The EMU Women’s basketball team lost in the first round of the ODAC Tournament, finishing with a 9-17 record. It was the first time the team made the tournament since the 2018-2019 season. The team will look to improve on their record going into next season. The team only had one senior this year, with the trip to the tournament building experience and giving the team a taste of postseason play. Star forward Mya Hamlet led the postseason push for the team, averaging 21.8 points over the last five games.
For a good part of the season, the team dealt with multiple injuries, sometimes only having seven to eight people able to play in games. Despite this, the team pushed late in the season, winning a couple of must-win games to achieve an essential developmental mark in the young team’s growth. The team featured seven total sophmores, three freshman, one junior, and one senior. As one of the younges teams in the conference, gives the team a chance to build experience, and mesh together.
Coach Jenny Posey has had back to back strong recruiting classes. Last season, she brought in the “Sophmore Seven”; Mya Hamlet, Brii Redfearn, Savanna Crawford, Lauryn Moore, Adrianna Jacobs, Trinity Price, and KK Johnson. The seven made an immediate impact last season, and were each contributing factor in the teams playoff push. This years freshman class included starting point guard Trinity Washington, Jayda Jones, and Caris Lucas. Each three played key minutes for the Royals in the back half of the season.
After back to back amazing recruiting classes, one could expect the next group of incoming freshman to possibly yield the same results. Adding more youth to a team already young gives both sides a chance to grow. The returning players could grow more as leaders, and the younger group can be presented with the opportunity of playing key minutes on a team that may have a chance to make a postseason run next season.
Mya Hamlet was named Second-Team All ODAC. Hamlet led the conference in scoring with 16.1 points per game, including a conference best 38 point performance in an overtime win against Lynchburg. Hamlet also made a conference high 15 free throws in the same game. The 38 points was also the 16th highest scoring game in Division 3 Women’s Basketball this season. Hamlet’s outstanding play helped boost the team into the postseason. Hamlet said this postseason push, “Definitely gave us a boost of confidence heading into next season.” HAmlet also said she thinks a majority of the team will come back next season “so we are expecting to do more next year and build on what we did this year for sure!” Hamlet also said, “My main goal over the offseason is to get more confident in anything I do involving basketball. Whether that is being more confident in my shot or being more confident in my leadership abilities. I just want to do what I can to push myself and my teammates.”
The team has much to look forward to next season, the more games they play, the more chemistry the group develops. The team will head into the offseason with more experience, more time to grow together, but most importantly, more confidence.
