The DePauw women's basketball season has begun, and with two wins under their belt, the lady Tigers are working harder than ever to earn back their championship title.
The seniors are willing to get their team there. The seniors on the team, Alex Gasaway, Ali Ross, Erin McGinnis, Alison Stephens, and Ann Sarkisian, have high expectations for their last season here at DePauw.
It seems as though the expectations for this season would be pretty high after having had a perfect 34-0 record last season. However, Stephens said otherwise.
"We try not to have expectations, but instead goals so they are something we can work towards and earn rather than thinking than thinking we are entitled to them," she said. "As seniors we want everyone, including ourselves, to come to practice every day with the mindset that in order to be great we need to outwork every other team in the nation every single day."
McGinnis agrees.
"We will have to work just as hard as we did last year to achieve the same success."
Ross attributes their focus to head coach Kris Huffman.
"Coach Huffman is amazing when it comes to making us focus on a new season," she said. "We can't let last year's success make us blind to how much work it takes to be a national champion."
The team lost three senior leaders last year, Ellie Pearson, Kate Walker, and Kat Malloy.
The seniors this year are looking to keeping alive the attitude of the ones who have graduated. Gasaway reflected on what they have taught us.
"Lead by example. Hold each other accountable," Gasaway said. "If we can make practice more challenging than games we have given ourselves a shot at success."
Sweeping Otterbein University 80-46 in the season opener and then turning it on second half against Franklin College for a final score of 65-54, putting the team at 2-0 thus far. The team seems to be handling the pressure of last year's undefeated record.
"Coach has reminded us multiple times that the season after a national championship is always the hardest," McGinnis said. "Everyone is playing the national champions when they play us, and we are going to get every team's best game."
The Women's Basketball Team is certainly going to be the team to watch. They have been ranked No. 1 in the pre-season polls and are working hard as a team everyday to keep that number one position.
Stephens realizes the unique situation they are in going without a loss for so long.
"If we end up losing a game or two, it's not the end of the world," she said. "It's how we get up from that loss that matters and will reflect how strong this team is."
The basketball team is new this year. For every team, every season is new, with new teammates and playing teams who have lost and gained people as well. Ross said she is impressed with the first-years and rising sophomores.
"We have a lot of talent back from last year," Ross said. "We definitely could win another National Championship."