Camels are on the rise

New London — The scoreboard tells plenty. But their faces tell more. Not necessarily the players, either. It's Fran Shields, the athletic director. Cathy Horne, the head trainer. It's all the people who have been around Connecticut College for longer than they can recall, the people who have watched plenty of losing. The people who were beaming Friday night watching the women's basketball team.

And now all these years after no-win seasons and one-win seasons within the elite New England Small College Athletic Conference, the Camels have their spot in the high rent district, further fortified by a 71-56 win over Bates Friday night at Luce Field House.

Conn is 13-2 overall and 4-1 in NESCAC, a game behind Amherst, the nation's No. 1 team in Division III. The Camels were among the teams "also receiving votes" in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25, voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country.

"It's the best ball we've played in four years," senior Jenn Shinall said. "We're having so much fun. It's one of the reasons for our success."

Shinall, who led the Camels with 22 points against Bates, is the reigning NESCAC Player of the Week, after raining 30 points on No. 18 Williams. Tara Gabelman, who had 19 points and 13 rebounds on Friday, had 23 rebounds during the victory over Williams, tying the school record set in 1990 by Esty Wood Satran, now the wife of Conn men's coach Tom Satran.

"I feel great for our seniors," Gabelman said. "They've worked their butts off. We have a great team dynamic."

Shinall and Gabelman were also quick to credit coach Brian Wilson, in his third season at Conn. Wilson was an assistant coach at Holy Cross under Bill Gibbons for six seasons before he was named Conn's head coach.

"I haven't invented anything," Wilson said of the game, holding his four-month-old daughter Sophie. "We've got a really good group. They're talented and together."

And they are delivering beatings to the NESCAC that used to be reserved for them.

"I think the biggest difference I've seen is that we have players here who want to win," Shinall said.

"We come to the gym on our own. Every loose ball is ours. It's a completely different mentality."

Caitlin Cimino had 10 points for Conn and Windham graduate Carlee Smith had five points and six assists.

"We prepared for Roger Williams the same way we prepared for Williams," Wilson said. "Our nonconference success (10-1) was one of the reasons the kids started believing in themselves."

Conn plays at Luce Field House today vs. Tufts (coached by former UConn great Carla Berube) at 2 p.m.

m.dimauro@theday.com