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Erika Stupinski ranks fourth in the country in assists at 7.8 per game. |
Erika Stupinski is healthy, for a change, and leading Stonehill to a 12-2 record in women's basketball.
By Mike Lowe, Staff Writer
January 10, 2008
Erika Stupinski has battled shoulder injuries at Mt. Ararat and Stonehill College, but is now healthy and playing well. You'd have to forgive Erika Stupinski if she felt a little bit of deja vu last year in her junior season as the starting point guard at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass.
You see, she missed most of it with a right shoulder injury.
As a senior at Mt. Ararat High in Topsham, Stupinski, one of the state's top players, missed most of that season with a dislocated left shoulder.
In each case, as difficult as it was to sit and watch, Stupinski remained part of the team by going to practices and games, adding another pair of eyes to the coaching staff.
Now, as a senior at Stonehill, Stupinski is healthy and has helped the Skyhawks to a 12-2 mark and the No. 13 ranking in the nation among Division II schools. In 13 games, she is averaging 9.1 points, 7.8 assists (tops in the Northeast-10 Conference and fourth in the nation), 3.0 steals and a team-high 32.7 minutes a game.
She missed one game, then returned to score 11 points with six assists in a nine-point win over St. Michael's.
"It's so nice to have her back," said Coach Trish Brown. "It's made such a difference to our team and, obviously, she is so happy to be back on the court."
The 21-year-old Stupinski admits to being frustrated with last year's injury. Her right shoulder popped out during a game and she played through the pain. But after just eight games, she couldn't go anymore and had season-ending surgery.
"It was definitely frustrating because I had to sit out my senior year in high school, then I came to college and it was a new beginning," she said. "Everything was starting over. Then it happened to my other shoulder."
She rehabbed over the spring and spent the summer at school, playing in a local summer league.
"The first time I played, I felt like an alien to the sport," she said. "Once I got through that, I felt ready to go."
Brown said Stupinski has many attributes, each one helping the Skyhawks in a different way.
"Start with her great leadership," said Brown. "Then there's her ability to control the tempo of a game, her ability to pass the ball, to find the right shooters, and her ability to score. She's a great weapon at the point, for so many reasons."
Her attitude, said Brown, may be Stupinski's best attribute.
"She leaves everything on the court," said Brown. "And not just in games, but in practices as well. She sets such a great tone in practice."
Stupinski, who will graduate in May with a degree in business management, said the only thing that's changed in her game is her voice. It's louder.
"My biggest thing is to try to make my teammates better, to make the pass to them," she said. "If anything, I'm more vocal with them now. I was on the sidelines for so long, that's how I communicated with them."
Brown would like Stupinski to maybe shoot a little more, but she's not going to complain. Stupinski will take the shots, when they're given to her. "The big thing is that we know we can play, we believe in each other," said Stupinski. "We come in every day ready to play. We're in a conference where, if you don't come ready to play, anyone can win."
