The key word for this year’s crop of rookies on the GW women’s basketball team is versatility. Freshmen Lindsey Davidson, Erica Lawrence, and Cathy Joens will all contribute in a variety of ways this season.

Lawrence’s statistics from high school certainly promise excitement for GW this season. She averaged 16.5 points and 9.9 rebounds in her four-year career at Nyack High School in New York. The 6-0 forward also recorded 154 blocks in her career. As far as accuracy, she had an impressive field goal percentage of 58 percent throughout her high school career.

Lawrence’s point production is on the level of a collegiate shooting guard, but her rebounds and blocks are also indicative of a capable forward.

Davidson certainly has prepared herself to be a leader both mentally and physically. Her attitudes about the game and the program here at GW indicate that she is an unselfish, mature player ready to contribute in any way she can.

I don’t care about starting, coming off the bench, minutes, or anything else like that, said Davidson, a 5-9 guard. I just want to help our team, and even more than that, to win. I come from a program where we lost a total of 10 times in 4 years. I absolutely hate losing.

Cathy Joens, a 5-11 guard/forward has more of a defensive type of game that the Colonial women surely need. Her rebounding, strength and speed will all be a plus.

However, Joens’ game is not restricted to defense. Throughout her four-year high school career, she scored more than 1,600 points, indicating that she is bringing an extremely well-rounded game to GW this year.

The freshmen are not only going to be welcomed by Coach Joe McKeown, but also by their teammates. For senior guard Elisa Aguilar, helping her new teammates feel integrated is an important part of the learning process for them.

I want to make the freshmen feel as comfortable as they can, Aguilar said. I remember my first year here, and how others helped me. I now want to do the same. I believe it’s very important for our team.

Davidson in particular has expressed how much the comfort level she has with her teammates affects her play going into the 1999-2000 season.

I was extremely nervous during all the practices this year, Davidson said. Right before Midnight Madness this year, I was very anxious. I relied on my teammates that were here before to help me out. Right now I just want the season to start. I think once we get down to the business of playing, I should feel better.

Although she may have been nervous, this is not Davidson’s first time in the spotlight. She was No. 5 on Athlon’s 1998-’99 list of the top 50 high school seniors and was a 1999 third team Parade All-American. In her senior season, she averaged 14.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

All three newcomers are expected to contribute somewhat heavily in their first year, as they provide much of GW’s depth this season. Davidson, Joens and Lawrence enter a Colonial women’s program that needs them to play well for it to reach the NCAA Tournament.