2021 Pirate Player Preview: Katie Armstrong

Date: September 15, 2021

By: Jonathan Heite

Fairfield University Athletics

This past offseason was dense with big-time transfers for the Seton Hall women’s basketball team. Each new player looks to make an immediate impact once the regular season resumes in the beginning of November.

One of the new additions to the Pirates roster not only had a solid undergraduate career at Fairfield University but will provide invaluable experience to this year’s squad. Welcome Katie Armstrong, to South Orange, N.J.

Before Fairfield, the Collegeville, Pa. native was a catalyst for Perkiomen Valley High School hoops, and after a successful four years that saw her take the team to a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship and district title in her senior season, she was the 44^th ranked forward in her class on ESPN’s HoopGurlz list before heading to college.

Saint Joseph’s University Athletics

The graduate transfer started her collegiate career at St. Joseph’s in 2016-17, and she was one of the important freshman players on the team, essentially leading in all of the freshmen statistical categories (appearances, points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). She transferred after this season and sat out the year after due to NCAA transfer policies, and once this time period was over, she entered into her three-year career in Fairfield, Conn.

Looking back at these three seasons, Armstrong was a well-rounded scorer and defender who contributed virtually to every facet of the game. She averaged 11.8 points and 6.1 rebounds-per-game, after she also blocked 50 total shots and collected 82 steals.

The forward also put up 906 total points and secured a spot on the All-MAAC Second Team twice, in addition to becoming a top-10 scorer and rebounder in the MAAC in the 2019-20 season after averaging 14.0 points-per-game and 7.0 rebounds-per-game, respectively. Her 2020-21 campaign saw her finish second on the squad in points (9.9) and once again grab a top-10 spot in the MAAC in rebounding (10^th).

STAGS WIN❗️

Fairfield improves to 6-0 in #MAACHoops action highlighted by a career high 2️⃣7️⃣ points from Katie Armstrong #WeAreStags pic.twitter.com/EMock2t9ZE

— Fairfield Women’s Basketball (@StagsWBball) January 24, 2020

The stats speak for themselves, and at 6-foot-2, Armstrong is a consistent shooter who also can make an impact down by the basket in terms of rebounding and defense.

Fairfield University Athletics

Her game is somewhat similar to that of Andra Espinoza-Hunter’s from both ends of the court, and while Espinoza-Hunter is more dangerous from behind the arc, Armstrong will be a presence in the paint and from the field which will be needed after the offseason departure of Desiree Elmore.

Besides just her offensive and defensive capabilities, Armstrong has also shown that she can play major minutes throughout the course of games. She averaged over 33 minutes-per-game during her three seasons at Fairfield, and while no one knows how the rotation will operate for a few more months, the Pirates know that she can play in big-time situations.

Fairfield University Athletics

With the recent release of the team’s non-conference schedule on Wednesday that adds onto the already difficult conference slate, adding another key contributor to a lineup that will bring back Espinoza-Hunter, Lauren Park-Lane, and Mya Jackson, while also adding other new transfers such as Sidney Cooks and Ariel Cummings, means the sky is the limit for Coach Tony Bozzella and company.

The recently renovated Walsh Gymnasium on the campus of Seton Hall will be home to an exciting year for Seton Hall women’s basketball and look for Armstrong to make her mark during her tenure in South Orange, N.J.

Jonathan Heite is the Web Editor for WSOU Sports and can be reached at wsousportswebeditor@gmail.com.

Posted in: Sports, Women's Basketball, WSOU