Things did not start out as she had imagined though as the 6-2 forward/center was forced to miss the entire preseason and the first three games of the regular season with inflammation in her lower back.

Once finally healthy enough to return to the court, McCarville saw her first action of the season on June 1 against Connecticut. Used sparingly over the next four games, things began to change for the better on June 15 at home against the Washington Mystics.

Inserted into the starting line-up in place of an injured Tammy Sutton-Brown, McCarville came through with 11 points on 4-8 shooting in a then season-high 27 minutes of action.

As the season progressed, McCarville began to find a rhythm as she got more time on the court both in practice and in games.

Heading into the All-Star break, McCarville was averaging 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds and Sting Head Coach Muggsy Bogues was pleased with her progress.

“Janel has talent,” he said during the All-Star break. “It’s just a matter of her getting on the court, getting reps, and showcasing what she is capable of doing I think she’s starting to understand what I want. She tries to make plays when she’s on the floor.”

McCarville was also becoming more comfortable as the second half of the season got underway.

“I’m healthy…feeling good and playing well,” she told the Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune in July. “That’s one of the keys. Just feeling calm.”

This sense of well-being translated directly into productivity on the court as the 6-2 forward averaged 5.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in the second half of the season.

In the final five games, McCarville found her groove as she averaged 9.0 points on .500 (19-38) shooting along with 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists down the stretch.

One of her best performances came on the road in Seattle where she posted a career-best 17 points on 8-14 shooting along with six rebounds and two assists. A week later she posted a career-best rebound performance tallying nine boards against Chicago in the season finale.

Overall Head Coach Muggsy Bogues was pleased with the strides McCarville made in her second season.

“Once Janel got healthy and got back on he court, her confidence grew each time,” he remarked. “We wanted her to play to her strengths and her back started to feel fine toward the end of the season. She was able to move and get into playing shape. Her minutes started to increase and her production started to increase as well.”

Increased playing time gave McCarville a chance to demonstrate her talent.

“Janel is a smart player, “said Bogues. “She’s a player that can make plays for other players. She can pass, put the ball on the floor and hit the 15-footer. She can also play with her back to the basket. Now she realizes what she can do in the league. I asked her to work on certain things this fall, and hopefully she’s come back and be ready to take her game to another level.”

McCarville will get a chance to work on her game and take it to the next level as she heads to Slovakia to play during the offseason.