Pirates led by top versatile athletes 

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In his 18 years coaching the program, Jim Mulvey said he can’t recall having a team with three college-bound Division-1 athletes – only none of them will be playing basketball.

It was part of a successful recruitment effort to tap into the school’s successful fall and spring programs to lure students into honing their basketball skills this winter. “These kids play other sports, which I love,” he said.

That starts with senior guard Hailey Guerrero, an All-County junior last year who will be playing Division-1 softball at Stony Brook next fall. “She’s a quiet leader,” said Mulvey, noting her two-way skills as a strong defender. “We’re going to rely a lot on her this year.”

Another Division-1 bound senior is Alanna Morse, who Mulvey hopes will return in January after breaking her wrist before tryouts began. She, too, is a softball star who will stay local at Hofstra.

Guerrero and Morse will share the captainship with senior Riley Clark, who will be the team’s big presence inside this season and a top rebounder.

Perhaps the most athletic of the bunch, said Mulvey, is Luciana Setteducate, who will lace up her soccer cleats for Stony Brook next year. “She’s just a workhorse,” the coach said, “she will do anything defensively.”

Rounding out the starting five will be freshman Makayla Daube and sophomore Ashley Felsberg. Seniors Kerri Hatcliffe, Kayla Weber and Kaitlyn Smith will also be impact players off the bench.

Coaching a team of proven athletes will allow Mulvey to play an up-tempo style and eases his worry that his players can handle high-pressure situations. “We’re trying to do more skill work with these athletes to get them up and down the court,” said Mulvey. “It’s an attitude, effort and energy team. They’re just great kids that care about each other.”