STORYLINES TO WATCH
The Tara Singleton era is set to begin, and the new boss isn’t pulling any punches.
Mindy McCord built the Dolphins into a perennial power in the Atlantic Sun, winning eight titles before leaving for USF this summer.
Enter Tara Singleton, who was Janine Tucker’s right-hand woman for more than a decade at Johns Hopkins.
“I came into the space with a ton of respect for what had been done before me and what has been built,” Singleton said. “I have tried to keep my eyes open and get a feel for what had been done in the past while also putting a twist on it and getting my fingerprints on it.”
Those fingerprints include a daunting non-conference schedule. Jacksonville will play Michigan, Rutgers, Army and Stanford in February. Arizona State and Florida will also make trips to Jacksonville.
“The schedule helps us for what things could be like when we get to the NCAA tournament,” Singleton said. “I’m hopeful that the players are feeling confident after what they’ve done the last couple of years.”
Who will support Sarah Elms on offense?
When it comes to Singleton’s offensive depth chart, she stresses that “depth” is the keyword despite some departures.
“[Assistant coach] Mike Bedford wants to play fast, with purpose and set a tempo,” Singleton said. “Rotating bodies through there will be pretty impactful.”
That rotation will not include Kinsey (50 G, 26 A) or Alyssa Arnold (18 G, 24 A), both of whom graduated.
It will include Elms, the Dolphins’ leading scorer in 2022. She’s a straight-up 1-v-1 threat who defenders can’t take their eyes off.
“She draws a lot of attention,” Singleton said. “She is a massive piece to our puzzle, just like she has been in years past, but she has a great supporting cast around her.”
Who will be a part of that supporting cast? Grace Hobson (24 G, 25 A), a dual-threat offensive player with a competitive streak, and Lauren Craft (28 G, 12 A) will likely play more significant roles.
“Craft is capable with and without the ball as a dodger and feeder,” Singleton said.
Mackenzie Boyle (19 G) is playing with “swagger and something to prove,” and Briana Samuels and Hudson Gentile are also on Singleton’s depth chart.
Who will get the goalie nod?
Paige Pagano (7.15 GAA, .580 SV %) and Addy Tysdal (10.18 GAA, .441 SV %) both saw significant minutes in 2023. Singleton is still evaluating both as the 2023 season draws near.
“It’s a battle, and it’s a healthy battle,” Singleton said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
The tricky part: Both bring a similar skill set and demeanor to the cage.
“Addy has leadership between the pipes, and she’s very level-headed,” Singleton said.
When asked about Pagano, she paused.
“It’s similar,” Singleton said. “It’s sort of like splitting hairs. Paige is a spitfire back there. They both make very good saves. They are both very competitive between the pipes.”
Brookelynn Hodgin, an All-American out of San Clemente High School (Calif.), is taking it all in and pushing both.
“She’s fitting in and learning from them,” Singleton said.
ENEMY LINES
WHAT RIVALS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE DOLPHINS
“They go out and play with a chip on their shoulder. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, Jacksonville plays in a lesser conference.’ But they’ve put themselves on the map, especially with beating Stanford last year. That sets the tone. They’re a team you can’t underestimate.”
“Jacksonville has always been a fast-paced, athletic team. It’ll be interesting to see if they keep that style with a new head coach.””
0.79
The Dolphins finished last year with the fifth-best offensive efficiency in the country, but just the 18th-best shooting percentage and the 21st-ranked turnover rate. What gives? The short answer is that they gave themselves a lot of bits at the apple. Jacksonville averaged 0.79 shots per possession, which was third nationally.
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