Shot-clock ticks down for women’s basketball season
Nikki Ware `25, guard, dribbles the ball down court at the game against Beloit College on Feb. 14.
February 19, 2023
The Grinnell women’s basketball team is approaching the end of their season, with just two games remaining on the schedule. So far, the team has had a season filled with growth and a strong team culture, according to head women’s basketball coach Dana Harrold. As the season currently stands, the Pioneers are 8-13 overall, while also being 5-9 in the Midwest Conference.
reaches for the ball in the Feb. 14 game against Beloit College that Grinnell College won 80-68. (Contributed by Ted Schultz)
“This has been a great growth season for us,” said Sara Booher `25, center. Using the growth from this season, Booher said the team is looking forward to improving their record next year.
“We’re going to have a great core group coming in next year,” Booher said. “We want to win more games than we did this past year.”
This sentiment is echoed by Harrold, who said she is looking forward to coaching a more experienced team next season. Of the team’s 13 members, Sarah Toay `23, forward, is the only senior.
“We will return 12 players for next year that have all gained valuable game and practice experience as well as time together,” Harrold wrote in an email to the S&B. “That is exciting for our future.”
This young team is something that is different from past seasons for the Pioneers. In the past, the team had multiple seniors on the roster capable of providing leadership to younger players. Although that leadership is still present with Toay, the team had multiple “fantastic leaders” graduate, according to Booher.
“We’ve had to have new people step up [as leaders],” said Booher. “[Who] have done a great job of leading as a team.”
Harrold also explained how the team will use the experience from this year to have an improved next season. “Our consistency is the area that needs the most improvement looking towards the future.”
Specifically, according to Harrold, the team is looking to improve by combining confidence on offense with “lockdown defense.” Using consistent offense and defense, the team has specific goals for the future which they hope to achieve:
“We want to make the Midwest Conference tournament. That’s been our goal the past few seasons, and I think next year we have a great shot,” Booher said.
Harrold also wrote that a goal of the team is to make it back into the top four of the league consistently. This year, according to Harrold, the team made it within one to two games of being in the top four and is hungry to do so next season.
