SNU Women’s Basketball Continues to Impress
SNU Women’s Basketball is at it again, and this time with a nearly perfect season! The team is currently 21-1, and not stopping there. This record has led to the best season the team has ever seen, ranking the highest SNU has ever experienced in the NCAA Division II and maintaining their longest nationally ranked streak yet, coming in at No. 4 nationwide and No. 1 on the Massey Rankings. The team is currently the only team in the country in Division II women’s basketball that is undefeated thus far.
The SNU women’s basketball team has won eight national championships, two led by Coach Trent May. Last year, the team won their conference tournament, ranking first in the overall conference. Additionally, they claimed a GAC regular-season championship for the first time in the program. Coach May has led the women’s basketball team for six years now, seeing the team’s dedication to success on and off the court.
The women’s basketball team is expected to put in four hours in the weight room and four hours on the court each week during the preseason. Once the season starts, players are expected to put in twenty hours a week, much like a part-time job. When asked about how the team has prepared for this season, Coach May said, “We just did what we always do. We worked hard in the weight room and on the court. We trusted our players to put in work on their own during the summer months. The key factor in all of this hard work has been consistency.”
Not only does the team put in the work, but they look out for each other. Coach May said he “desires, craves, and expects good team chemistry.” He continued by explaining that there isn’t a “breath of selfishness” on the team and that every day is a fun environment, even when the coaches are ultra-competitive. He said, “We have a group of girls committed to each other and to the name across their jersey rather than the numbers on their backs.” Coach May continued giving insight into how the team plays to win. He also described how the women set themselves apart through the ways they demonstrate leadership. “When we win, we shake hands with the other team who lost. Winning is great, but it is even better with a team who understands what it’s all about.”
Coach May is proud of all his players, but he praised Lauryn Reither, who “plays at a whole other level than she has ever played before.” This season is the last for Reither, along with Emily Monaghan, Georgia Adams, and Abbie Jiles, all graduate studies students at SNU. He continued by saying that Reither, Monaghan, and Adams have been essential in building success in the team and that, although spending just one year with the team, Jiles has left a lasting impact, and her leadership shines through in everything she does.
Reflecting about her time on the team, Lauryn Reither said, “Every year at SNU, our team has continued to get better together. Coach May helped bring in some essential people that helped us perfect our craft, and I feel like my career would not be the same without my team and the coaches on this team.” Abby Jiles shared the same sentiment. She said, “I got to watch this team and the program from the outside for a couple of years, and you could tell it was different. I could see how much fun the girls had together and how invested the coaches were. Then, I got the opportunity to be a part of it, and it has been so special and so much fun. Coming here was one of the best decisions I have made, and I look forward to every day I get to be part of this team. It starts with the coaches; their leadership and how they lead us has helped us to become leaders on and off the court. I will never take my time here for granted; this is a one-in-a-million team. God is so good!”
The SNU Women’s Basketball team has six games left before the GAC tournament, including tonight’s home game against rival Oklahoma Baptist. Five games will be at home, and one will have the players on the road. SNU must win eight of the ten to make it to the tournament. Coach May said, “We are definitely going to have competition…it will be a battle to the end.”
Coach May concluded, saying, “[This team is] a great group of people that happen to be really good players. They’re resilient, gritty, and together. When you have those aspects and the year we are having on the court, that’s what makes it special. Winning is not why you do what you do, but when you are within a team, you want to come out on top at the end of the game; you want to be the victor, and you want to be the one who wins. [The team] understands winning even before the outcome. Special is when you have a group of people that do uncommon things, and we have just that!”
Coach May would like to thank all the coaches, trainers, and fans, namely assistant coaches Kayla Tucker and Sydni Salvato. “Without all the people on the sidelines, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. Thank you for your continued unwavering support. Let’s continue making it a great season!”
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