The women’s basketball team defeated Kenyon 71-54 in their game on Feb. 8. The win marks their fourth straight to make their record 14-8 overall, 9-4 in conference.
The team hasn’t done this well since the 2009-2010 season before the hiring of head coach Stacey Ungashick Lobdell, when they went 20-7 overall.
Sophomore Emily Julius said their depth on the bench has been the key to their successful season.
“The key to winning and becoming second in the NCAC is the depth of our team,” she said. “Every single member of our team has the ability, focus, and determination to really make something happen when they step on the court.”
The Lady Bishops are currently sitting in second place in the NCAC behind undefeated DePauw who is also ranked No. 1 in D-III women’s basketball.
The team has also managed to rank second in the NCAC in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage, 43 percent and 39 percent respectively.
Junior Sarah McQuade is averaging 3.7 assist per game, good enough for second in the NCAC. McQuade said getting her teammates involved is her main goal.
“I enjoy getting my teammates involved and they’ve been finishing a ton of shots too. My goal is to try and get them in the best possible situation to score.”
According to junior Caroline Welker, one of the reasons for the team’s success is each player’s intense devotion to her teammates regardless of circumstance.
Earlier this season, Welker was hit by a Delaware Police Department squad car in the early morning hours of Nov. 28. Even with the accident-taking place five days before the opening conference game, Welker said her teammates were always there for her.
“During my accident my teammates were extremely supportive” she said. “They came to visit me, and checked in with me often to see how I was doing. They all wrote my number on their shoes and they left a spot for me on the bench with my jersey every game I missed. All of their support was extremely helpful to my recovery.”
Welker also said the road to success has been long, but her and her teammates have become stronger through it all.