2022-23 Muhlenberg women’s basketball preview

Mules women’s basketball gears up for a championship run

0
497

One theme the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team has for the 2022-23 season is determination. 

“We are very determined this year,” said shooting guard Rachel Saxton ‘25. “You know, we’re hungry. Coming off of last year, we had a good year and enjoyed it, but we know we can do better. That’s just something we want to achieve, improving from last year. We want to show anyone who comes to watch our games that we are ready to compete until the very end.”

Last season, the Mules finished (11-14) in the regular season and did not qualify for the Centennial Conference playoffs. That doesn’t mean the season was a failure, as the team learned a lot from last year, implementing some promising changes into their practices thus far.

“We spend a large chunk of practice every day working towards having lockdown matchup and help defense,” said forward Margaux Eripret ‘22, who is currently enrolled in Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies. “The better our defense is, the easier it is to transition into a good offense.”

“We’re putting more time into our fundamental skills,” commented Saxton. “I think that’s going to help us tremendously because not only are we working on the little things, but I think that’s going to build us into a stronger team.”

The Mules have loads of talent on both sides of the court, but the team is eager to work off individual strengths and create a more cohesive unit on the court. They hope to find success through unselfish basketball this year, a recipe that has proved effective in the past.

“We want to try to play more team basketball than individual basketball,” said Saxton. “As we go through our season, it’s not going to be about who scores the most points, but how we are doing overall as a team.”

Another substantial factor for the team this year will be its chemistry. Team spirit and cohesion must be high going into the first game of the season. 

“Our friendships and chemistry with each other translate into a familiarity on the court,” said Eripret. “We’ve become so accustomed to playing with each other, and it’s helpful to know how each person plays because it leads to us making good plays together.”

This year’s squad is composed largely of upperclassmen ready to bring their experience to the table and help pilot the team through any adversity they may face throughout the year. 

“It’s really important to lead by example,” commented Eripret. “I always looked up to my upperclassmen when I was younger, and I hope that myself and fellow upperclassmen this year can also set a good example and use our experience to guide the team to be as successful as possible.”

The Centennial Conference is one of the most competitive in DIII. From top to bottom, every team is strikingly skillful and competitive to a high degree, making every matchup a dogfight.

“When it comes to conference play, [we are] very excited to play Gettysburg [College] and Johns Hopkins [University],” expressed Saxton. “They are usually two top teams, and as long as we continue to work hard and focus, we can give them a run for their money, no doubt.” 

There is a lot to be excited about for this Muhlenberg women’s basketball campaign. The team has trained with a relentless work rate, studied the game head to toe, and is keen to sustain this culture going forward.

“We’ve already made so much progress, and the team is showing a lot of promise for a successful season,” said Eripret. “We’ve seen what we’re capable of doing when we play good team basketball, and maintaining high standards will help us reach our goal of making it to [the] playoffs and winning a championship.”

Progress, while great to see in preseason, will inevitably be measured at the end of the regular season when the Centennial Conference playoffs are set, but the vibe in the locker room is that Muhlenberg women’s basketball is a real contender this year.

“I really believe,” said Saxton, “and I think if you were to ask any of the other players on our team and our coach, I think that we have the potential to secure a high seed in the conference tournament this season.”

Make sure to tune in for the Mules season opener when they travel to Hartwick College on Nov. 12.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here