Kelley McLellan ’17
Associate Sports Editor
Ashley Weissmann (Senior, Women’s Basketball)
Where are you from?
I’m from Highland, California.
What is your major?
Business major with a double concentration in management and marketing.
How long have you been playing basketball for?
I’ve been playing basketball since I was 10 years old. So I’ve been playing for 11 years now.
What has been the most memorable game of your time here at Merrimack College?
The most memorable game of my college career at Merrimack has definitely been freshman year quarterfinals at Stonehill. We upset the second seeded team in their home gym. It was a huge game and I’ll never forget the atmosphere that night.
How have you grown as a player from freshman year until now?
Coming in as a freshman I think I was more like a sponge and ready to learn everything that was thrown my way. My role on the court was to provide a spark for the team whether that was defensively or offensively. Now as a senior I feel more as a mentor and leader to my fellow teammates. After years of being molded by upperclassmen I feel like it’s my turn to do the molding so that Merrimack Women’s Basketball standards will always be held high. On the court I feel like I have to contribute on both ends of the floor in any way I can.
What goals do you have as a team this season?
Our team goal is to always win a NE-10 title and receive a NCAA bid.
How do you and the team plan on achieving those goals?
We’re a unique group of girls this year. We’re fast and I think that’s something our conference doesn’t see too much of. We’ve been preparing since September and have always focused on being the mentally tougher team. We’re mentally tougher because we are physically tougher and that’s how we’ll achieve our goal this year, by outlasting our opponent.
James Strickland (Senior, Men’s Basketball)
Where are you from?
I’m from a city named Laurel, Maryland. It’s right in between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
What is your major?
Civil Engineering
How long have you been playing basketball for?
I’ve been playing basketball since I was 5 years old at my local Boys and Girls Club.
What has been the most memorable game of your time here at Merrimack College?
My junior year we played at Saint Michael’s. We had a really good game and ended up winning, but afterwards we found out that another team had lost their game, which allowed us to make the playoffs. The excitement we had as a team when we got the news is something I’ll never forget.
How have you grown as a player from freshman year until now?
Gaining a lot of experience over the past few years has helped me mature as a player and the game has really slowed down for me. I make smarter and better decisions, while also leading the team.
What goals do you have as a team this season?
As a team, our goal is to win the NE-10 championship and then go deep into the NCAA tournament this year.
How do you and the team plan on achieving those goals?
To achieve these goals, we know that we have to practice hard everyday and make sure we get better as a team every time we step on the court.
