Story by Zoe Harmon, Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Andris Visockis

A team that sings together, sticks together. To prepare for games, the Aquinas Women’s Basketball team can be found listening to music and singing along in the locker room.

They like to take their mind off of basketball and loosen up before hitting the court. The entire team enjoys this time together and sophomore Katie Theut says, “We like to try and have a lot of energy that will carry over once game time comes!”

Of course, this comes after long preparation in practice and in the weight room. The team also watches their opponents and tries to find ways to expose their weaknesses. It’s important for the team to analyze the skills they have versus the skills their opponents have and find ways to triumph.

With six first-years, five sophomores, and one junior, age may be the greatest challenge for the team at this point. The six first-years are playing college basketball for the first time, and although age and experience might be a challenge, the ladies are not letting it hold them back.

They are trying to figure out how to play together, and how to play through Coach Nash’s system. Each player comes from a unique background, making their playing styles different. It’s just a matter of time before they are all on the same wavelength.

When this happens, the ladies know that their talent will shine. Theut notes, “We have the ability, it is just about putting all the little pieces together. I think that Aquinas Women’s basketball is going to surprise a lot of people this year. It’s early in the season and we have the potential to have our season go deep into March.” This kind of confidence is unmatchable, and will prove to be important as the season continues.

Not only does the team have a solid skill-set, but they are close on and off the court. Freshman Bri Spica mentions, “I have the best team anyone could ask for. We are both close on and off the court and they have made my first year at AQ very memorable.”

Coach Nash also thinks highly of her team. She says, “This is a special group of student-athletes. They come to practice to work hard and to get better. For six of the players it is their first opportunity to play college basketball. We don’t have the luxury of letting them develop…we need them to perform now.”

With plenty of games left to battle back, the women’s basketball team has the time they need to prove they deserve a spot in the NAIA National Tournament.

About the writer…

Zoe Harmon is in her final year at Aquinas College, majoring in Sports Management/Business Administration and minoring in Communication. Zoe is a member of the Sports Management Club where she serves on the board as Treasurer.She is also a Disney College Program Alumni after spending 7 months in Orlando. Zoe has a great passion for travel and health/fitness and in her free time, she enjoys hiking adventures, biking, and spending time with her friends and family.