After a strong finish last season in which the Seawolves (10-20, 7-9) went .500 in their final 14 games to take fourth, Cherry believes they can compete with preseason favorites Boston University, Hartford and Binghamton.
"I think we'll be right there," Cherry said. "We've added some pieces who are better. The polls don't mean anything because none of the coaches are familiar with my three transfers, who are going to be huge for us. Having three new players and getting our best shooter back, Jodie Plikus, we're adding four key pieces on a team that already finished fourth."
Plikus, a senior guard, sat out last season with an injury. When the University of New Orleans downgraded from Division I to D-III, releasing its players from their scholarships, Cherry swooped in to scoop up 6-2 sophomore center Juanita Cochrin and 5-10 junior forward Talisha Bridges. She also recruited 5-10 junior college All-American forward Whitney Davis, who averaged 17.7 points and 12.8 rebounds for Muskegon CC in Michigan.
"We have a lot of depth," Cherry said. "More than anything, that's the key for us. We have a lot more people who can produce, so we're pretty excited about that."
One SBU player who already has earned respect around the conference is 5-10 senior forward Kirsten Jeter, who was one of seven players named to the preseason All-America East team. Jeter, an Elmont product, averaged a team-high 14.4 points last season and can play effectively inside or outside.
"She plays with an unbelievable amount of passion, extremely competitive," Cherry said. "She'll run through a wall for you. There's days we say, 'You don't get to practice today because you're killing yourself.' She goes that hard."
Add the talents of 5-5 senior point guard Misha Horsey and 5-11 sophomore wing player Gerda Gatling, and Cherry believes she has a team that will get even more respect at the end of the season.
"We're on the way up," Cherry said. "We've got to get there first and then try to stay there."
