If there were any questions about how Pentucket alumna Kirsten Daamen's basketball game would transfer to the college level coming out of the relatively unknown Cape Ann League Large, "The Daaminator's" performance to date at Division 1 up-and-comer Central Connecticut State has answered any inquisitions. The CCSU freshman has already earned the starting nod at the center position.

The Blue Devils are a program on the rise under third-year coach Beryl Piper. Picked to finish last in the Northeast Conference last season, the Blue Devils shocked many by completing the biggest turnaround in the nation, going from a 4-25 in 2007-08 to 18-14 in the 2008-09 season and finishing in second place in the conference. Despite a loss in the semifinals of the conference tournament, CCSU earned its first National Invitational Tournament (NIT) invite in program history.

With much of the team returning, Piper said players are still trying to figure out roles with new players now injected into the team chemistry. Daamen, however, solidified her place in the starting lineup with a great preseason camp. And despite a slow start (2-3) in which the Blue Devils lost their three games by a combined total of 11 points, the team appears to be back on track after demolishing a previously undefeated Colgate team, 61-43.

"It's funny with big kids because you never know, sometimes it takes them a little while to catch up to the pace of the game, but Kirsten's been really good," said Piper of Daamen, who is averaging 4.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and just over 21 minutes per game. "In the preseason she showed us some great fundamental skills every day in practice and I felt like she would be the kid to start for us.

"She uses her body so well in the post," said Piper of Daamen's skill set. "I think when we recruited her as a big, we knew she had the potential to be a good player, but it's always tough to tell. Right now she's exceeded expectations early. There are still times with match-ups in which opposing team's post player can score on the perimeter where we need to go smaller and more athletic. In those games there is not as much playing time for Kirsten because she still needs to work on that. "

For a team that lacked depth in the post play, Piper said Daamen has provided a presence in the post both on the defensive side of the ball and as a passer in the offensive game.

"Last year we only had one true post player. This year we have a defensive presence in the post and we have fouls to waste down there, which makes a big difference," said Piper, who thinks Daamen must continue to work on her foot speed and lateral agility with the training staff to take her game to the next level. "We can also go into the post to her because she is a really good passer and makes good decisions with the ball. She has a good feel for when she should score and when to distribute."

Helping to put Pentucket on the map, coach John McNamara said Kirsten has kept in touch with her former coach and that the Sachems plan to go watch her play against the University of New Hampshire on Dec. 10.

"I've gotten texts from her and she seems to be doing well," McNamara said. "Some games she has played over 30 minutes and I think she's the anchor on the defensive end, but like any freshman there are the ups and downs.

Getting little notoriety, coach McNamara said Daamen is just the latest to make the CAL proud as the league has sent three players to Division 1 schools in the past two years — Daamen to CCSU, Caroline Stewart of Masconomet to Boston University (now a sophomore), and Amber Smith of Ipswich is now a freshman at the University of Maine.

"Coming out of the CAL and Pentucket, which is just a small little school, to get a Division 1 scholarship is pretty impressive, but I think some people wondered if she was prepared to play at that level," McNamara said. "To come into this season and earn a starting spot on a team that went to the NIT last year with a lot of kids back is great. She has made the CAL proud and definitely Pentucket proud. I know the CAL doesn't get a lot of publicity, but how many leagues can say they've produced three Division 1 players in the last two years?

"It's amazing to me and pretty cool as well how many people ask me how she's doing," McNamara continued. "Last week at the fundraising breakfast before the Thanksgiving football game, other coaches asked me, and it's pretty cool for me to say she's starting as a freshman."