Dartmouth Adds Six Players to Its Roster for 2016-17

HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth women's basketball head coach Belle Koclanes has announced the addition of six new members in the Class of 2020 to the roster for the upcoming 2016-17 season.

Entering her fourth season at the helm of the Big Green, Koclanes welcomes her third recruiting class to Hanover after Dartmouth finished fourth in the Ivy League, the team's best finish since 2009. The six newcomers hail from four states and three countries and will be the largest incoming freshman class of the Koclanes era.

"We are very excited to announce our Dartmouth Women's Basketball Class of 2020,” Koclanes said. “Representing four states and three countries, this group of six impressive young women bring diversity, personality, competitiveness and versatile skill sets to our program.”

Julianna Thomson
Julianna Thomson, a 6'2” forward from Conestogo, Ontario will become the first Canadian player in program history. She recently graduated from Woodland Christian High School, where Thomson was a two-time MVP and two-time District Eight All-Star. She is a three-time Central Western Ontario Schools Association Champion and won a Canadian National Championship with Team Ontario.

“Julianna is a skilled post player who is always focused on preparing for her next challenge,” Koclanes said. “She is eager to learn and help raise the level of our program. If you ever ask Julianna what's on her mind, she'll confidently tell you her mind is on winning Dartmouth's 18th Ivy League title.”

Annie McKenna
Annie McKenna, hailing from Elmwood Park, Illinois is the second leading scorer in her high school's history. At Trinity, she led her squad to two Girls Catholic Athletic Conference titles and was named Player of the Year by the GCAC and Athlete of the Year by Trinity. McKenna also guided her team to a third place finish in the Illinois High School Association's State Tournament in her final season, where she also took home Illinois Basketball Coaches Association First Team All-State honors.

“Annie is a talented point guard with excellent court vision and knowledge of the game,” Koclanes said. “She has the ability to score often and in a variety of ways, while also balancing her role to create scoring opportunities for others.”

Gabby Hunter
Gabby Hunter, a Granite State native comes to the Big Green after a successful career at the Tilton School. The Bedford, New Hampshire product is a two-time Lakes Region and NEPSAC Class B All-Star. She won a NHIAA Division 1 Girl's Basketball Championship, as well as a NEPSAC Class B title. Hunter is a two-time MacMorran Scholar and has basketball in her family, after her cousin Othello Hunter played basketball at Ohio State from 2004-06 before a short stint with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks from 2008-10.

“Gabby caught our eye during Elite Camp last summer after clearly setting a competitive tone by her rebounding and defensive effort,” Koclanes said. “She is an explosive player who leads by example and embraces challenges.”

Grace Phillips
Grace Phillips, from Downingtown, Pennsylvania joins Dartmouth after serving as a two-year captain at Bishop Shanahan High School where she led her team to a pair of Ches-Mont Championships. She was named to the Ches-Mont All-Conference Second Team her senior year after earning First Team honors in her junior season.

“Grace brings a strong fundamental skill set to both ends of the floor along with a team first mentality that directly aligns with our culture,” Koclanes said. “Her work ethic and passion for the game will have an incredible impact on our team."

Paula Lenart
Paula Lenart, comes to Hanover from Covasna, Romania, becoming the first Romanian player in school history. Most recently, Lenart played for the Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Massachusetts, where she won a New England Eight Championship. As a member of the Romanian National Team, Lenart has won two championships at the U16, U18 and U20 European Division B level.

“The first time we spoke with Paula was in August of 2014 via Skype,” Koclanes said. “We had watched her play on video and were very impressed with the energy she consistently brought to the floor, especially from a rebounding stand point. Her effort was awesome.

“When we spoke she shared her basketball story and I'll never forget when she said that it is her dream to attend college and play basketball in the United States,” Koclanes added. “We are inspired by Paula's determination to live out her dream with us here in Hanover.”

Danielle Nieters
Danielle Nieters hails from Clemmons, North Carolina, where she was a three-time All-Conference forward for Bishop McGuiness Catholic High School. She was a two-time state champion and was named to the All-Northwest team her junior year. Nieters comes from a basketball family, as her mother and sister played basketball in college.

“Danielle is a caring teammate who naturally brings positive energy, genuine enthusiasm and a happy vibe to the moment,” Koclanes said. “Her competitive spirit is contagious and her offensive versatility will be fun to coach.”

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