The NCC women’s basketball team secured a win against Carthage College on December 6. 53-46 was the final score. Fortunately, this ends a three-game losing streak for the squad.
Before the season started, many questions emerged about how the team would perform. Twelve newcomers arrived to the lineup, and only three players remained from the previous season. Those players include Megan McClure, ’24, Grace Kieffer, ’26 and Megan Duffy, ’25. Four transfer students are among the incoming twelve players: Kaeli Ford, ’24, Jovanna Martinucci, ’25, Katie Schaible, ’26 and Josylin Simmons-Doxie, ’25. The four transfer players having college experience helps the team in major ways.
Players and captains excelling
Team Captains Duffy, McClure and Ford are having great games this season. Duffy is averaging 10.2 points per game, while McClure is averaging 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. Ford averges seven points per game as well. When captains perform well, it is natural that the team follows suit.
“We are still working towards our potential as a group by keeping each other accountable, encouraging each other and making sure we come to practice every day ready to compete,” said Duffy.
Stepping up
Another player who is showing promise this season is Jocelyn Trotter, ’27. Trotter averages 8.6 points a game while shooting .563 from the field. When asked about her performance, she praised the team’s efforts.
“We have amazing coaches and when we work together as a team on the court, we create an incredible energy that leads to success and makes the game truly fun,” said Trotter.
Head coach Maggie McCloskey-Bax is in her sixth year as head coach. She is the 11th head coach for the program. Also, this season, she is encouraging players to work hard.
“We have made an effort to work on our conditioning throughout the season and have made every drill in practice a competition to keep the energy up. We put our players through as much game-like situations as possible in practice. It’s also nice to have more players at practice, so they know they can push themselves,” said Bax.
Hard work pays off
The coaching staff sets expectations that make the team better, which leads to more success for the Cardinal squad. Through a variety of situational drills and conditioning training, there is no avenue this staff has not covered.
“Women’s basketball has a wonderful staff of coaches and trainers that contribute to our success on the court. Specifically in practices, the coaching staff has been emphasizing the importance of competing to make each other better. Off the court, our athletic trainer, Ben, and AT Students, Abby and Marlena, make sure we are well-rested and equipped to perform to optimal levels. This includes exercises and rehab before and after practice. They are the best,” said Duffy.
Season adjustments
The NCC women’s basketball team lost to the Wheaton Thunder on December 2nd. 63-70 was the final score. Before the Carthage win, the team had ten or more turnovers in every game.
During a UChicago game, the turnovers went up to 20. In the Carthage game, that was fixed with only eight turnovers all game. The team had the most collective assists in that bout as well. They have been able to focus and secure the ball while playing to their strengths, which leads to winning. Expectedly, rotations have been a question mark, considering the number of new faces Bax manages.
“We have played a pretty challenging schedule so far and know that we have a long way to go this season. We have a lot of new players, so we are focusing on progress and not perfection. We are challenging ourselves to stay committed to the work whether we win or lose. We are still working out our rotations and have had people step up at different times. We are looking forward to continue battling together in this tough conference,” said Bax.
The team has a perfect 2-0 record at home ahead of Saturday’s game; however, they are 2-4 in away games. They also have a 0-1 record in neutral court games. Finally, in their conference record, they are 1-2. Despite these records, there is a sense of camaraderie within the team. The captains have made sure that everybody feels welcome and included.
“The returners have done a great job with shifting the culture and making sure the newcomers understand the expectations of a college athlete. They have done a great job getting to know the newcomers and making them feel welcomed on this campus. We have a fun group of student-athletes and are building the culture for the future of this program,” said Bax.
Adjusting to the lineup
Sometimes, players are going to be thrust into new environments. This team has made sure that the adjustment is smooth. Transfer students have seamlessly integrated their various playstyles, discovering what works best for the Cardinals as a cohesive unit.
On another note, the sport is different at the college level, and many newcomers have found that out so far. , ’27, is one of the players who has had to adjust to the new style of basketball.
“There is definitely a difference between playing high school basketball in comparison to college basketball. College basketball is just the next level up where girls are stronger, the pace is faster and drills get harder. You have higher expectations held for you, because this is just an overall higher level playing,” said Gatlin.
Future games
The team has addressed questions about their performance, with McClure, Ford and Duffy showcasing leadership. Additionally, Trotter’s breakout performance indicates that the team is ready to achieve big things. Before, the question was how would they do.
Now, the question is what’s next for this team. Currently, the NCC women’s basketball team is preparing for the rest of the season, including games throughout winter break. The team sits at a 4-5 record going into their December 9 game against Illinois Wesleyan University. Despite having a lot of games left, this Cardinal team plans to go the distance in this competitive conference.
