control the paint for the Buff and Blue alongside Faafiti in the front court.

"She is focused this season. I have seen it in the classroom and on the court," said Cook about Hayes. "She has a good handle on everything. If she can continue to be consistent she can have a great season."

Hayes was the second leading scorer on the team with a 12.8 points per game average last season as she also posted a 6.5 rebounds per game average and led the team with 41 blocks.

"What I have been very pleased about is that we have gotten some great leadership from our two seniors," said Cook of Faafiti and Hayes and their work ethic in the offseason and pre-season. "They understand their four years of eligibility go by quickly. They have taken it upon themselves to be good role models and leaders."

A new budding star at the center position is freshman Shawnese Taylor who was an All-Southern Maryland Athletic Conference first team honoree in high school.

At forward, sophomore Maddie Morgan  is back after suiting up for 22 games for the Bison last year where she made 11 starts. Morgan is also a standout on the women's soccer team along with fellow sophomore forward Kaitlyn Schwabrow. Freshman Tandy Lewis (Frederick, Md.) is a scorer that will supply a spark off the bench for the Bison along with freshman Victoria Rainey.

To say the Bison are young in the backcourt would be an understatement in 2010-11. GU has one junior with a bunch of sophomores and freshmen ready to handle the ball and tempo of the game for the Buff and Blue. Junior Andrea Amati will have to step-up along with sophomore Shaquana McDonough as returning starters. Amati averaged just over six points a game as she appeared in 17 contests while McDonough was the third leading scorer with a 11.1 points per game average as she started 16 games.

"When you look at the expectations on this team we are really young. We have two seniors and one junior so the underclassmen need to step up," said Cook. "Time is going to tell. Learning and growing is a process. Everything in life is habit formed. In some cases we are trying to build new habits and break old ones."

Freshman Zamica Gage didn't have to commute far from her high school to Gallaudet as the local native attended the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. Gage is a pure shooter that hustles on both ends of the court.

Two other impact freshmen are Britny Latham and Stephanie Weiss who should see the court early and often with the Bison.

Sophomores Katelyn Jurney and Amy Bachtel earned valuable experience and time on the court last season. The pair saw action in 25 and 22 games, respectively. Freshman Lakeishia Brown adds depth for the Bison at the guard position.

 "I don't think the freshmen understand or realize how special their class can be. I am talking about every single one of them. They all can contribute in a mighty way. They need to be able to get it done in the classroom and on the court. They need to understand the commitment level it takes from taking the step from high school to the college level," said Cook.