BOSTON – A pair of graduate students in Gabriella DeComo and Jenni-Rose DiCecco will guide Suffolk women's basketball in its 39th season as the fifth-year Rams are set to share the captain role head coach Ed Leyden announced Wednesday.
"I have high respect for Gabi and Jenni-Rose," Leyden said. "They are great teammates, do whatever they're asked to do and are always prepared and ready to go."
The pair returns to their post as co-captains after opting in for the extra year of eligibility due to the global pandemic. A year ago, they served as tri-captains along with their Class of 2021 counterpart Rachel LaSaracina in the COVID condensed campaign a year ago. DeComo is in her second season in the role, while DiCecco starts her third term as she earned her first title as a sophomore in 2019-20.
Each has their chance to leave their mark on the program.
DiCecco has already etched her name in the Rams' record book. The floor general became the all-time leader in assists and steals a year ago. She reached both marks against Curry March 12, 2021. The Falmouth, Massachusetts, could make more history as the 15th member of the blue-and-gold's 1,000-point club enters the campaign third all-time on Suffolk's scoring list with 1,385 career points, 131 shy of the record held by Katie Norton (1996-2000). Over the course of her career, she has built a hefty award shelf that features three all-region accolades, 2017-18 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Year, a pair of All-GNAC First-Team and GNAC Tournament Team selections, respectively, as well as a New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) All-Rookie Team nod.
DeComo climbed into the starting rotation and secured her spot there as a junior back in 2019-20. The Portsmouth, Rhode Island, product is a consistent contributor on both ends of the hardwood landing in the top of nearly every category over the last handful of years. In four years on the Rams' roster, the swing player has assembled 623 points, 253 rebounds, 79 handouts, 57 steals and 34 swats over 87 contests.
Both DiCecco and DeComo will most likely join an elite group of players who have taken the hardwood in a blue-and-gold jersey in over 100 games in their careers. The former is 10 games away from the milestone, while the latter needs a baker dozen appearances to make the mark.
The duo will be key components to Suffolk's success in its first true Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) campaign, which tips off at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court Tuesday, Nov. 9 against Boston Commons neighbor Emerson at 7 p.m.