Susie French, one of the most decorated female-athletes to ever put on a CM uniform, has accepted a scholarship offer from Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. Franklin Pierce is an NCAA DII school that plays in the nationally regarded Northeast-10 Conference.
French had a prolific career while at CM, scoring 1198 points in just two seasons, finishing 3rd on the all-time scoring list. She was 2-time USCAA First Team All-American, a 2-time Yankee Conference First Team All-Star, and was named the Yankee Conference Player of the Year in both of her seasons. She was also recognized as the Yankee Conference Tournament Best Defensive Player her freshman year, and followed that up with the tournament's MVP honors her sophomore year.
Most impressively, French was a 2-time USCAA Academic All-American and graduated CMCC with President Honors by finishing her academic career with a GPA of 3.926.
During her time at CM, the Lady Mustangs had an overall record of 51-8, including a perfect 28-0 record in the Yankee Conference. French helped lead CM to back-to-back Yankee Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships, and two USCAA DII National Tournament Appearances. This past season, French was a huge factor in the Lady Mustangs run to the USCAA DII National Championship Game.
French leaves CM as 3rd on the all-time scoring list, 1st in career scoring average (19.2), and having set the school record for steals in a single game (14).
CMCC's Head Women's Basketball Coach, Andrew Morong, on French, "Susie has had a monumental impact on our program and school. She is a relentless competitor, whose sheer will and determination have taken her game and our program to the next level. Her leadership, on and off the court, this past year really propelled us at crucial times. It was an absolute joy watching Susie fall in love with the game of basketball again, and then blossom as a player and person over the last two years. We are very excited to follow her basketball career, but more excited to watch her become a leader in her chosen career path. She has such a bright future ahead of her – there's nothing she can't accomplish."
According to French, "I am very grateful for the time I spent at CM. Being a part of the team and the program was a very rewarding experience. I learned not only about the game of basketball but also about myself. Through my relationships with my teammates and coaches, I grew as a person both on and off the court. Being able to play with such a talented group of players has made the experience that much more rewarding and memorable. Coach Morong has more than prepared me to move forward with my basketball career. He was not only a great coach but a person I could look to for help or guidance outside of the sport. My teammates and I made many memories that will never be forgotten, and I am looking forward to continuing to follow the success of the program in the coming years. I am excited for the opportunities that lay ahead at Franklin Pierce. I look forward to be part of such a successful program and to join such a talented team."
She continued, "Words can't describe how grateful I am for the support of my friends and family over the past two years. Having them there for so many games was truly a blessing."
French is the second Lady Mustang to earn a scholarship in the NE-10 in the last two years. Maggie Sabine, who dominated the paint for CM during two seasons, now attends St. Michael's College on full scholarship. French and Sabine will square off twice this coming season (11/19 @ FPU, 2/4 @ SMC).