Compiled by Chris Stevens, Editor
Even in a pandemic-shortened season, plenty of college basketball players with Delaware ties found ways to shine at various levels. Our College Corner Recap Series shines the spotlight on the local kids who made good at the next level. First up, our women’s basketball recap.
Caravel grad Otlowski named D-III All-American
Caravel graduate Kaylee Otlowski made the most of her shortened junior season on the Salisbury University women’s basketball team. Otlowski, a 6-foot forward, was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Division III All-America team, just the fourth women’s player in school history to earn the honor. In the Sea Gulls’ unbeaten six-game run this past season, Otlowski led the team in scoring (15 points per game) and rebounding (12.8 per game), while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 82.4 from the free throw line. She also averaged 2.7 steals, 2.5 assists and a block per game.
Park-Lane shines at Seton Hall
Lauren Park-Lane established herself as one of the top point guards in the Big East, and arguably, the country, this past season for the Seton Hall women’s basketball team.
Park-Lane, the 2019 Delaware girls’ player of the year at Sanford, averaged 17.5 points and 5.4 assists per game for the Pirates, earning first-team all Big East honors and the 2020-21 Big East women’s basketball Most Improved Player award.
Park-Lane got the country’s attention in Seton Hall’s December 15th game against UConn, where she scored a career high 29 points and handed out six assists, all while committing just two turnovers.
Kubek registers All-Rookie campaign at Towson
Sanford grad and 2020 Delaware girls’ player of the year Allie Kubek also was a starter in her first year in college at Towson University. Kubek was named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s All-Rookie team for women’s hoops as she started in all 22 of the Tigers’ contests, averaging 8.8 points and a team-leading 7.1 rebounds per game.
Kubek’s best game was a January 21st win over CAA rival Drexel in which she recorded season highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds for one of her three double-doubles on the season.
Delaware duo contributes to UMass women’s success
St. Elizabeth graduate Ber’Nyah Mayo was already representing Delaware strong at UMass, leading the Minutewomen in steals (49) while averaging 9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game as the lone first-year player in the starting lineup.
Then in January, UMass got another boost when Conrad all-stater Stefanie Kulesza graduated from high school early and joined the team. Kulesza saw spot duty throughout the season, with her best game coming in the WNIT win over Ohio, scoring 9 points, grabbing 4 rebounds and handing out 2 assists, along with recording a steal and a block.
With both Mayo and Stefanie Kulesza scheduled to stay at Amherst for three more years, the future is bright for UMass women’s basketball and two Delaware players will have a hand in it.
Julie Kulesza takes the floor at Bucknell
Meanwhile, Stefanie’s older sister Julie Kulesza saw playing time this season for the Bucknell University women’s basketball team. Julie Kulesza appeared in six of the Bison’s 10 games this season, scoring a season-high seven points on 3-for-5 shooting in Bucknell’s win at Lafayette on January 9th.
Kozicki a part of LaSalle rotation
2020 first team all-stater Michelle Kozicki, a Padua graduate, saw considerable time for the LaSalle women’s basketball team in her first season. Kozicki played in 17 games, starting four for the Explorers, collecting season highs of six points against St. Joseph’s on January 8th, then recorded season highs of six rebounds and three blocks against the Hawks on January 10th.
Former Ursuline standouts continue their college careers
2017 Delaware girls’ player of the year Alisha Lewis made an immediate impact on the Central Florida women’s basketball team, winning both the American Athletic Conference’s newcomer of the year and sixth player of the year awards. After transferring from Syracuse, Lewis appeared in all 21 of the Knights’ contests, averaging 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. A three-time state champion at Ursuline Academy, Lewis also led UCF in three-point field goal percentage (44.9 percent).
Lewis’ teammate on the ’16 and ’17 state championship Raiders, Yanni Hendley, transferred from the University of Virginia to the University of Rhode Island and was a key contributor to the Rams’ season. Hendley started all but one of URI’s 19 games in 2021, averaging 3.6 points per game while passing out 22 assists and finishing third on the team in steals (21).
Another championship Raider, forward Kryshell Gordy, concluded her college career with the Lincoln University women’s basketball team. The Lions chose to shut down the season after four games, but Gordy was productive in each. As the only player to start every game, Gordy averaged 5.3 points per game and a team high 10.8 rebounds per contest. She also led Lincoln in total blocks with 8.
Archmere/Ursuline duo compete at Eastern University
Archmere graduate Danaziah Brown and Ursuline alumna Kay Wulah both were contributing members to the Eastern University women’s basketball team in a shortened season.
Brown, a senior guard, started each of the Eagles’ 9 games this season, averaging 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while leading the team in free throw percentage (87.5) and finishing second in both assists (17) and steals (14).
Wulah, a sophomore forward, saw action in 7 games, averaging 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while leading the team in blocked shots (10).
Seven is the lucky number for Neumann Knights women
Seven players with Delaware high school ties took the floor in Neumann University’s shortened women’s basketball season.
Four players – Dymond Collins (St. Elizabeth), Terea Hunt (Caravel), Jaylin Ortiz (Delcastle) and Kiara Stovall (Ursuline) – started each of the Knights’ six contests this season, while Keeley Ciszkowski (St. Elizabeth) Madison Stewart (Archmere) and Kortni Taylor (Mount Pleasant) each saw time in reserve duty.
Collins averaged 8.5 points and a team-high 5.7 rebounds per game while Hunt averaged 8 points and four rebounds a game, also finishing second on the team in assists (11) and steals (10). Ortiz led the Knights in free throw percentage (87.5) and Stovall was Neumann’s leading three-point shooter (42.9 percent).
